Hozier - Kendall Limox
Hozier - The Impact of Words
Links to lyrics:
Question 1:
How does Hozier use figurative language, such as metaphors and symbolism, to impact listeners and make them think, whether they agree with him or not?
In many of Hozier's songs, figurative language is apparent and often obvious to listeners. Hozier uses this language, including metaphors and symbolism, to captivate listeners and help them envision and think about the problems and topics he sings about. In both songs, "Take Me to Church" and "Eat Your Young," Hozier critiques society's unfair views and government corruption.
In Hozier's song, "Take Me to Church," he sings about the mistreatment of queer people in a religious context. He uses string metaphors, which are dark and almost scary, one of the most notable ones being, "I'll tell you my sins, so you can sharpen your knife" (Take Me to Church) Which is a metaphor towards "confessing" in the Catholic Christian religion. In this case, since the church rejects queer love so heavily, historically resulting in violence or disowning people for this love, the action of "confessing" is not seen as safe. Instead, he says "sharpen your knife" (Take Me to Church), which is mephoric to bracing for the fact that there is no acceptance for this "sin" just shame, fear, and pain. It is also notable that there is a female character throughout the song; she is referenced in the beginning, "My lover's got humour/She's the giggle at a funeral" (Take Me to Church). I believe that she symbolizes the "right" way to love regarding most religious traditions. She is continuously referenced throughout the song, making her seem as if she is the solution to the problem. Yet, the point of the whole song is not to adapt and give in to that solution, but instead to accept yourself, and not stay ashamed. I think that is clear and notable towards the end of the song, "There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin/In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene/Only then, I am human, only then, I am clean" (Take Me to Church) Which is a beautiful metaphor to self acceptance.
The song "Eat Your Young" heavily critiques the government in countries that exploit their youth for services, while also abusing power and not taking proper care of citizens. This song, like "Take Me to Church," uses metaphors and symbolism to critique these issues and make people think about them as well. Bringing light and justice to common injustices. The title itself, "Eat Your Young," is a shocking metaphor that quickly draws attention to the topic. The meaning behind it is to show how easily the government "eats up" the young. Whether that is by exploiting the job market, or even deploying troops, who are often very young boys. The lyrics that support that are, "' Come and get some/Skinnin' the children for a war drum/Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns/It's quicker and easier to eat your young." (Eat Your Young) This is both metaphoric and symbolic. One of the most impactful lines to me in this is "Skinnin' the children for a war drum," (Eat Your Young) because so commonly, during war, everyone is hurt, especially the children. No innocence is accounted for; children die, and it is justified immediately as some lives must be lost for freedom.
Both of these songs go straight for the jugular, leaving no room for any sympathy for the violent and unjust side. Hozier uses his ability to write to give justice and stand up against corruption in society and the government.
Prompt 1:
Consider the afterlife of the songs. Write a brief paragraph explaining how the songs have been received, reused, referenced, and/or reinterpreted over time. Has it been associated with movements, moments, or a collective memory? Why do you think it has endured or should endure?
The "afterlife" of both of these songs has been extremely strong. Especially "Take Me to Church." This song has become an anthem in the LGBTQ+ community. At the time that this song was written, the queer community was still suffering acceptance even in America, which is arguably one of the "easiest" countries to be accepted in. So, when this song came out, it quickly rose to be a song for the queer community to relate to. Not only that, but I believe the most important impact of this song was that it made people who were closed-minded or was not accepting of the community have a new way of thinking about them. The song shares a lot of pain that I think many people did not realize the queer community experienced. So, this song has a beautiful afterlife because it became a song that queer people could not only relate to, but it was an eye opener to many people who treated people unfair. The song, "Eat Your Young," also has similar effects in shining a light on an issue. I think it helped and still helps younger people to feel seen and stand up for themselves in situations where they do not have the higher power.
Prompt 2:
What words, phrases, use of language, and images particularly struck you? Why? This is basically a brief passage analysis.
The language used in "Take Me to Church" really captivates and strikes me every time I both listen to and read the lyrics of the song. I think that the bridge is one of the most impactful parts of the song. "No masters or kings when the ritual begins/There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin/In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene/Only then, I am human, only then, I am clean" (Take Me to Church) I believe that this bridge is one of the strongest reasons why this song had such an impact. The line, "There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin" (Take Me to Church) Just is so impactful because it takes this "sin" that is seen as dirty and shameful, and puts the word "innocence" in front of it. That one change takes those two battling words and completely flips them both on their head. Because, at the end of the day, love is supposed to be seen as light and peaceful, yet in most churches and societal traditions, queer love is seen as the opposite of that.
