By Randee May, Staff Writer
Take a moment to consider what love means to you. Is love the attraction between a man and a woman, or is it much more powerful than that?
To Andrew Hozier-Byrne, the writer and singer of ‘Take Me to Church’, love is so much more powerful than a simple attraction.
In his song ‘Take Me to Church’, Hozier makes a powerful and inspirational statement.
Each verse holds meaning, while pointing out the flaws of the masses.
“Every Sunday’s getting more bleak. A fresh poison each week. ‘We were born sick,’ you heard them say it. My church offers no absolutes. She tells me ‘worship in the bedroom’
The only heaven I’ll be sent to. Is when I’m alone with you. I was born sick, but I love it. Command me to be well. Amen. Amen. Amen.”
The video that accompanied the song only helped to power the meaning of the lyrics. It portrays two men who have formed an intimate relationship which changes course after one is kidnapped, dragged through the woods and violently beaten to death by a group of seven. This all happened while his boyfriend was searching to find him, only to arrive too late.
Between the scenes are small snippets of their life, from walks to watching planes, to kissing.
In an interview with Gigwise, Hozier stated, “Take me to Church is not an indictment against religion or institutions, but institutions that undermine the simple natural parts of being a person.”
Hozier said, “The song, to me, is about what it is to be a human, what it is to love someone as a human being, and organizations that would undermine that, and undermine the more natural parts of being a person.”
Sometimes imagery and music can overstimulate its audience with obscure choices. Frankly, society has developed a tolerance toward traditional violence and outlandish lyrics. But Hozier takes it to a different level that may put his audience outside their comfort zone, and he doesn’t believe it should have that effect.
“If you feel offended or disgusted by the image of two people kissing, if that’s what it is, but you’re more disgusted by that than the actual violence. . . I think you should take a look at your values maybe. I don’t think there really should be a controversy when we’re talking about a basic human right and the equal treatment of people.”
He feels comfortable with what he believes to be real and acceptable behavior. In addition to that, fundamental moral views should be taken into account. Unfortunately, different cultures have different views when presented with the ideas of Hozier.
Hozier specifically mentions Russia, where any expression of homosexuality or support for the LGBTQ community can condemn you. There is no freedom of speech when it comes to sexuality in Russia. He isn’t afraid of displaying an outlook on topics that don’t matchup with typical views and portrays many positive morbid tendencies within what love can be.
In an interview with the Irish Times Hozier said, “I found the experience of falling in love or being in love was death – a death of everything. You kind of watch yourself die in a wonderful way and you experience for the briefest moment – if you do believe somebody and you see for a moment yourself though their eyes – everything you believed about yourself is gone.”
