In 1997, I put out "Happy Town" - the album that got me dropped from the label. I think they thought it was too weird, a downer, or just not commercial enough. It included "Soldiers of Christ", a satirical take on the Christian Right. It was not, I was told, the labels favorite song.I actually stopped singing it after a year or so. I thought it might have been just a touch too harsh or didactic. I also believed the salad days of the Jerry Falwells and Pat Robertsons were behind us. I mean, Roe v Wade was safe, we eventually got gay marriage, and no one was seriously talking about banning text books. Well...
SOLDIERS OF CHRIST
Our Lord loves the family, our Lord loves the saved Our Lord loves the unborn babies and the NRA Our Lord hates the liberals, the faggots, and their friends We're soldiers of Christ and we're here to defend The way it used to be The way it ought to be The way it's going to be again In the days of Cain and Abel In the days of the Crusades In the days of inquisitions They made the damned behave Before emancipation Before Roe and Wade Before they taught little children That they evolved from apes The way it used to be The way it ought to be The way it's going to be again When we're in Heaven, you'll be sorry then Our Lord loves the sinner as long as he don't sin He knows the thoughts you're thinking He knows with whom you've been And our Lord loves this country He's with you at the polls He knows the lever that you pull He's keeping track of souls The way it used to be The way it ought to be The way it's going to be again When we're in heaven, you'll be sorry When we're in heaven, you'll be sorry When we're in heaven, you'll be sorry then Gonna be sorry then
(Sobule/Eaton)
One funny story - a guy game up to me on the street and told me his evangelical sister had told him about my song. She thought I was serious, had become reborn, and was now a healthy conservative Christian heterosexual. She told him (her out gay brother) that if I can change, he can too. I love this story so much.