Works Cited
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Genius. “Hozier – Eat Your Young.” Genius.com, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Hi Kendall! I really liked your explanation of how Hozier uses figurative language in both songs. To answer your analytical question, I think Hozier uses metaphors and symbolism to make listeners question powerful institutions and social systems. In “Take Me to Church,” when he writes, “I’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife” (“Take Me to Church”), he turns confession into something violent instead of comforting. That image makes religion feel strict and threatening instead of forgiving, which pushes listeners to think about how judgment can sometimes cause harm. I also think the line, “There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin” (“Take Me to Church”), is powerful because it challenges the idea of what is considered right or wrong. By putting “innocence” and “sin” together, Hozier makes us rethink who gets to define morality. In “Eat Your Young,” the metaphor is even more direct. When he says, “It’s quicker and easier to eat your young” (“Eat Your Young”), it symbolizes how people in power take advantage of younger generations for profit, war, or control. The image is extreme, but that is why it sticks with you. His dramatic language forces people to pay attention, even if they do not fully agree with him. Overall, I think his use of figurative language makes his messages stronger because it turns big political and social issues into clear, emotional images.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Hozier. “Eat Your Young.” Genius, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Hozier. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Hozier uses metaphors and symbols to make his points feel very real and impossible to ignore. In "Eat Your Young," the idea of "skinnin' the children for a war drum" shows how the government uses up young people for profit and power ("Eat Your Young"). This image is meant to shock the listener so they start thinking about how society treats the next generation. By using such a metaphor, he makes a political point feel like a tragedy. Even if someone does not agree with him, they still have to deal with the intense images he creates. In "Take Me to Church," he uses the idea of a "gentle sin" to show that love is actually innocent, even if the church says it is wrong ("Take Me to Church"). This flip of words makes people question their own definitions of what is good or bad. He uses symbols of "soil" and "madness" to describe the world, which makes the love in the song feel like the only clean thing left ("Take Me to Church"). His words act like a tool to break down old ways of thinking and replace them with something more human. This is why his music stays popular even years after it first comes out. He knows how to use language to stand up for people who have been hurt by big systems.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Genius. “Hozier – Eat Your Young.” Genius.com, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Hi Kendall! I LOVE Hozier, he is one of my favorite artists. To answer your questions, Hozier uses a few types of figurative language to make his listeners think. In "Take Me To Church" he uses metaphors to talk about the connection he sees to religion and relationships. He says "Take me to church/I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies" ("Take Me To Church"). When he says "church" he doesn't mean a building, he is using this as symbolism to talk about organized religion. By saying "worship like a dog" he is exaggerating and using imagery to show the obedience that society expects. When it comes to "Eat Your Young" he uses symbolism. When he says "Eat Your Young" ("Eat Your Young") it is not literal, it is symbolism. Cannibalism represents the more powerful people taking advantage of the younger people. I think the way you analyzed his lyrics is very in depth and is very interesting to read about. One thing I really liked is how many examples you used to answer your analytical question. Overall, I think your post was awesome! I had an enjoyable time reading it!
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Genius. “Hozier – Eat Your Young.” Genius.com, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Hi Kendall I listen to Hozier quite a bit so I really enjoyed this post. He uses figurative language in most of his music which make his songs very interesting to listen to. He uses meataphors and sumbols in his lyrics that make his main points in the song easy to pay attention to and understand. In his song "Take me to Church" he uses more dark metaphors like you pointed out. I think the lyrics "Offer me that dealthless death" would benefit your argument as it is a metaphor that is speaking on death and kind of mocking the thought of eternal life. He is saying the love is the only immortal thing that truly matters. I think you adding the line from "Eat Your Young" "Skinnin the children for a war drum" is a very good point towards your argument. What he is saying with this meatphor is that everyone is hurt in war both children, adults, citizens, everyone. There is no innocence for children in war. His use of figurative language in his songs allow his points to hti you in the face and become unnavoidabel to see. His language in the song grabs my attention. He is a very powerful lyricist and I think you did a good job showing how Hozier uses figurative language, such as metaphors and symbolism, to impact listeners and make them think, whether they agree with him or not.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
DeleteGenius. “Hozier – Eat Your Young.” Genius.com, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
The question for this blogger is "How does Hozier use figurative language, such as metaphors and symbolism, to impact listeners and make them think, whether they agree with him or not?". Hozier uses figurative language to impact listeners to make people think in "Take Me to Church" and "Eat Your Young". One example in of figurative language that makes you think can be seen in "Take Me to Church" uses metaphor calling sermons poisonous "Every Sunday's gettin' more bleak A fresh poison each week" ("Take Me to Church"). It makes the listener think about the idea that the sermons may be harmful rather than beneficial.
