There are long lists of atheistic songs here and elsewhere, but here are my top faves. (The ones with atheistic lyrics, anyway.)
10. Slayer – “Jesus Saves”
You go to the church, you kiss the cross
You will be saved at any cost
You have your own reality
Christianity
You spend your life just kissing ass
A trait thats grown as time has passed
You think the world will end today
You praise the lord, its all you say
9. Metallica – “Leper Messiah”
Time for lust, time for lie
time to kiss your life goodbye
Send me money, send me green
Heaven you will meet
Make a contribution
and you’ll get a better seat
Bow to Leper MessiahMarvel at his tricks, need your Sunday fix
blind devotion came, rotting your brain
Chain, chain
Join the endless chain, taken by his glamour
Fame, Fame
Infection is the game, stinking drunk with power
8. Jeff Buckley – “Eternal Life”
There’s no time for hatred, only questions
Where is love, where is happiness, what is Life,
where is peace?When will I find the strength to bring me release?
And tell me where is the love in what your prophet has said?
Man, It sounds to me just like a prison for the walking dead
And I’ve got a message for you and your twisted hell
You better turn around and blow your kiss goodbye
to life eternal angel
7. Bad Religion – “God’s Love”
(Tell me!) Tell me; where is the love?
In a careless creation
When there’s no “above”
There’s no justice
Just a cause and a cure
And a bounty of suffering
It seems we all endure
And what I’m frightened of
Is that they call it “God’s love”
6. Tool – “Opiate”
If you want to get your soul to heaven,
trust in me .
Don’t judge or question.
You are broken now ,
but faith can heal you.
Just do everything I tell you to do.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow.
Let me lay my holy hand upon you.My Gods will
becomes me.
When he speaks out,
he speaks through me.
He has needs
like I do.
We both want
to rape you.Jesus Christ, why don’t you come save my life.
Open my eyes and blind me with your light
and your lies.
5. Nine Inch Nails – Terrible Lie
hey God
why are you doing this to me?
am i not living up to what i’m supposed to be?
why am i seething with this animosity?
hey God
i think you owe me a great big apology.
terrible lie
4. George Gershwin – It Ain’t Necessarily So
The things you’re liable
To read in a bible
Ain’t necessarily so.
Ain’t necessarily so.
No, it ain’t necessarily so.
3. The Arcade Fire – “Intervention”
Working for the church
While your family dies
You take what they give you
And you keep it inside
Every spark of friendship and love
Will die without a home
Hear the soldier groan, “We’ll go at it alone”
2. XTC – “Dear God”
Dear god, hope you get the letter and…
I pray you can make it better down here
I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving in the street
‘Cause they don’t get enough to eat from god
I can’t believe in you
1. John Lennon – “Imagine”
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for todayImagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
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{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are tasteful choices. Hocico’s Blashpemies from the Holy Land is an epic atheist album, but they only made a couple thousand copies (it is a life cd from Haifa, Israel). Their song Untold Blaspphemies is great stuff.
IntelligentDasein(Quote)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Shallow Be Thy Name
I was not created
In the likeness of a fraud
Your hell is something scary
I prefer a loving god
We are not the center
Of this funny universe
And what is something worse
I do not serve
In fear of such a curse
Shallow be thy game
2000 years look in the mirror
You play the game of shame
And tell your people live in fear
A rival to the way you see
The bible let him be
I’m a threat to your survival
And your control company
CHORUS:
You’ll never burn me
You’ll never burn me
I’ll be your heretic
You can’t contain me
I am the power free
Truth belongs to everybody
To anyone who’s listenin’
You’re not born into sin
The guilt they try and give you
Puke it in the nearest bin
Missionary maddness
Sweep up culture w/ a broom
Trashing ancient ways
Is par for the course
It’s f***** rude
To think that you’re above
The laws of nature is a joke
Purple sashes feeding masses
Smoke on which to choke
I might be a monkey
When it comes to being holy
Fundamental hatred
Get down on your knees and
CHORUS
Anony Mouse(Quote)
An excellent list, but it could do with some death metal. I suggest Immolation’s “Reluctant Messiah”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPpzDkswvJQ
Reluctant Messiah, show us the way
Don’t let us down, we have no one left
Your unwillingness to prove what we believe
The signs you won’t leave, we still seem to find
Such distance between us, but we know you’re here
We feel your presence, it guides us along
But why won’t you answer or send us some hope
We’ll just keep searching for what we know is there
Why has our day not yet come
We’ve sacrificed our fathers and sons
We spill blood but shed not a tear
Our anger grows, but so does our fear
Speak to us…
What have we done wrong
We just want to believe in something larger than life itself
Speak to us…
Let us know your voice
We just want you to see
Our faith is true
We just want you to see
Our faith is true
What more can we do…
He must feel our devotion
Will he know the righteous from the fallen…
Will he know we’re the first in line
Save us from our fate…
Save us from our faith
TK(Quote)
I think it’s a misnomer to call some of these songs “atheistic” songs. Just because someone critiques religion (mostly Christianity in these examples) doesn’t mean they are atheists. In fact, the best Christians I know and the greatest Christians in history are the ones who have critiqued the Church and contemporary theology.
