Take Me To Church – English Lyrics

• By: Hozier

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the profound lyrical tapestry of Hozier's "Take Me To Church," a masterclass in English metaphor and social commentary. This powerful blend of soul, blues, and alternative rock challenges traditional notions of faith and devotion, offering a rich vocabulary to explore themes of love, rebellion, and human rights. By dissecting its evocative verses and poignant chorus, learners can grasp complex emotional expression and cultural critique, making it an exceptional song for advancing English comprehension and appreciation for nuanced storytelling.

[English]

My lover's got humour, she's the giggle at a funeral

Knows everybody's disapproval

They should've worshipped her sooner

If the heavens ever did speak, she's the last true mouthpiece

Every Sunday's getting more bleak, a fresh poison each week

"We were born sick"

You heard them say it

My church offers no absolutes, she tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"

The only Heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you

I was born sick, but I love it

Command me to be well

A-, amen

Amen, amen

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

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

If I'm a pagan of the good times, my lover's the sunlight

To keep the goddess on my side, she demands a sacrifice

Drain the whole sea, get something shiny

Something meaty for the main course, that's a fine looking high horse

What you got in the stable? We've a lot of starving faithful

That looks tasty, that looks plenty, this is hungry work

Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies

I'll tell you my sins, so you can sharpen your knife

Offer me my deathless death, oh, good God, let me give you my life

Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies

I'll tell you my sins, so you can sharpen your knife

Offer me my deathless death, oh, good God, let me give you my life

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

Oh, oh, amen

Amen, amen

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

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

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lover /ˈlʌvər/ B1	noun - a person who loves someone
humour /ˈhjuːmər/ B2	noun - the quality of being amusing or entertaining
worship /ˈwɜːrʃɪp/ B2	verb - to show reverence and adoration for a deity
sacrifice /ˈsækrɪfaɪs/ B2	noun - the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else verb - to give up something for the sake of something else
deathless /ˈdɛθləs/ C1	adjective - not subject to death; immortal
innocence /ˈɪnəsəns/ B2	noun - the state of being free from sin or moral wrong
madness /ˈmædnəs/ B2	noun - the state of being mentally ill or extremely foolish
shrine /ʃraɪn/ B2	noun - a place regarded as holy or sacred
scene /siːn/ B1	noun - a place where an event occurs
faithful /ˈfeɪθfəl/ B2	adjective - loyal, constant, and steadfast
bleak /bliːk/ B2	adjective - lacking vegetation and exposed to the elements; cold and miserable
command /kəˈmænd/ B2	verb - to give an authoritative order
earthly /ˈɜːrθli/ C1	adjective - relating to the earth or worldly matters
high horse /haɪ hɔːrs/ C2	noun - a state of superiority or self-righteousness

Key Grammar Structures

• knows everybody's disapproval

  ➔ Possessive Pronoun + Noun + 's + noun' (possessive + noun)

  ➔ Shows possession of 'disapproval' by 'everybody's', indicating that disapproval belongs to everyone.

• I'll worship like a dog

  ➔ Simile using 'like' + noun

  ➔ Compares the act of worshipping to a dog, emphasizing devotion or submissiveness.

• There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin

  ➔ Negative form with 'there is no' + adjective + noun + 'than' + noun (comparison)

  ➔ Expresses that the purest form of innocence is less significant than a gentle sin, using a comparative structure.

• Only then, I am human

  ➔ Adverbial phrase 'Only then' indicating timing or condition

  ➔ Signifies that a person only becomes truly human or authentic after certain conditions are met.

• Offer me that deathless death

  ➔ Imperative verb 'Offer' + indirect object 'me' + noun phrase

  ➔ Commands or requests someone to present or give 'that deathless death' to the speaker.

• In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'In the madness and soil' + noun phrase

  ➔ Describes the environment or setting characterized by chaos ('madness') and dirt or corruption ('soil') within a sad, earthly scene.

• There is no master in the house

  ➔ Existential sentence with 'There is no' + noun phrase

  ➔ States that without a certain figure of authority, there is no dominance or control.