Jack Johnson – Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology

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  General Comment:"We’re just here pretending " is the best line of the song. I like Jack Johnson as an artist...good stuff. I hope you creates a song about spring. It's almost here and some will be out the door rejoining life, routines, and drinking blackberry wine.

  Flag IllToast2Thaton January 12, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:It's about religion but not promoting it or anything... life, even our non-religious life is a religion that we follow. We follow rules we believe are right.
  
  Paprikuh says how he likens life to a written out movie script. Well, life is exactly like that. He's saying, everybody's made of clay... we're made of material things, without this concept we have of "souls" or meta-physical things. There's nothing separate from reality, it's all connected. Which means, yes, we're little crying robots.
  
  The hardest pill to swallow: consciousness is an illusion. Which means, free will, our choices, these things are all predetermined and we are along for the ride. If you realize this, you'll see that many, many songs are about this fact. One of my favorites is Never Meant To Know, by Tally Hall. Youtube it.
  
  Sorry if I ruined your day, or some day you'll have in the future, but don't worry, we all get over this fact.

  Flag WideAngleDanon April 10, 2012   Link

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    Yes, it's all predetermined.

    Flag IllToast2Thaton January 12, 2013  
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  General Comment:I don't think this really has anything to do with religion. It's about being an adult and dealing with what the world throws at you.
  
  Everybody is made of clay
  That's what they used to say
  Until the truth stepped on us all
  Now everything that was big is small
  
  In this verse, he's talking about when he was a child. Everyone is soft, "made of clay," able to become anything they want. When you were a child, didn't "they" tell you you could be an astronaut or a doctor or whatever? But when you grow up, when the truth steps on you, everything that once looked big now looks small and everything changes.
  
  We're just little crying robots
  Program me
  I wanna win the race
  I wanna find the place
  Where the king
  Locked up the princess
  Jump the fence
  And drink a little bit of.
  
  Red wine, mistakes, apologies
  Red wine, headaches, mythology
  
  And now, as we enter the corporate world, we're just robots, trying to win the corporate race. But in reality, all we want is to just be kids again and find where the king locked up the princess and rescue her. And the only way to escape our sad lives is drink a lot of wine, make some mistakes, apologize, drink some more wine, wake up with headaches, and perpetuate the cycle.
  
  Now who is the king of the sky
  Jupiter says oh me oh my oh why
  Is the game always changing
  I've been through some strangeness
  
  So, now who's at the top of the skyscraper, the "king of the sky," as in the CEO. But there are a lot of ways to get there and it's always changing. It's all underhanded, backstabbing strategy to move up in the world.
  
  What's the matter
  Is the feast not fat enough
  Up the ladder with your feet
  Reaching with your hands
  You can feel it and dream it
  I know you want to believe it
  Just steal it
  Take a piece of the sun
  And drink some.
  
  Now he's asking if this isn't what you wanted, if it's all you expected life to be. "Is the feast not fat enough?" So you keep climbing up the ladder, reaching, feeling, dreaming, and if you really want it you have to steal it. And the only way to deal with what you've done is to drink and make mistakes and apologize, etc.
  
  Now everybody's in the play
  At least that's what the script
  Told me to say
  It said:
  Shadows cut across the hero's face
  He falls from grace
  Until a little bird sang:
  The truth is never ending
  We're just here pretending
  Let's all laugh so that we don't cry
  Let's all lift our glasses up to the sky
  
  He then likens life to a written out movie script, with everything predetermined. Everyone's in it, nobody escapes it. We all see ourselves as the hero until we fall and the next hero comes to take our place. We all get old and lose our positions. We all get stepped on and replaced in a neverending cycle. And we all pretend that it isn't like this, that we all follow our dreams and can be whatever we want. We laugh so we don't cry and we drink to cope with these sad realities.

  Flag Paprikuhon December 20, 2011   Link

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    I agree with most of what you said. I read a little farther into "Now everybody's in the play, at least that's what the script told me to say" - it sounds to me like he's talking about how we're supposed to believe we're classless and everyone can make it to the top.