The “atheist music blog” that you linked to above is ridiculous as well, since it contains bands such as five iron frenzy, pedro the lion, and veggietales.
matthew(Quote)
The lead singer of Pedro the Lion is an agnostic. At least now he is.
(Luke, BTW, he was the guy I facebooked you about — David Bazan)
He is no longer a believing Christian. Interestingly enough, he has still performed at some Christian music festivals.
Lee A. P.(Quote)
No Jose Gonzalez?! You need to give him a listen, seriously. Good choices with Jeff Buckley and Arcade Fire (I’ll be teaching the latter’s “(Antichrist Television Blues)” to my freshmen later this semester). And David Bazan’s new album is fantastic.
Matt K(Quote)
Matt K,
Which Jose Gonzales tracks do you recommend?
lukeprog(Quote)
No Marilyn Manson? You’re nuts Luke!
Ryan(Quote)
“Abram,” from _In Our Nature_, is the song I can think of offhand where his atheism is most apparent. And that’s a great album, so I’d recommend the whole thing!
Matt K(Quote)
Well, if by ‘atheist’ you mean ‘anviliciously anti-Christian’ you could check out some pagan music. Say, Inkubus Sukkubus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZoQjh7M1U (if you dislike the first song scroll to the second at 2:38, it’s a bit better)
Though personally I think ‘Supernature’ or ‘Heart of Lilith’ with the same band are probably better songs.
Haukur(Quote)
Bad Religion has been a favorite band for most of my life…. even before I was a heathen.
drj(Quote)
Who’d have guessed: Death Metal band Atheist actually has a song about atheism:
No Truth
I am my own self-ruler
I need not any ministry
I see our music scares you
Can’t you see that…
There’s no truth in modern religion, a god we do not praise
There’s no truth in heaven or hell or what lies between
There’s no truth in a man-made bible, so who are they to say?
There’s no truth, we are our own god and that’s the only way
People live their lives
By something never seen
Dreaming all their lives
Of a place they’ve never been
Why can’t you see live a lie?
Humor yourself until you die
We’re atheist as you can see
We all control our can see
There’s no truth
Halycon(Quote)
Glad to see It Ain’t Necessarily So on that list, as well as Buckley’s Eternal Life.
Mike aka MonolithTMA(Quote)
Don’t forget the links, people! For example:
Jose Gonzalez – Abram
lukeprog(Quote)
Needs some Cursive – Big Bang.
Before we ever saw straight, we were grasping at straws
A debate was born, picket lines were drawn
There was this big bang once, now we’re learning to use our thumbs
We need a purpose in life, a survival guide
We need explanations for how we arrived
There was this big bang once, now we’re standing on our own two feet
There was this big bang once, we’ve been sharpening up our teeth
They say there was this big bang once, but the clergyman doesn’t agree, oh no
There was this big bang once, but it don’t jive with Adam and Eve
Original sin, idyllic garden
Some talking snake giving apples away
What would that snake say if he could only see us today?
Ha ha ha!
