Jesus Christ

Brand New's song 'Jesus Christ' delves deep into themes of existential angst, spiritual yearning, and the human condition. The lyrics are a poignant exploration of the narrator's internal struggles, framed through a conversation with Jesus Christ. The opening lines, 'Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face / The kind you'd find on someone that could save,' set the tone for a dialogue that oscillates between reverence and desperation. The narrator feels isolated and questions whether they are missing out on life's goodness, highlighting a pervasive sense of loneliness and disconnection.

The song's middle section grapples with the fear of death and the uncertainty of what comes after. Lines like 'Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die / I'm a little bit scared of what comes after' reveal a deep-seated anxiety about the afterlife. The narrator's musings about whether they will receive a 'gold chariot' or 'float through the ceiling' underscore the uncertainty and fear that often accompany thoughts of mortality. This existential dread is compounded by the narrator's self-doubt and fear of judgment, as seen in the line, 'And at the gates, does Thomas ask to see my hands?'

The song concludes with a powerful metaphor about human nature and societal constructs. 'But we all got wood and nails / We turn our hate to factories' suggests that people often channel their negative emotions into destructive behaviors, creating a 'machine' that perpetuates suffering. This imagery serves as a critique of how society deals with pain and hate, turning it into something industrial and impersonal. The repetition of 'we all got wood and nails' emphasizes the universality of this condition, making the song a profound commentary on the human experience.