In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
If the stars fall down on me
And the sun refused to shine
Then may the shackles be undone
May all the old words cease to rhyme
If the sky turned into stone
It will matter not at all
For there is no heaven in the sky
Hell does not wait for our downfall
Let the voice of reason shine
Let the pious vanish for all times
God's face is hidden, all unseen
You can't ask him what it all means
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side
See ten thousand ministries
See the holy, righteous dogs
They claim to heal
But all they do is steal
Abuse your faith, cheat and rob
If God is wise, why is He still
When these false prophets
Call him friend
Why is He silent, is He blind?
Are we abandoned in the end?
Let the sword of reason shine
Let us be free of prayer and shrine
God's face is hidden, turned away
He never has a word to say
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side
No, no, no
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Never, never, never, never
Never on your side
Never on your side
God was never on your side
Never on your side
And the sun refused to shine
Then may the shackles be undone
May all the old words cease to rhyme
If the sky turned into stone
It will matter not at all
For there is no heaven in the sky
Hell does not wait for our downfall
Let the voice of reason shine
Let the pious vanish for all times
God's face is hidden, all unseen
You can't ask him what it all means
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side
See ten thousand ministries
See the holy, righteous dogs
They claim to heal
But all they do is steal
Abuse your faith, cheat and rob
If God is wise, why is He still
When these false prophets
Call him friend
Why is He silent, is He blind?
Are we abandoned in the end?
Let the sword of reason shine
Let us be free of prayer and shrine
God's face is hidden, turned away
He never has a word to say
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Let right or wrong alone decide
God was never on your side
No, no, no
He was never on your side
God was never on your side
Never, never, never, never
Never on your side
Never on your side
God was never on your side
Never on your side
Lyrics submitted by AnarchistUK, edited by GreatCorrector
God Was Never on Your Side Lyrics as written by Philip Anthony Campbell Ian Fraser Kilmister
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Im pretty sure Lemmy's an atheist, as ive read that in a few places. He's saying the only thing to do is the right thing or the wrong thing. the right thing is what good people do, regardless of their religous beliefs.
@BigRoss71 Lemmy is an Atheist. Just by the lyrics since the early days of Motorhead. Listen to Orgasmatron. That's a true Atheist outlook on Religion not being a true positive force and its unreasonable or strict rules for mankind. He says humans can only help themselves and can't rely on God to be there for them. You can pray everyday but if you don't live by the Bible tough luck. Different religious beliefs are man made and have been attributed to starting wars besides power and money.
I don't know if Lemmy had some readings of Nietzsche or Schopenhauer, but the lyrics remind me of these german philosophers.
The song meaning seems a bit obvious, He criticizes the church, mostly, in the name of freedom of thought, and the hipocrisy of those who use religious beliefs in their own benefit.
Great song, great lyrics and awesome singing by Lemmy. His voice sounds like he ate a full package of cigars.
Lemmy is obviously an atheist. I don't see how you could see lyrics like this any other way. By saying "God's face is hidden" he is saying that God doesn't exist. "Let the sword of reason shine" is about freethought and rejection of religion for an atheistic, reasoned approach to the world. This song is one of Motorhead's many atheist-themed songs.
I think this song is about a man who lost faith in God because of the corruption in organized religion and God's lack of action in regards to them. He feels that the souls of men cannot be saved by saying Hell doesn't wait for us to fall and Heaven is impossible to reach now. The only thing left for us to do is the right thing, not the wrong.
@zerodiablos and it seems he's placing blame where it belongs especially the so called ministries false prophets and pointing out that the sheep are victims of their hypocrisy.
By saying ‘God’s face is hidden’ the lyricist is obviously not atheist. He’s acknowledging the existence of a god but is angry God’s antipathy towards the evils mankind inflicts upon itself. He never steps in, he never helps. So we’re left with abiding by the golden rule ‘treat others how you want to be treated.’ Unfortunately most people now live by the ‘treat others how you are treated’ rule. It’s no wonder God was never on our side.
@cosette197672 right. The light of reason is what the philosoophy of Jefferson and many other founding fathers and others called Deism.. Deism acknowledges God's existence but that He created the world and universe then spun the top and let it go on its own. Thus the seasons, rain, weather even war are not made by him but its a reasoned belief and the "light of reason" was their mantra.
see thats the thing about Lemmy he seems to believe in god but he's always critical. However he is especially critical(and always has been) of organised religion as his father was a catholic priest who abandoned his mother for religious reasons and Lemmy will never forgive religion for all that it's done to separate people.
Faith brings us together, religion separates us...
Not to spoil your happy little fun religion isn't faith session but Lemmy is an atheist, "I'm an atheist and an anarchist. I'm anti-communism, fascism, any extreme." motorhead.ru/art11damagecase.html
I do not know why to confuse atheism with the rejection of the curch.
There is no correlation between the corruption of the church and the existence of God. If there was a God, that would not mean that the church could not be full of corrupt people. Likewise a church free of corruption would not prove the existence of God.
Atheism is a strange thing. You can be atheist and at the same time longing for God. I think this song is the voice of a man who feels the pain of the lack of God.
יְשַׁעְיָהוּ - God is salvation. No God, no salvation.