I left church today and Rocky Votolato’s Suicide Medicine was in my cd player. I love this album and have probably listened to it the most out of any other. Alabaster was playing and I couldn’t believe what I had missed before. I wish I knew more about this song. It has many, many blatent biblical reference but I’m not entirely sure on the heart behind it. Here are the lyrics:

On the outside looking in
i’ve never been able to crack the code
to break the secret spell
that would open up the door and let me in
to everything I’ve been looking for so hard I’ve never seen
but I feel my strength returning tonight
its flowing from the purest well to ever give water
out into an ocean where the sharks are circling
a carnival of counterfeits has no room for something real
arrogance and ego wrapped around every word
shouted from the pulpit as a judgment to control
these were my roots my seed was thrown in shallow soil
I grew into the thorn bushes to be scorched by the sun
but I feel the gravel move beneath my feet
the smell of the gasoline mixed in with the trees
when my faith is strong I know my strength
the threats will be screamed when the vultures fell threatened
so I’ll open up the door and let you in
I want to break the alabaster smell the sweet perfume
and when the bottle is broken I’ll have nothing left to give
I’ll know I’ll already have everything worth having
but I feel my strength returning tonight
its flowing from the purest well to ever give water
out into and ocean where the sharks are circling
a carnival of counterfeits want to crucify something real

The references:

The door -

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

-Revelation 3:20

Purest well -

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

- John 4:14 (to note, this is Jesus speaking to the woman at the well)

Seed in shallow soil and thorns -

5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

-Matthew 13:5-7

Perfume -

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ‘This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

- Matthew 26:6-14

I am not sure of the meaning behind this song but there are definately some stand out messages. It is just so cool, I had to blog about it!

This is five years old but its all I got, so you can hear the song.