In his new song ‘Bodies’ Robbie Williams sings about Jesus and that “Jesus didn’t die for you.” What should Christians make of the song?

The interplay between Christianity and music is always interesting, with Jesus himself being increasingly mentioned by popular recording artists, in addition to Christian imagery and language like ‘Hallelujah’. In many ways, ‘Bodies’ does appear to be just another song using Christian images in its lyrics, but what Robbie Williams is saying about Jesus is worth analysing as Christians could use his statements as an interesting starting point in discussions about faith.

For the benefit of readers not in the UK, Robbie Williams started his musical career as a member of British boy band Take That, who were very popular in the UK and Europe, but had little impact in America. Robbie left the band in 1995 and embarked on a very successful solo career – as a solo artist, he has sold more albums in the UK than any other British solo artist in history and has won more BRIT Awards than any other artist to date.

Robbie’s album sales stand at over 55 million worldwide. His World Tour in 2006 sold 1.6 million tickets in a single day – a Guinness World Record and in 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. ‘Bodies’, the song in question was released in September 2009, and marks his return to the UK music scene after a two-year absence. In the music video, Robbie cruises through the American desert, with no religious iconography to mirror the lyrics of the song.

A religious miscellany
The song lyrics reference several ‘new age’ beliefs and religions. For example, he sings “I got laid on a ley line” and makes a reference to divine ‘Qi’ energy:

“Wanna feed off the energy,
Love living like a deity.”

The first line of the chorus is “Bodies in the Bodhi tree” – a reference to a Buddhist sacred fig tree in India, allegedly at the site of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama’s Enlightenment. Cuttings of the tree have been transported to various other Buddhist sites as it is regarded as sacred. How much the listener should draw from the reference is a matter of personal opinion. Lyrically, ‘Bodhi’ sounds like ‘Body’, so it fits into the song, and that may be the reason it’s mentioned.

The references to Jesus are slightly more contentious. In the ‘bridge’ section of the song, Robbie sings:

“And if Jesus really died for me
Then Jesus really tried for me”

But the idea that Jesus has died for anyone is firmly rejected at the end of the song – and it may be intentional that this is the only part of the song that Robbie actually sings in the video. Accompanied by a backing choir, he repeatedly sings: “Jesus didn’t die for you.”

A lack of hope
Robbie’s real religion, a narcissistic nihilism comes through in several other lines. The second half of the chorus runs:

“All we’ve ever wanted
Is to look good naked
Hope that someone can take it
God save me rejection
From my reflection,
I want perfection.”

When he claims to be “Praying for the rapture,” what it seems he’s really praying for is an end to everything. This lack of hope is seen in the first half of the chorus, which includes the following lines:

“Bodies in the Bodhi tree,
Bodies making chemistry
Bodies on my family,
Bodies in the way of me
Bodies in the cemetery,
And that’s the way it’s gonna be.”

So, basically, we’re all going to end up in the cemetary, and that’s where the story ends.

In conclusion
The mixed-up spirituality of ‘Bodies’ offers the listener a glimpse into the confused, and confusing, mind of one of the UK’s most successful musical performers of the last two decades. Robbie Williams seems to be desperately seeking something, but has not found an answer in religious faith. What he actually advocates is a materialistic nihilism that actively dismisses the possibility of salvation or redemption.

Some Christians may find these lyrics unsettling, but they could provide a very useful starting point in discussions with people who are looking for meaning and are examining the truth-claims of Christianity. While the decision to listen to this song is a matter of personal musical taste, it is worth bearing in mind the singer’s philosophy. This song offers an insight into the soul of contemporary culture and as such is valuable to Christians.

UPDATE
According to one interview (cited on www.purerobbie.com), the lyric “Jesus didn’t die for you” is a criticism of President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq. It has been claimed that President Bush saw the invasion of Iraq as a ‘holy war’ and this lyric is questioning whether Jesus really died in order for people to go to war in his name. If true, this political statement is yet another aspect of this intriguing song.

All lyrics in this post are under copyright and are reproduced under fair use legislation governing reviews and commentary. The analysis of lyrics in this post may not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of Robbie Williams or other copyright holders.

Here Come the New Gods
– Random Fandom and the Cult of Celebrity

Amid the hype about Big Brother ‘going evil’, one disturbing trend seems to have been overlooked. This is the rise of the ‘Superfan’, promoted by the companion show Big Brother’s Little Brother. Likeable BBLB host Dermot O’ Leary encouraged members of the public to apply and tell him why they should be a Superfan. The winners of the competition then declared on TV their undying love and support for the incarcerated competitor they were allocated.

Now, on one level, this is all fairly harmless froth designed to fill a half hour show that can’t show too much action from inside the Big Brother house without ruining the later, longer programme. But there is something bizarre about promising absolute loyalty to someone who is totally unknown. If the object of your obsession turns out to be a boring geek or a latent psychopath, there is no way out – you’re their Superfan no matter what.

This willing subjugation in worship to another person is partly fuelled by a desire to appear on TV (and thus assume some sense of personal validity), but it also seems to be a trait within society. The magazines that are filled with sordid tales about the antics of B-list celebrities sell because people want to live vicariously through the lives of those they don’t admire but wish to emulate. You can’t admire some of these individuals, but you can still envy their fame and the money they are making from a photo-deal with Heat.

In California, meanwhile, the media circus is in full swing surrounding Michael Jackson’s child-sex trial. If ever there was a case of madness induced by mass adoration, Jackson’s name must head up the list. The fans gathered outside the courthouse, or lining the route that Jackson’s limo drives down, have already decided that their hero is innocent. He must be, because to think that he could do the things he is accused of is too horrible to contemplate. It’s exactly the same kind of adulation that allowed the Emperors of Rome to get away with their infamous crimes.

Where do we as Christians fit into a culture that seems intent on creating a new pantheon of demigods? It’s easy to launch into a diatribe against idolatry, the sin proscribed in both testaments precisely because it’s so easy to fall into. But is this obsession with hero worship in our post-Christian society actually a hopeful sign?

The oft-mentioned desire to worship something other, something outside our fragile, failure-prone existence is perhaps the root cause of the obsession with celebrity. The irony is that people seeking to emulate these clay-footed idols effectively deny themselves the validity they earnestly seek. They want to be known and adored, but do so by trying to change themselves into something different, negating the possibility of ever being accepted for who they are. An extreme example of this is glamour model Jodie Marsh, forever branded the ‘New Jordan’, who in turn manufactured a new personality, leaving behind Katie Price to become the ‘New Pamela Anderson’.

What is being sought in celebrity culture won’t be found there. The Kingdom offers a place where you can be known absolutely and loved for who you are, affirmed by One whose acceptance does not depend on your well-oiled PR machine. Far from asking people to conform, He offers to transform; instead of becoming an idol, He will confer true deity.

The human heart’s longing to worship has often led it astray. But even the Superfans on BBLB are acting out of hope – that there is something worth of worshipping. It is up to us to help realise that hope, bringing them before a King worthy of their worship.