I see this song as making a statement about Christianity from the viewpoint of wither a Jew (which Spektor is) or an atheist (which I am). Though the speaker in the song believes in the myth of original sin (Adam didn't see what was coming but Eve gave him the fruit and he ate it), she does not believe that we need to be saved from it or that Christ was a redeemer of humankind. The "hero" of the myth is not Christ (as argued in the New Testament), but Eve, who first ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When she gives the fruit to Adam, she soothes him by saying "it's alright-its alright-its alright," that he should give into pleasure. "Power to the people" suggests that Adam and his descendants (hence "we" and "I") have the power to redeem ourselves by seeing the true distinction between "good" and "evil" (good = pleasure / evil = pain) "We don't want "it" (salvation) because "we want pleasure" (the pleasure which Adam and Eve discovered once they had eaten the fruit). We have been confused by the Christian myth of redemption and now believe that pleasure is bad but we want it anyway ("we're tryin' to be faithful but we're cheatin' cheatin' cheatin'). The speaker claims that sins should be forgiven by each one of us ("let he who is free from sin cast the first stone"). Jesus spoke truth, but was not the son of God. He was a prophet only, but his prophecy should be honoured.
If you're a Christian, then you might see the speaker of the song as a dangerous temptress.
If you're a Jew, you might see the speaker as someone exploring the New Testament in relation to the Old Testament.
If you're an atheist, then you might see the speaker of the song as speaking a profound truth.
I see this song as making a statement about Christianity from the viewpoint of wither a Jew (which Spektor is) or an atheist (which I am). Though the speaker in the song believes in the myth of original sin (Adam didn't see what was coming but Eve gave him the fruit and he ate it), she does not believe that we need to be saved from it or that Christ was a redeemer of humankind. The "hero" of the myth is not Christ (as argued in the New Testament), but Eve, who first ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When she gives the fruit to Adam, she soothes him by saying "it's alright-its alright-its alright," that he should give into pleasure. "Power to the people" suggests that Adam and his descendants (hence "we" and "I") have the power to redeem ourselves by seeing the true distinction between "good" and "evil" (good = pleasure / evil = pain) "We don't want "it" (salvation) because "we want pleasure" (the pleasure which Adam and Eve discovered once they had eaten the fruit). We have been confused by the Christian myth of redemption and now believe that pleasure is bad but we want it anyway ("we're tryin' to be faithful but we're cheatin' cheatin' cheatin'). The speaker claims that sins should be forgiven by each one of us ("let he who is free from sin cast the first stone"). Jesus spoke truth, but was not the son of God. He was a prophet only, but his prophecy should be honoured.
If you're a Christian, then you might see the speaker of the song as a dangerous temptress.
If you're a Jew, you might see the speaker as someone exploring the New Testament in relation to the Old Testament.
If you're an atheist, then you might see the speaker of the song as speaking a profound truth.