No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor
No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God
When it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from the party yet
No one laughs at God when their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door and they say we got some bad news, sir
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine or fire or flood
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious, ha ha
Ha ha
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God
When they've lost all they've got and they don't know what for
No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughing at God in hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God, we're all laughing with God
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor
No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God
When it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from the party yet
No one laughs at God when their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they're mistaken
No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door and they say we got some bad news, sir
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine or fire or flood
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious, ha ha
Ha ha
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God
When they've lost all they've got and they don't know what for
No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughing at God in hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God, we're all laughing with God
Lyrics submitted by tinylittlewords
Laughing With Lyrics as written by Regina Spektor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I don't think this song is necessarily as pro-god as some people have suggested. I think it's more about human attitudes to god and religion than being about god himself.
The chorus is about the ridiculous perversions and commercialisations of religion, and how laughable the whole thing gets - all the paraphernalia, all the hatred it sparks, all the bullshit.
And then the verses are about the little jump of terror in your heart when you're staring something awful in the face and for a second you really wish someone was there to save you or help you - or you just wish that things were somehow in somebody's control, when in fact they really aren't. I think it's that primal terror in all of us that continues to give religion so much power despite all the ridiculous aspects of it.
I think that's what this song is about - what it is in people's hearts that makes them accept all the stupid parts of god, and why people just laugh at the ridiculous parts without ever rejecting religion. We'd rather be 'in on the joke', laughing with god, clinging to things that deep down we're not 100% sure are true, because the idea that we're all alone is too scary to bear.
I absolutely agree with your interpretation of the song as opposed to the others. It makes me think about how all over the world people are oppressed and live in a hell on earth, dying horrific deaths and watching all those around them suffer; and then people think that their prayers to God actually matter concerning the luxury car they want to buy, or please God get me out of this traffic I want to go home, etc... <br /> <br /> So many people think this song seems pro-religious, and I definitely disagree. You could not have put it better, great post.
Agreed - I don't think it's pro or anti-god specifically, it seems to be more an overall analysis of people's views of God all-round. Lovely song.
Just wanted to say that you phrased this exactly how I was thinking it. In times of trouble, we often become so desperate for anyone or anything to have control over a seemingly uncontrollable situation.
Thank you! I agree fully, and I'll add that the line "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for" might even hold some anger twords the idea of god. but, I don't know. <br /> <br /> all in all, a great post to a great song.
I agree with this explanation most. You can tell she's being sarcastic when she's laughing during the song. I don't think this is supposed to be pro or anti-G*d. Just her view of religion as a whole.
I do agree with the thought of it being a neutral song (neither anti nor pro) I have to disagree about your interpretation of the lyric "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for"<br /> <br /> Often times, when people's lives are going great they mock God and hate him, but suddenly when things turn terrible, they are praying for everything to be better again. Kind of like how a lot of people take God's name in vain when they don't even believe in him...it's the weirdest thing ever.<br /> <br /> "For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute." Hebrews 6:16<br /> <br /> Well, no one's laughing AT God when they are hoping by some divine miracle, their misery will change, because they know by no power of man could anything be done. Perhaps she's singing about how people flip and flop in their relationship towards the idea of God or with God Himself.
it seems like you are coming closest to what i believe the meaning to be. I've heard her talk about the song and she has said that it is not pro or anti anything. she is like that a lot, which is awesome. the best art presents a question to its audience to answer for themselves. I think she is, as you say, just making observations of the relationships between humans and God. I think she is noticing that it is easy for people to laugh at the sillier parts of religion (and i think this is her actually giving a bit of a jab at religions' and society's silly interpretations of God) when everything is going great. Then she points out that in moments of terror, as you mention, people still turn to God for help. I think she is also taking notice that poor people are often more religious. People who don't know where their next meal is coming from are forced to put more faith is God because they have terror on a daily basis, where as many of us only think of God during the turbulence in an airplane. I think this is a needed insight, because many people look at the uneducated, poor, religious as just stupid people and the enlightened, educated, rich folks think they have evolved beyond religion and God (bill mahr, grr). She is saying, hey, people who believe in God need God, that doesn't mean they are stupid. We all need God sometimes, even if we don't believe in him. We make him silly sometimes, but he's ok with that too, he's always there for us to pray to even if he isn't really there at all.
I most definitely agree with you. I was just wondering about what this song means, and think people took this song really pro god, but I don't think it is. I think that it is purely an observation of how we think about God, and how we think about God as wonderful and powerful when we're asking for money or for him to grant us wishes, but when everything falls out from under us, he's not so magical anymore, he's not like santa or a genie, and we aren't laughing. Its brilliant.
Totally agree, this song is not pro-religeon at all, quite the contrary. I think the last line shows the true meaning behind the lyrics "we're all laughing with god", as opposed to laughing at him, which is what we should be doing. Not god per se, but of the idea of god. How can we think that there's someone up there calling the shots when terrible things happen all the time. To Regina people always stay on gods side and excuse him from horrible things that happen, when the idea of an all powerful and all good god allowing such things to happen is laughable. We should be laughing at god (or the idea of him anyway) but not laughing with him. <br />
@lovebee I agree with the not-so-necesarily-as-pro-god-view. Well, the intention might have been pro-god, I don't know. But the song lyrics illustrate that it religion is made up by humans, and taken very serious in need. Religion is very popular in times of war, poverty, etc: When you're in complete misery, it's only human to assume there will be something that will just rescue you. But, sadly... you just die.
@lovebee I do not see though how this song is anti-religion. Just because religion is ridiculous and strange to human logic does not mean there's nothing to it. In the Bible God outright says that his wisdom has absolutely nothing in common with human logic, and he realizes that his works and decisions are super-easy to disregard or mock - that's the point.<br /> It reminds me of that scene in Harry Potter, which I think is one of the most brilliant answers to the religion vs logic conundrum: Harry is in like a semi-heaven purgatory, and asks Dumbledore "hey, is this, like, FOR REAL? or is it all in my head?"<br /> to which Dumbledore retorts "OF COURSE it's in your head!...but... why should that mean that it's not real?"<br /> I think that this song is brilliant even from a pro-religion standpoint, because it's more a commentary on the human pereception of God, and how counter-intuitive and downright weird it is if you stop and think about it. It's not pro or anti, it's just pointing out "hey, religion is actually pretty weird guys." which is a compliment IMO.<br /> <br /> Your analysis is accurate, but there is more than one conclusion to be drawn from said analysis.