    Flag Phaiaon October 19, 2012  
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  General Comment:angelique you do raise a good point I didn't talk about the other lyrics. Now who is the king of the sky
  Jupiter says oh me oh my oh why
  Is the game always changing
  I’ve been through some strangeness
  What’s the matter is the feast not fat enough
  Up the ladder with your feet
  Reaching with your hands
  
  The opening line of the second verse is a very clear indication that his song is going to further deal with the aspect of religion. Now who is the king of the sky? It is almost sarcastic like well who is the the "Almighty" this week is it "God" "Zues" or "Jupiter" or the Sun for that matter? When he refers to "is the game always changing, I've been through some strangeness" Could that mean the game with religion as to which one is the right one and how some religions are much more different that some would say that they are strange? Also does he mean to reference about the "Last supper" and climbing up to heaven when we pledge our forgiveness to the so called Lord during communion? When he says "Whats the matter is the feast not fat enough, Up the ladder with your feet reaching with your hands." Just a thought.
  
  Moving on through the second verse:
  You can feel it and dream it
  I know you want to believe it
  Just steal it anekatips
  Take a piece of the sun
  And drink some
  
  This is also another great part of the song that may not dismiss religion but will really make you think. People who are of religion talk about how they can feel god and how they believe in him. Just because you have such strong emotions about something and that you believe in something does not make it fact. He goes on to say "Just steal it ANEKATIPS take a peice of the sun and drink some..." Well if there is one line in this whole song that strikes at religion this is the one. After he says "I know you want to believe it" He says "Just steal it ANEKATIPS take a peice of the sun and drink some..." In case you don't know the word ANEKATIPS means to copy or replicate. So therefore he is implying that certain religions have stolen the idea of the god from the sun. But he says thats fine just make sure you have some red wine with it especially at communion where you are going to basically ask for forgiveness. So get back in those pews and what for you turn to drink some red wine and eat your crackers. Because after all we all know that the red wine and crackers are really the blood and the flesh from a 2000 year old man. Wow you might as well believe in Santa. Do people really believe that, or has the religion community brainwashed the youth and have taken away their ability for critical thinking. If you don't question your church and their beliefs then you need to start if your faith is so unbreakable then why is it so hard to question anything about religion. If everything is so called historical fact according to the bible then why would it matter if you or anyone question it.And another thing if the bible is the teachings of god then why aren't their more books im sure that back in those time that there were more people that could write rather than those who wrote the bible. Where are the other books where people wrote about god or jesus.
  
  
  Now everybody’s in the play
  At least that’s what the script told me to say
  I’d say: shadows cut across the heros face
  He falls from grace
  Until a little bird sang:
  The truth is never ending
  We’re just here pretending
  
  This final verse tells us a few things that script is referring to scripture readings from the bible how every is Gods child and that he doesn't question it when he refers to "Atleast that's what the script told me to say." The next part is a little tough. "Shadows cut across the heros face, he fails from grace." Could it be that hero fails from grace because that he believes in something else or of nothing at all? "the little birds sang: the truth is never ending we're just here pretending" This is a very good point even as much about religion or life that we think we know, nobody really truly knows not me and not you. On a scale from 1-10, 10 being the most atheist person in the world he can really only be a 9.9 out of 10 because they dont have a clue anymore than you do. So just question everthing especially religion and politics those two things are the things that are holding this country back corrupt politics and ridiculous religion. Lets follow the constitution and seperate church and state and America was not founded on christiainity it was founded on deism. Some of the founders were actually atheists believe it or not.
  