ReplyDeleteFor "Eat Your Young" a great point was made in the blogger "One of the most impactful lines to me in this is "Skinnin' the children for a war drum," (Eat Your Young) because so commonly, during war, everyone is hurt, especially the children." (Kendall Limox). It makes the listener think about children in war and how that has become a reality for many. War is everywhere and recently has felt like it was getting closer and closer. Both of these songs use figurative language to make the listener think about deeper meanings than just simply words. Sometimes it feels like you have to put on a performance just to keep peoples attention. People aren't just trying to get people to understand, but just to even get there attention. Activism for anything feels like a fight for attention just for the chance to enact change. I feel like Hozier has done a great job at getting peoples attention and giving his message.
Works Cited:
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Genius. “Hozier – Eat Your Young.” Genius.com, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Hozier uses metaphors and symbolism to delve into how homosexuality is seen in society in "Take Me to Church" and how weapons kill kids in "Eat Your Young". Hozier uses metaphors in "Take Me to Church" to describe that society sees homosexuality as wrong and something to be fixed and even though people think that he doesn't let them sway him and still loves himself. "I was born sick, but I love it, Command me to be well"(Hozier). He also describes the religious aspect of how he is viewed as wrong and sinful. "Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife, Offer me that deathless death, Oh, good God, let me give you my life"(Hozier). In "Eat Your Young" Hozier's topic of his song is the sale of weapons and waging war is killing peoples kids in the long run. "Skinnin' the children for a war drum, Puttin' food on the table, sellin' bombs and guns, It's quicker and easier to eat your young"(Hozier). Even though there are bad things in the world that people cause there's also good too. "Honey, I'm makin' sure the table's made, We can celebrate the good that we've done, I won't lie if there's somethin' still to take, There is ground to break, whatever's still to come"(Hozier).
ReplyDeleteThe first song that stuck out to me by Hozier was "Eat Your Young" because of its name. However after listening to the lyrics one stood out the most with it reading "Skinning the children for a war-drum" ("Eat Your Young"). I believe this lyric used symbolism to talk about how the children have to be taught about the world and learn about whats needed to fight for the right cause. With the phrase "skinning the children" being teaching them and the "war-drum" meaning fighting. The next lyric I saw was in the song "Take Me to Church". The line reads "I'll Worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies." ("Take Me to Church"). This line is repeated several time emphasizing his feelings. The line symbolosing the blind following no matter what even to the lies, the phrase "like a dog" representing blind following.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Hozier. “Eat Your Young.” Genius, genius.com/Hozier-eat-your-young-lyrics.
Genius. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.
Hi, Kendall! Love the artist choice!
ReplyDeleteIn "Take Me to Church", Hozier uses religion as a symbol for romantic sexual reverence in an intentionally provocative manner. He challenges an institutional religion known to condemn non-heteronormative love with lyrics like "I was born sick" and "Knows everybody's disapproval" ("Take Me to Church"). One of the most fascinating phenomena associated with this song was its adoption by some conservative Christians because the song, on its surface, sounds like a typical modern Christian song. The provably convincing imitation of this style serves as a metaphor for how thinly veiled oppressive and judgmental themes permeate ancient, institutional religions such as Christianity. These antiquated expressions of male dominance, strict gender expression, and patriarchal notions are commonly defended under the guise of religion. Hozier acknowledges these oftentimes extraneous or fabricated expressions of Christianity while redefining worship by equating intimacy and human love with spiritual devotion. As I'm sure you already know, the music video has more overt messaging, even going so far as to feature two men kissing.
Works Cited
Hozier. “Take Me to Church.” Genius, 3 July 2013, genius.com/Hozier-take-me-to-church-lyrics.