ENGLISH ASSESSMENT T2Y9
“Take me to Church” – Hozier
“Take me to Church” by esteemed singer and songwriter Andrew John Hozier-Byrne, popularly known as Hozier, was produced and released in 2013. This Christian and indie rock song recognises being human and how a church or religion condemns humanity because of it. Pride, greed, envy, lust etc. are all recognised as "sins", but in reality, they are just a part of being human. The inclusion of metaphors, imagery and allusions allows the audience to understand the way religion is continuously condemning human nature; it produces the feeling of disgust towards being human. We are human and shouldn’t be required to express our regret and beg for pity for it.
The opening verse of “Take me to Church” draws attention to the reality of religion, and that the unjust visions of God shouldn’t change a human. Hozier’s use of metaphors and allusion suggests this message thoroughly, examples
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“To keep the Goddess on my side, she demands a sacrifice. Drain the whole sea, Get something shiny” is allusion, as no specific “sacrifice” or “something shiny” is ever mentioned. These word choices refer to soul, faith and devotion. If they sacrifice their own passions, they will be rewarded, and to “drain the whole sea” is emptying their soul and their rights to be a human so they can find “something shiny”, the faith in the church. Furthermore, Hozier’s lyrics of “that's a fine looking high horse” shifts the perspective to one of a church, God or religion. “What you got in the stable?” is a metaphor explaining that the church is eating away at people and dragging society to its side. “We've a lot of starving faithful” is referencing that humanity needs something to believe in for their sins and in the context of this song, criticises their commitment to the lord and its unjust ideas surrounding