There was this big bang once, we were left here to fill in the blanks
There was this big bang once, now we’re aimlessly drifting in space
We’re gonna need an explanation for rational thought
Enlightenment and the weight of our hearts
In a world of entropy, why can’t we just simply be?
And don’t feed me lies, intelligent design
There was this big bang once, why are we back down on our knees?
Ha!
Iason Ouabache(Quote)
Origin Of Species – MC Frontalot
http://frontalot.com/index.php/?page=lyrics&lyricid=46
Griffando(Quote)
There is no Eden or heavenly gates
That you’re gonna make it to one day
But all of the answers you seek can be found
In the dreams that you dream on the way.
Part of the Plan Dan Fogelberg
Vinny(Quote)
You See God In All- Spoke
You see god in all and I see nothing at all.
What do you see in him?
When you call his name
It’s all the same god damn amen.
What do you need in him?
If you say it loud
you’ll say it now again and again.
You see god in all
and I’m seeing nothing
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/spokesounds
Mike(Quote)
This was my Atheist anthem as a young collegiate atheist in the early 1990s
RUSH – ROLL THE BONES
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Well, you can stake that claim –
Good work is the key to good fortune
Winners take that praise
Losers seldom take that blame
If they dont take that game
And sometimes the winner takes nothing
We draw our own designs
But fortune has to make that frame
We go out in the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
Thats the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Why are we here?
Because were here
Roll the bones
Why does it happen?
Because it happens
Roll the bones
Faith is cold as ice –
Why are little ones born only to suffer
For the want of immunity
Or a bowl of rice?
Well, who would hold a price
On the heads of the innocent children
If theres some immortal power
To control the dice?
We come into the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
Thats the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Jack — relax.
Get busy with the facts.
No zodiacs or almanacs,
No maniacs in polyester slacks.
Just the facts.
Gonna kick some gluteus max.
Its a parallax — you dig?
You move around
The small gets big. its a rig.
Its action — reaction –
Random interaction.
So whos afraid
Of a little abstraction?
Cant get no satisfaction
From the facts?
You better run, homeboy –
A facts a fact
From nome to rome, boy.
Whats the deal? spin the wheel.
If the dice are hot — take a shot.
Play your cards. show us what you got –
What youre holding.
If the cards are cold,
Dont go folding.
Lady luck is golden;
She favors the bold. thats cold.
Stop throwing stones –
The night has a thousand saxophones.
So get out there and rock,
And roll the bones.
Get busy!
JJR(Quote)
I don’t know how many other would place this in their own top 10 atheist songs, but I think it deserves a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUVkQHOG8kY
Cafeeine(Quote)
What no Rush? “Roll the Bones” was mentioned above, but how about “Free Will”? Or “Faithless”?
Sean Ellis(Quote)
Frank Zappa’s “Dumb all Over”
TKO(Quote)
While the songs above are notable for their intensity and forthrightness, nobody does it like The Dan…
Godwhacker — Steely Dan
In the beginning
We could hang with the dude
But it’s been too much of nothing
Of that stank attitude
Now they curse your name
And there’s a bounty on your face
It’s your own fault daddy
GodWhacker’s on the case
We track your almighty ass
Thru seven heaven-worlds
Me, Slinky Redfoot
And our trusty angel-girls
And when the stars bleed out
That be the fever of the chase
You better get gone poppie
GodWhacker’s on the case
Be very very quiet
Clock everything you see
Little things might matter later
At the start of the end of history
Climb up the glacier
Across bridges of light
We sniff you, Big Tiger
In the forest of the night
‘Cause there’s no escape
From the Rajahs of Erase
You better run run run
GodWhacker’s on the case
Be very very quiet
Clock everything you see
Little things might matter later
At the start of the end of history
Yes we are the GodWhackers
Who rip and chop and slice
For crimes beyond imagining
It’s time to pay the price
You better step back son
Give the man some whackin’ space
You know this might get messy
GodWhacker’s on the case
SZ(Quote)
tom araya of slayer actually does believe in god. he’s a semi-devout catholic. kerry king and jeff hanneman are the main songwriters in the band. kerry king says that he thinks that religion is the biggest brainwash their is. i tend to agree with him.
tom(Quote)
This is from David Bazan’s newest album:
You’ve heard the story
You know how it goes
Once upon a garden
We were lovers with no clothes
Fresh from the soil
We were beautiful and true
In control of our emotions
‘Til we ate the poison fruit
And now it’s hard to be
Hard to be
Hard to be a decent human being
Wait just a minute
You expect me to believe
That all this misbehaving
Grew from one enchanted tree?
