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Zebra
Skeptic Friend
USA
354 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2009 : 22:25:07
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I discovered the band Sparks last year and have been amused, among other features, by the anti-gullibility and/or skeptical nature of several of their songs (the lyrics, not the music itself), along with the sly wit in a number of their songs.
From their 2008 album, "Exotic Creatures of the Deep", comes the best example of addressing gullibility head on: "I Can't Believe You Would Fall For All the Crap in This Song" which goes (in large part):
I want you and only you and only you and only you, my love I need you and only you and only you and only you, my love
I can't believe that you would fall for all the crap in this song I can't believe that you would fall for all the crap in this song
I'll be true, forever true, forever true, my love Stay with you, forever you, forever you, my love
I can't believe that you would fall for all the crap in this song I can't believe that you would fall for all the crap in this song ... |
From that album there's also "(She Got Me) Pregnant" (and a number of other songs which are amusing but don't have anything to do with gullibility/skepticism etc).
From their 2006 album "Hello Young Lovers" comes "There's No Such Thing as Aliens" (2 minutes, 53 seconds of those very words repeated over and over, but in a very catchy way), and my favorite of all of their songs, "As I Sit Down to Play the Organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral", essentially a rock opera about a guy who has a great thing going, picking up foreign women who come visit the N.D. cathedral in Paris, where he works. "As I Sit Down" includes stirring phrases which sound religious ("I got FAITH! I got a deep abiding FAITH! ...) but really aren't (..."that among this sea of worshipers there is one" he can pick up).
Anyone else have any other skeptically-oriented songs they like, or just plain favorite lyrics for any reason at all?
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I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone* -Dick Cheney
*some restrictions may apply |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2009 : 10:38:01 [Permalink]
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Sparks is one of my favorite bands. They never really caught on in the US which is odd because they are from here. They remain very big in Europe. One of their songs is called "I Predict". The singer makes a series of predictions including that the song will fade out. It doesn't!
Lyrics:
You're gonna take a walk in the rain And you're gonna get wet (I predict)
You're gonna eat a bowl of chow mein And be hungry real soon (I predict) Are my sources correct (I predict) They're gonna find the Queen is a man But that Philip don't care (I predict) Lassie will prove that Elvis and her Had a fleeting affair (I predict) Are my sources correct Are my sources correct Yes I know they're corect (I predict)
Men, if you say your prayers You'll never lose your hair(I predict)
L.A. is safe Ain't gonna quake Ain't gonna quake (I predict)
And somebody's gonna die But I can't reveal who Cold beer will cure a cold Cold beer and pretzels, takes care of cancer Moscow will march to France They'll do the Can-Can Dance Don't worry, it'll work out Maxim's will throw them out
They're gonna stop Saturday night So you better have fun now (I predict) They're gonna stop having the sun So you better get tan now
And this song will fade out And this song will fade out And this song will fade out (I predict)
I Predict on SNL. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Zebra
Skeptic Friend
USA
354 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2009 : 20:28:34 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Ricky
Sometimes I wonder how we as a country ever made it through the 80s.
| Ah, yes. The Reagan years.
Or are you referring to punk & new wave music? |
I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone* -Dick Cheney
*some restrictions may apply |
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Zebra
Skeptic Friend
USA
354 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2009 : 20:43:17 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
Sparks is one of my favorite bands. They never really caught on in the US which is odd because they are from here. They remain very big in Europe. One of their songs is called "I Predict". The singer makes a series of predictions including that the song will fade out. It doesn't!
Lyrics:
You're gonna take a walk in the rain And you're gonna get wet (I predict)
You're gonna eat a bowl of chow mein And be hungry real soon (I predict)
...
| My gods! They should enter the SFN 2009 Psychic Contest!
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I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone* -Dick Cheney
*some restrictions may apply |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 00:24:21 [Permalink]
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If you want another skeptic/science-interested musician, check out George Hrab. He writes really greate lyrics. He was intervieved by Skepticality, so for some samples, search Skepticality episodes with George Hrab.