  Flag kporter52on October 14, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Well this song has nothing to do with "the American Dream" If you look up the lyrics and listen to it, it has everything to do with an attack on religion especially Christianity. The opening line "Everybody's made of clay that's what they use to say til the truth stepped on us all" This is directly from the bible and how "God" made man out of clay and then breathed life into him. And now more and more people are understanding that the bible if not religion all together is a myth. He then makes a reference to the theory of evolution: "Everything that is big is small" He goes on to say how we are robots that are programed and that we want to win the race and find a place where the king locks up the princess, jump the fence and drink some red wine, mistakes, apologies red wine, headaches, mythology. Now it is clear in the line that religion does program children with the teachings of god and to thinking that in order to "win the race" which is to make it into heaven you have to follow these laws and commandments in the bible and believe in god. The "king" in this line is referring to "god" and that once we die that if we go to heaven we will be locked behind fences or gates. Sound familiar to some biblical gates into heaven? Now the song goes on to say jump the fence and have some red wine. Well in the Christian Church the have a thing called Communion. Where people drink RED WINE and eat bread crumbs. Believing that it is the blood and flesh of Jesus. He continues in his chorus "Red wine Mistakes Apologies" "Red Wine Headaches Mythology" Well Red wine can cause headaches but it more deeper than that. It means that when you drink the Red wine at Communion that you are just adding to the headache that religion brings upon the world. He then goes on and says Mythology well Mythology is basically the story of hercules and Zues(aka Jupiter)Later mentioned in the song. It says that there is no difference between the teaching of god and the bible than there is between the story of Zues and hercules. I should point out that Mythology is entirely fictional. And yes there are very many similarities between these two stories. In the Christian Faith there is God, Jesus and the devil. The devil tries to control everything and make people corrupt. In the Mythology There is Zues (God) Herucles (Jesus) Hades (The Devil) Hercules goes to earth and performs miracles and so does Jesus in the christian faith. Basically Religion is ridiculous and totally made up and makes people closed minded than ever.

  Flag kporter52on October 03, 2011   Link

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    LOL..you described yourself... "closed minded." You also made up a heck of a lot about Communion for it differs from religion to religion. Nothin' like tossing one big blanket of ignorance on it :) I think you may with to stick to Zeus and Hercules as you're not entirely ignorant of them. I just love ignornant non-Christians trying to explain Christianity without prejudice and bias. Thank you for your tolerance and inclusion; you are a great mouthpiece for bigots. Religion brings headaches? How fair of you to omit all the good it does. Next time I see a band of atheists taking care of the elderly and infirmed I'll look for you. LOL.

    Flag MissCharlotteSometimeson October 03, 2011  

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    Alright you bring up a good point MissCharlotteSometimes. I failed to say what good religion does bring. It does do come nice things for the community, such as puts on fund raisers to help people in need. It does lift those who have low spirits and countless other things. However that doesn't mean that religion gets a pass on what harm it has cause society. Religion has caused war, battles and riots. Religion has divided mankind and has made those who believe closed minded. What I mean by closed minded is that they look at other religions as they are not right and that the only one that is correct is the one that I belong to. It doesn't allow people to take another perspective on what life or what religion could be right or wrong. Instead they are stuck in their narrow box inside a book afraid to look up for it they do God will strike down on them. Also the bible is the word of God written through profits. So one could say that the way God thinks, acts and characterizes himself should be in the bible. So I ask what do you think about slavery, genocide or human sacrifice? Well I can tell you what God thinks or at least what he told his profits. According to the bible which is the word of God that he does agree with slavery so much so that it says how much and who slavery works for. He also agrees with genocide which is what Hitler was trying to do the whole "Perfect Race" idea. And Human sacrifice is also on his list of things that are okay to do. I am not an atheist because to be an atheist that means that you believe that there is no God whatsoever. It is the complete opposite and they don't know anymore whether there is a god or not more than a religious person does. I just don't understand how those who believe that there is a heaven can describe it in such detail. How there is a gate a throne what it looks like inside that there is gold piping on the trim of the cloak that god wears or who or what is up there. So unless those who believe and have some sort of magical power that I don't have and can see up there then you don't have a clue anymore than I do. Let me ask you have you have met someone who has gone to heaven and come back and told you what it look like or if it even exists. Religion is a nice comforting tool and when used correctly can really be a powerful and great thing. Too bad religion has been a terrible thing that has divided the world. Religion does bring some good I'll give you that. But come on if we changed the Children story of Jack and the Beanstalk and was taught that since we were born do you really think that anyone could tell the difference. I don't think so. And I agree communion does differ from religion to religion in the christian church. However all do drink the wine the "Red wine" and all do eat the bread crumbs or crackers. And yes the wine could be a representation of Jesus blood or some consider it the actual thing and the same goes for the cracker or bread crumb. So just to let you know I am not an Atheist nor an Agnostic nor really a true believer. I simply don't know and either does anyone else. And for those who say they do know because of their faith well just to let you know faith is like putting blinders on for critical thinking. Ask yourself how do I honestly know if there is a God and don't use cliques about the earth and the stars and human nature of even by using the word faith to hide behind. Just try it

