Something To Believe In is a song that takes on one of the biggest topics of life God and faith; the song is related to another look at the topic, God (Take 1) or even Salvation. In short, Hunter is saying that we all need something to believe in. He takes responsibility for hurting others but he has looked for something to believe in or something more solid. He is not attracted to institutional religion nonetheless we still need something more. Ian broadens his view to international affairs as he refers to Sarajevo and the theme of warfare. The reference to Willy and the Poor Boys could be a reference to archetypical American band Creedence Clearwater Revival since that is the title of their fourth album in 1969 and they are lost in America. They might have expressed the sentiment as stranded in Lodi, one of their well known songs. Hunter quotes part of laying down to sleep as a well-known children's bedtime prayer from the 18th Century married to the title, From Here to Eternity, a 1953 American drama romance war film, as part of finding something that you can believe in. A really strong verse states his case:
For every seed of knowledge found
For every grain of reason
For every shred of decency
There's something to believe in
It was often performed live, has many verses, and is difficult to learn, but worth it. There is a live trio version of this song as well.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
Willy and the Poor Boys is the fourth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records in November 1969. It was the last of three studio albums the band released that year, arriving just three months after Green River.[1]
Lodi
After playing in local bars, the narrator finds himself stranded and unable to raise bus or train fare to leave. Fogerty later said he had never actually
Now I lay me down to sleep is a classic children's bedtime prayer from the 18th century.
From Here to Eternity is a 1953 American drama romance war film directed by Fred Zinnemann, and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1951 novel of the same name by James Jones. The picture deals with the tribulations of three U.S. Army soldiers, played by Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, and Frank Sinatra, stationed on Hawaii in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Deborah Kerr and Donna Reedportray the women in their lives, and the supporting cast includes Ernest Borgnine, Philip Ober, Jack Warden, Mickey Shaughnessy, Claude Akins, and George Reeves.
Something To Believe In
(Ian Hunter)
Well I lay underneath an ageless sky
I watched the universe breathing
There's more going on up there than meets the eye
Give me something to believe in
Which way's in and which way's out
Every step is misleading
Well which way is up which way is down
You gotta have something to believe in
Oh, let me dream, let me dream
I spend my whole life dreaming
I've been lucky but I'm still mean
You gotta have something to believe in
I didn't mean to hurt the people I hurt
I was full of fear and loathing
I wasn't up to much, but I was all I had to go on
Couldn't find nothing to believe in
I don't like all them man-made religions
They all need a little spiritual healing
They don't cut across race, they don't cut across culture
But we all need something to believe in
So you believe what you want to believe
Just stay true to your feelings
'Cause one man's god's just as good as another now
Gotta' have something to believe in
Well I lay underneath a royal throne
The gaudy paint was peeling
Half an inch deep and twice as cheap
Oh give me something to believe in
Fat Fred always packing lead
On the corner dealing
Makes more in a night than I can make in forty days
Give me something to believe in
Now people worship what they see
Looks can be deceiving
Violence rages in abandoned hearts
'Cause they ain't got nothing to believe in
The chill chill is a bitter pill
When it comes to leaving
'Cause there ain't no easy way outta here
When you ain't got nothing to believe in
Just woke up in Sarajevo city
I watched all those mothers screaming
Kids getting shot and for what, and for what?
Give me something to believe in
Now there's fire outside, mud that slides
Earthquakes shake the region
Willy and the Poorboys lost in America
They ain't got nothing to believe in
For every seed of knowledge found
For every grain of reason
For every shred of decency
There's something to believe in
Now I lay me down to rest
In the silence of the evening
And the moon road shines from here to eternity
I've got something to believe in
You believe what you want to believe
Just stay true to your feelings
'Cause one man's god's just as good as another
I've got something to believe in.
Something To Believe In | 5:46 | Originally issued on The Artful Dodger. |
Something To Believe In (Trio version) | 5:16 | This can be found on Tilting The Mirror - Rarities (box set only). |