Check out this sample lyrics: http://www.geologicrecords.net/brainsbodyboth.asp |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..." Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq: Send them unarmed civilians for target practice.. Collateralmurder. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 12:00:42 [Permalink]
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Can't leave out my personal favorite, Roy Zimmerman:Creation Science 101 words and music © 2006 by Roy Zimmerman
God made the world in seven days Well, that's one week to be specific Now, that's what I call scientific Say Hallelujah, sing His praise
Four thousand forty-two B.C. On Monday, August twenty-seven He made the earth and sky and Heaven Then he punched out at five-oh-three
Then he made Adam, and then Eve A garden for them to inhabit The apple right where Eve could grab it And I've got proof, 'cause I believe
Creation Science 101 In the beginning it begun And you are just beginning to educate yourself when you shun Evolution
Then Cain and Abel he begat And they begat all of the rest to us Which means they must have been incestuous I'm going to have to pray about that
There might be sinners in this class Who might believe in Charles Darwin I guess that's just their loss and our win Because I'm gonna flunk their ass
If you make Genesis your text You'll laugh at Darwin and what he sees To be the origin of species Because he's just plain oversexed
Creation Science 101 You ain't no monkey's great grandson You've got a research paper due 'bout the fifty reason to shun Evolution
Don't let em' hand you that old jive About survival of the fittest That notion don't pass the bull**** test 'Cause look at me, I'm still alive
God made the world just like it is He made the fossils just to tease us Old bones to test our faith in Jesus Yeah, this'll all be on the quiz
Creation Science 101 Now Armagedd-your homework-done Because when this semester's through, It's straight A's for students who shun Evolution
The kids get such an education When they shun The heretical theory of the development of life on earth over millions of years by means of spontaneous genetic mutation |
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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The Rat
SFN Regular
Canada
1370 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 17:29:50 [Permalink]
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Rush, Free Will
There are those who think that life is nothing left to chance A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance.
A planet of playthings, We dance on the strings Of powers we cannot perceive. "The stars aren't aligned Or the gods are malign" Blame is better to give than receive.
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear I will choose free will.
There are those who think that they were dealt a losing hand, The cards were stacked against them They weren't born in lotus land.
All preordained A prisoner in chains A victim of venomous fate.
Kicked in the face, You can pray for a place In heaven's unearthly estate.
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear I will choose free will.
Each of us A cell of awareness Imperfect and incomplete. Genetic blends With uncertain ends On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet.
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill I will choose a path that's clear I will choose free will. |
Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church? - The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Blackadder II
Baculum's page: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3947338590 |
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The Rat
SFN Regular
Canada
1370 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 17:33:05 [Permalink]
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An indictment of the flashy big-hair hucksters selling doom and gloom:
Neon Bible, by The Arcade Fire
A vial of hope and a vial of pain, In the light they both looked the same. Pourred them out on into the world, On every boy and every girl.
It's in the Neon Bible, the Neon Bible Not much chance for survival, If the Neon Bible is right.
Take the poison of your age, Don't lick your fingers when you turn the page, What I know is what you know is right, In the city it's the only light.
It's the Neon Bible, the Neon Bible Not much chance for survival, If the Neon Bible is right.
Oh God! well look at you now! Oh! you lost it, but you don't know how! In the light of a golden calf, Oh God! I had to laugh!
Take the poison of your age, Don't lick your fingers when you turn the page, It was wrong but you said it was right, In the future I will read at night.
In the Neon Bible, the Neon Bible Not much chance for survival, If the Neon Bible is true.
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Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church? - The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Blackadder II
Baculum's page: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3947338590 |
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Randy
SFN Regular
USA
1990 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 18:19:00 [Permalink]
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I Ain't Afraid Words and music by Holly Near Recorded on Edge
I ain't afraid of your Yahweh I ain't afraid of your Allah This one caught me by surprise one day at work. Heard it on the local PBS radio station, KUT, here in Austin, Tx. I can dig it....
I ain't afraid of your Jesus I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
I ain't afraid of your churches I ain't afraid of your temples I ain't afraid of your praying I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
verse Rise up to your higher power Free up from fear, it will devour you Watch out for the ego of the hour The ones who say they know it Are the ones who will impose it on you
I ain't afraid of your Yahweh I ain't afraid of your Allah I ain't afraid of your Jesus I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
I ain't afraid of your churches I ain't afraid of your temples I ain't afraid of your praying I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
verse Rise up, and see /find/ know/ hear a higher story Free up from the gods of war and glory Watch out for the threats of purgatory The spirit of the wind won't make a killing off of sin and satan
I ain't afraid of your Bible I ain't afraid of your Torah I ain't afraid of your Koran Dont let the letter of the law Obsure the spirit of the your love--it's killing us
I ain't afraid of your Yahweh I ain't afraid of your Allah I ain't afraid of your Jesus I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
I ain't afraid of your churches I ain't afraid of your temples I ain't afraid of your praying I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
Money Culture Choices I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
Sunday Spirit Teachers I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
Sabbath Borders Dances I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God double
Children Music Stories I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God
Rise up to your higher power Free up Rise up to your higher power Free up Let's try to be highly evolved I aint afraid
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"We are all connected; to each other biologically, to the earth chemically, to the rest of the universe atomically."
