Cursive – At Conception

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Jeannie's been throwing up all morning. Poor girl's been so heartsick ever since her boyfriend went to war. Father Cole's done his best to console the girl -- more so than some neighbors deem necessary -- but you just can't measure young love. Picketing the clinic outside town, Father Cole holds the record for turning twelve girls around. If anybody knows the sorrows of the young woman, it's Father Cole. But he's been acting out of sorts; that strange sermon he gave accepting termination due to rape. Jeannie's whispered, "She's carrying," but there's one awful catch: her boyfriend's been off in the desert for half a year. Cole cried, "This simply cannot be!" She quipped, "Quite the opposite -- I'm hardly the Virgin Mary... and you're no carpenter. So, who will build my home?" "Jeannie, you're just a kid. You can't conceive such mortal sins. Everything will be alright... what happens in confession stays in the confessional." So what goes on behind those curtains? "Jeannie, you're just a kid, you WON'T conceive this mortal sin."

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Lyrics submitted by remembermaine

Track duration: 02:57

"At Conception" as written by Tim Kasher, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Clint Frederick Schnase, Ted James Stevens

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


At Conception song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:Jeannie and Father Cole have been having sex. Jeannie is pregnant. To avoid either of them having to raise the child or face the shame of admitting that they have been sleeping together, Jeannie will get an abortion. In order to protect her reputation, the once hard-nosed anti-abortion Father Cole will give a sermon in which he says that abortion is acceptable if the girl is raped. Jeannie will claim to have been raped, not by Father Cole, but by some unknown, non-existent, third party. Neither Father Cole nor Jeannie are suspected of sleeping together, there is no baby to raise, Father Cole can continue the priesthood, Jeannie won't be looked down upon for cheating on her army boyfriend or having an abortion. Works out the best for everybody.

    The line is "accepting termination, due to rape."
    Flag iamsoupcombuston April 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's interesting how in "Bad Sects", the priest is portrayed as the victim, while in this song, he's the offender.

    Flag pumkinhedon January 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I guess, though, if you have sex with someone when they are emotionally vulnerable, then it could be considered rape, because they wouldn't exactly be 100% on doing said act.
    Flag DreamScenarioon June 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree on the idea of what this song is about, except for one factor: Jenie's (or however you spell it) age. If she's underage, then that means that her boyfriend must be underage as well. The average Catholic priest is around middle-aged and above. This means that even young adults would be considered kids to them, due to their age. Since Jenie's boyfriend is old enough to join the army, then that means that she anywhere from 18-22. At the very youngest, she is 17, but I doubt this.
    Flag DreamScenarioon June 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Father Cole has done his best to console the girl
    More so than some neighbors deem necessary"

    I think those lines refer to him raping her. like.. he's "consoling" her more than is necessary. I think Tim was using sarcasm there, like he was consoling her more than he should. A.k.a- he raped her
    Flag let uss be freeon February 04, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Father cole almost certainly did not perform an abortion on jeanie. The line "what happens in confession..." is in reference to him having sex. He didn't rape her. Like tim wrote, "...Father Cole has done his best to console the girl
    More so than some neighbors deem necessary..."

    Jeanie is torn up (heartsick) about her boyfriend leaving that shes confused and vulnerable (similar to the girl in Into the Fold. They're the same voice in each song.) And father Cole consoles her by having sex with her. Then Cole preaches the rape/abortion sermon because that term is a lot more socially accepted.

    The entire first verse makes the song seem to fall backward into time.

    "Jeannie's been throwing up all morning
    The poor girl's been so heartsick
    Ever since her boyfriend went to war
    Father Cole has done his best to console the girl
    More so than some neighbors deem necessary
    But you just can't measure young love."

    Throwing up all morning...morning sickness. One of the early signs of pregnancy, but she seems to think its because of her boyfriend off in the desert. Then the song shifts forward...and she whispers shes carrying.


    Lastly,

    an immaculate exception...at conception.
    Flag mediaon July 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:hmm yes i do think father cole performed an abortion..possibly in the confessional??
    "what happens in confession stays in the confessional"
    ..bit of a weird idea but hey..tell me if you think it's completly wrong and ridiculous!! :)
    xXx
    Flag No_One_Reallyon November 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the scarlet letter was a terrible book, but i enjoyed the idea behind it. it was just written too densely. i definitely see the connections here though and that makes this song even more rad
    Flag RogueCheddaron October 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it makes sense to see the similarities between this and The Scarlet Letter. However, I'd say it's unlikely overall.
    Flag Hobbyyon October 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:you WILL NOT conceive this mortal sin. as opposed to CAN NOT. father cole has sex with jeannie and performs an abortion
    Flag driftwoodxon September 28, 2006   Link

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