    Flag kporter52on October 03, 2011  

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    You need a new Bible if you truly have found teachings that show God's support of slavery; genocide, etc. I truly doubt God would have helped the Jews escape their imprisonment and head to the Promised Land if he supported slavery:) And not ALL churches/religions offer communion. People of faith use critical thinking; they are no different than people of no faith because they are INDIVIDUALS. I get a kick out of the very same people who believe aliens (UFO's) can exist yet they don't believe God can exist:) Christians simply believe that Jesus is the son of God who died for our sins and that as the children of God we are supposed to do our best to follow His teachings, even if they don't blend well with the ever-changing popular opinion of the masses or the laughable social conscience of the yellow media. It is not religion that has caused wars and battles; it's the fallible humans (the ones God still loves and the ones with FREE WILL) who cause strife. But I suppose in your world anyone who is Islamic is a terrorist for Islam must be bad because a handful (percentage wise) have warped their religion. (Or do you just save your bigotry for Christians:) And it is also those same flawed humans (usually the faithful) who attempt to make the world a better place, especially for those in need. Bottom line? There are losers in every race; religion (or lack thereof); gender, age and socioeconomic bracket, etc. Until we are HONEST and acknowledge that we (which includes YOU) are prejudiced against those who choose to believe (a belief that cannot be proved or disproved...which is why it is called faith) than anything that comes out of our mouths should immediately be discounted.

    Flag MissCharlotteSometimeson October 04, 2011  

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    First to MissCharlotteSometimes and I would disagree I do not need a new bible maybe you should read yours. There is a list of Ten Commandments that are look as the "top" ten now did you know that there are more after that something like 613 total. Now in there it does speak of slavery genocide and there is also a passage or a story of a man who sacrificed his daughter to god so that god would allow him to win a certain competition. And yes all Christian religions do perform communion it says that in the bible that communion should be performed regularly and often. As to how they do and what the means and what the crackers mean can vary. Alright I never said that I believe or not believe in aliens so please don't write things that I did not mention in my previous statement. But wouldn't it be the same for someone who believes in god something that they have never physically seen heard or touched but can still disprove the account of aliens. Lets just drop the alien thing its getting off topic. I also don't think that Islamic people are terrorists. You did bring a valid point that in every religion there are the low life's and bad people. However my whole thing is not about a certain religion it is about all religions. When you said that religion brings a lot of good things. I ask you why do we need something like religion to get people to do good things in their communities or countries? Shouldn't we be doing that on our own anyways? And I do believe that faith does put blinders on critical thinking. I bet you didn't try asking yourself about how do I know that god exists without using the god faith or any of the cliques in the bible. What I mean by critical thinking is that you or anyone who believes most likely would not have the perspective or even the idea that another way of worship or non worship of a god or gods even exists. Did you ever wonder why there are so many religions?

    Flag kporter52on October 04, 2011  

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    I agree that it is also partially about religion as well but not the entire thing as you tried to explain... I think the song in its entirety is about the various aspects of our society which many want to keep stuck in the past and not allow to evolve - including religion AND the end of the era of indiscriminate consumption. Taking a piece of the sun - the script telling everyone they are in the play, is all about the notion that conservatives have been pushing of "don't punish those who are successful" - sounds great in principle but it has people wanting to enact policy based on the mere existence of the opportunity to become rich, as though we as a society shouldn't have to account for the fact that there will always be someone, no matter how hard they try, that gets stuck cleaning up the @#%@. That is what makes it also about the "American Dream". Win what race other than the rat race? The feast not being fat enough? Up the ladder? You hadn't explained those. Nor the script and the play. This song is about multiple things.

    Flag angelique1on October 09, 2011  
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  General Comment:Wow only 2 comments. This must be one of his most underrated songs. Sorry beautifulbreakdown, I entirely disagree. This song is most definately about "the American dream".
  
  

  Flagged angelique1on August 18, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:it's about trying to live in a fantasy world, and turning to alcohol when you're forced to live in reality

  Flag beautifulbreakdownon July 24, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Why hasn't anyone commented this yet?! I love this song.
  I love JJ's voice when he sings the second line of the chorus. <3

  Flag zebraplopon June 14, 2010   Link

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