I think you must consider the lyrics within the context of the hymn which inspired The Vaselines to write this.
I'll be a Sunbeam lyrics;
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.
Refrain:
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.
Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy,
His little one can be.
I will ask Jesus to help me
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.
I’ll be a sunbeam for Jesus,
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live for Him on high.
I sung Hymn # 137 with the lyrics as written by Nellie Talbot as a child. I was 30 years of age when Eugene Kelly and Francis McKee unleashed this version. 30 more spins around the sun and it remains relevant.
Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam. You are excluded.
Sunbeams were never made like me states that you are different.
Don't expect me to cry,
For all the reasons you had to die.
Religious belief has it's expectations. This rejects the premise of the hymn which becomes a statement of promise to be a good little Christian.
Don't ever ask your love of me is a reaction to the rejection of the first line. To belong requires you to conform and you have drawn your line in the sand.
Don't expect me to cry
Don't expect me to lie
More expectations. More rejection of the constraints of religion.
Don't expect me to die for me
The final line is quite intricate. Clearly a comment on the Christian belief that Jesus died for our sins, it would indicate that Jesus becomes part of our person. Logically, a part of you must die for your own benefit. It becomes a rejection of suicide.
Kurt Cobain was a fan of The Vaselines and it was a mark of respect when he performed this song on MTV Unplugged in 1993. His suicide a few short months later becomes quite ironic with respect to that final line. No doubt, he was a spiritual person although he was in conflict with conventional religion. The MTV performance was not his last. That came in Munich on March 1, 1994. Nearly 25 years have passed and we still have not come to terms with the message he carried. The meaning of this song becomes personal. The lyrics haunt me as they should. I am not nearly as familiar with The Vaselines as I am with Nirvana, perhaps that is my own fault. They still become part of the evolving story of this song which reaches back to Nellie Talbot and becomes part of the fabric of my own beliefs.
I think you must consider the lyrics within the context of the hymn which inspired The Vaselines to write this.
I'll be a Sunbeam lyrics;
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, To shine for Him each day; In every way try to please Him, At home, at school, at play. Refrain: A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam; A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I’ll be a sunbeam for Him. Jesus wants me to be loving, And kind to all I see; Showing how pleasant and happy, His little one can be. I will ask Jesus to help me To keep my heart from sin; Ever reflecting His goodness, And always shine for Him. I’ll be a sunbeam for Jesus, I can if I but try; Serving Him moment by moment, Then live for Him on high.
I sung Hymn # 137 with the lyrics as written by Nellie Talbot as a child. I was 30 years of age when Eugene Kelly and Francis McKee unleashed this version. 30 more spins around the sun and it remains relevant.
Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam. You are excluded.
Sunbeams were never made like me states that you are different.
Don't expect me to cry, For all the reasons you had to die.
Religious belief has it's expectations. This rejects the premise of the hymn which becomes a statement of promise to be a good little Christian.
Don't ever ask your love of me is a reaction to the rejection of the first line. To belong requires you to conform and you have drawn your line in the sand.
Don't expect me to cry Don't expect me to lie
More expectations. More rejection of the constraints of religion.
Don't expect me to die for me
The final line is quite intricate. Clearly a comment on the Christian belief that Jesus died for our sins, it would indicate that Jesus becomes part of our person. Logically, a part of you must die for your own benefit. It becomes a rejection of suicide.
Kurt Cobain was a fan of The Vaselines and it was a mark of respect when he performed this song on MTV Unplugged in 1993. His suicide a few short months later becomes quite ironic with respect to that final line. No doubt, he was a spiritual person although he was in conflict with conventional religion. The MTV performance was not his last. That came in Munich on March 1, 1994. Nearly 25 years have passed and we still have not come to terms with the message he carried. The meaning of this song becomes personal. The lyrics haunt me as they should. I am not nearly as familiar with The Vaselines as I am with Nirvana, perhaps that is my own fault. They still become part of the evolving story of this song which reaches back to Nellie Talbot and becomes part of the fabric of my own beliefs.