God Never Came There

Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
Released as a b-side in 2001

Broken beams across the doorway
Plaster cracked and peeling paper
Nicolette wears dirty dresses
Bathes herself in last week's water
Their roofs are tin-beaten metal
____ have rusty voices
Sylvio, he sleeps on headlines
Dreams of love and life in houses

But he doesn't believe, he no longer prays
What's the point, He's not listening anyway
'Cause God never came here
He sold them a lie
God made a fool of them
God passed them by

God resents the global franchise
Bodies packed like saints entombed
Give us now your happy meals
Bless us in the baby boom

We starve and you ___ to pray
To the faces etched in stone
Auction up your ancient wealth
So we can build ourselves a home

We need blankets, not you blessings
Send us shoes instead of angels
Time instead of bibles
Bring us bread instead of prayers

© 2001 Happenstance

CASE STUDY #3: God Never Came There

The song, “God Never Came There”, written by Bernie Taupin and sung by Elton John is based on people’s feelings towards God and how He hasn’t assisted them and instead only made them suffer through their pains and loss of material things. He sings about what God should be giving us instead of what He has been “punishing” us with, “we need blankets, not you blessings”. This song is saying that there is a God, but He doesn’t do enough for us that is considered pleasant to their lives. He gives them the unnecessary instead of the necessary, He deprives them of materialistic needs instead of restoring it and doesn’t give them their needs and wants what is “not acceptable” in society.

Reading this song and listening to the meaning behind it, it makes one think a lot of the perception of God. Does God really exist when there is so much anguish, poverty, sufferings, and ignorance in today’s society? This all comes down to what many people believe and practice about their religion. Different religions have different views on these subjects. For example, just studying Hinduism and the concept of karma and reincarnation, an individual would think that he/she had immoral karma in their previous lives. This would in turn have an effect on their next life. Different religions have different concepts on various issues pertaining to society. While people in Islam feel terrible about the homeless and less fortunate and donate 20% of their income to the less fortunate to help them. They do not believe it is God who put them there to suffer. Most religions believe that God does not put them there to suffer, or be poor and not have a family and be happy and wealthy. It may also teach others the meaning of suffering and teach individuals what other people have to go through during their lives and all of the hardships they have to overcome.

Besides religion, many persons have different feelings about the less fortunate in today’s society. Many people might believe that the homeless brought their own lifestyle upon themselves because they didn’t try to make a living, or try to get up and do something with their life. God put you on this earth to make something of your life and to be somebody; no one will respect you if you’re lying on the park bench drinking leftovers from someone else’s juice box. It is not God’s fault that you aren’t happy and joyous with your life, it is the person and who they are for being in the state they’re in. If they believe that they will be nothing in life, it is their fault not the fault of God. God gave you life to begin with; it’s up to the person to live a full, healthy, joyous life themselves. People, who may blame God for their status in life, are only looking for someone to hold responsible for their misfortunes in life. On the other hand, countries that are poor, for example some of them in Africa have many underprivileged individuals which is why many people assist them. With the children that are suffering, sometimes it may be their parents fault for having children when they are not financially stable and cannot support for a family or it could a lesson taught to many around the world, be thankful and grateful for what you have today.

In conclusion, this song has many different meanings but it depends on how one feels about God. If God is alive in your heart then you can prevail over any obstacle that is laid in your path and conquer all fears of the world. If one does not believe in God and blames Him for being poor, unhealthy, miserable and leading unjustified lives, then its they themselves that they have to blame, not a higher being. “Auction up your ancient wealth So we can build ourselves a home”, if they had worked intensely during their life, they would be able to have themselves a home, and blankets, and food to eat and the daily necessities one needs in their life.

Having reading this song it was very interesting and different, to read about a point of view on God like the one composed by Bernie Taupin. With my beliefs and teachings, one cannot believe some of the things that are etched in this composition. No one is to blame for your faults, lifestyle and unhappiness but yourself.

By: Sarah Keso