"So you're made of detritus [from exploded stars]. Get over it. Or better yet, celebrate it. After all, what nobler thought can one cherish than that the universe lives within us all?" -Neil DeGrasse Tyson |
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R.Wreck
SFN Regular
USA
1191 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 19:17:53 [Permalink]
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Elvis Costello, Monkey to Man:
A long time ago, our point of view Was broadcast by Mr. Bartholomew Now the world is full of sorrow and pain It's time for us to speak up again
You're slack and sorry Such an arrogant brood The only purpose you serve is to bring us our food We sit here staring at your pomp and pout Outside the bars we use for keeping you out
You've taken everything that you wanted Broke it up and plundered it and hunted Ever since we said it You went and took the credit It's been headed this way since the world began When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man
Every time that man struggles and fails He makes up some kind of fairytales After all of the misery that he has caused He denies he's descended from the dinosaurs
Points up to heaven with cathedral spires All the time indulging in his base desires Ever since we said it He went and took the credit It's been headed this way since the world began When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man
Big and useless as he has become With his crying statues and his flying bomb Goes ‘round acting like the chosen one Excuse us if we treat him like our idiot cousin
He hangs up flowers and bells and rhymes Hoping to hell that someone's forgiven his crimes Fills the air with his pride and his praise He's big disgrace to our beastly ways
In the fashionable nightclubs and finer precincts Man uses words to dress up his vile instincts Ever since we said it He went and took the credit It's been headed this way since the world began When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man |
The foundation of morality is to . . . give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibliities of knowledge. T. H. Huxley
The Cattle Prod of Enlightened Compassion
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Zebra
Skeptic Friend
USA
354 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 20:05:53 [Permalink]
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These are great!
There's also Greydon Square, the atheist rapper - video here of his performance (after hours) at the 2007 Atheist Alliance International Convention. ("Punctuated equilibrium" does have a great beat for a rap song.)
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I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone* -Dick Cheney
*some restrictions may apply |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 20:26:10 [Permalink]
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I have always thought that this song was a very powerful endorsement of skeptical thinking. It's good to be reminded that appearances aren't always what they seem.
Well Im not the worlds most physical guy But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine Oh my lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola Well Im not dumb but I cant understand Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man Oh my lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola |
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
Edited by - H. Humbert on 03/04/2009 20:27:13 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2009 : 22:33:17 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by H. Humbert
I have always thought that this song was a very powerful endorsement of skeptical thinking. It's good to be reminded that appearances aren't always what they seem.
Well Im not the worlds most physical guy But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine Oh my lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola Well Im not dumb but I cant understand Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man Oh my lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola lo-lo-lo-lo lola |
| Another one of my favorite bands. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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R.Wreck
SFN Regular
USA
1191 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2009 : 19:42:14 [Permalink]
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As I thought about this topic, I recalled two songs which I would consider "skeptical", and oddly enough, both have "Faith" in the title: "Faith in Something Bigger" by The Who, and Lou Reed's "Busload of Faith". Both turn the common meaning of faith somewhat on it's head . The Who tells us that "The more we learn, the less we believe to be true", and sing about faith in something bigger "inside ourself", and Lou tells us that you "need a busload of faith to get by". Faith in what? Well Lou skewers pretty much everything most people have faith in, so for me it is that faith that we all have that when the going gets tough, we will somehow manage to get by, that things will get better. That despite the bullshit, life is worth living.
Faith in something bigger:
It may be warm but the snow is going to fall, Enough to cover us all. We've gotta be strong men and follow a path again.
We've got to have faith in something bigger, Faith in something bigger, Faith in something big inside ourself.
It might be cold but the heat of our love will melt, The snow we never felt. We're young and hardy again, we bow to weaker men.
We've got to have faith in something bigger, Faith in something bigger, Faith in something big inside ourself.
The more we learn, the less we believe to be true. The more we prove, the more remains to be proved. We've gotta be strong men and follow a path again.
We've got to have faith in something bigger, Faith in something bigger, Faith in something big inside ourself, inside ourself.
Busload of Faith:
You can't depend on your family You can't depend on your friends You can't depend on a beginning You can't depend on an end You can't depend on intelligence You can't depend on a god You can only depend on one thing You need a Busload of Faith to get by You can depend on the worst always happening You can depend on a murderer's drive You can bet that if he rapes somebody there'll be no problem having a child And you can bet that if she aborts it Pro-Lifers will attack her with rage You can depend on the worst always happening You need a Busload of Faith to get by You can't depend on the goodly hearted The goodly hearted made lampshades and soap You can't depend on the Sacrament no Father, no Holy Ghost You can't depend on any churches unless there's a real estate you want to buy You can't depend on the air You can't depend on a wise man You can't find them because they're not there You can depend on cruelty crudity of thought and sound You can depend on the worst always happening You need a Busload of Faith to get by
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The foundation of morality is to . . . give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibliities of knowledge. T. H. Huxley
The Cattle Prod of Enlightened Compassion
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