And helpless to fight it
We should all be satisfied
With this magical explanation
For why the living die
Childbirth is painful
We toil to grow our food
Ignorance made us hungry
Information made us no good
Every burden misunderstood
So I swung my tassel
To the left side of my cap
Knowing after graduation
There would be no going back
And no congratulations
From my faithful family
Some of whom are already fasting
To intercede for me
Because it’s hard to be
Hard to be a decent human being
Fern(Quote)
This one is a bit angry, but “Judith” by A Perfect Circle is my favorite.
You’re such an inspiration
For the ways that I will
Never, ever choose to be
Oh so many ways for me to show you
How your savior has abandoned you
Fuck your God, your Lord, your Christ
He did this, took all you had and
Left you this way, still you pray, never stray, never
Taste of the fruit, never thought to question “Why?”
It’s not like you killed someone
It’s not like you drove a hateful spear into his side
Praise the one who left you broken down and paralyzed
He did it all for you…
He did it all for you…
Oh so many ways for me to show you
How your dogma has abandoned you
Pray to your Christ, to your God
Never taste of the fruit, never stray, never break, never
Choke on a lie even though he’s the one who
Did this to you, you never thought to question “Why?”
It’s not like you killed someone
It’s not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side
Talk to Jesus Christ as if he knows the reasons why
He did it all for you…
He did it all for you…
He did it all for you…
Kat(Quote)
How can you leave out NoFX?
Leaving Jesusland
Blasphemy (the victimless crime)
and my personal favorite:
Best God in Show
I have no consideration
Zero mutual respect
For billions who suffer from rational thought neglect
I don’t wanna waste a sentence
I don’t want a conversation
That’s gonna end in disdain disbelief and aggravation
And I find it’s getting harder to hang out
With grown adults who actually believe
In Santa Clause and Noah’s Ark, and Their god is the best
My distaste has turned into detest
Who would read a 2000-year-old medical journal?
Techniques for blood-letting
Advice on trichinosis
Would you navigate the globe
With a map of a flat Earth?
Without DNA testing would you believe virgin birth?
And I find it’s getting painful to put up
With grown adults who actually believe
In unicorns and creation and god always takes their side
That’s when my innocent jabbing turns snide
Thank god for the Grammy
Thank god for the touchdown
Thank god for blowing up the enemy’s sacred ground
So how am I supposed to take anything you say seriously
When you swap free will for faith, hope and pre-destiny?
And it’s getting agonizing to hang out
With grown adults who actually believe
Mythology and history trump physics and science
My aversion has turned to aberrance
Linn(Quote)
Just heard for the first time, best god in show, sums it up nicely.
Darren(Quote)
I’d like to add a couple of my favorites: “Blasphemous Rumours” by Depeche Mode and “God’s Comic” by Elvis Costello. Although Elvis is as lyrical and metaphorical as always, Blasphemous Rumours is straight to the point and easy for the kids to understand. It says, “If God exists, then why does he let this f*cked up shit happen?” He must be either sick in the head or not very powerful.
Marcus Pierce(Quote)
Oh, have you heard of Greydon Square? I’m not into rap, but I am into him. I like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG-fxbEdOAU
tmso(Quote)
I have always liked this line in Aesop Rock’s song Citronella:
“Heres To those who grew up thinking faith was a surrender of reason, but not a reason to surrender”
Modest Mouse has some very existential and atheistic songs like 3rd planet, Jesus was an only Child, Bukowski, the Ocean Breathes Salty and Styrofoam boots. Bukowski is a interesting take on God’s omnipotence and the problem of evil, and was one of the first songs to really challenge my religious thought.
Caleb O(Quote)
Interesting that you all feel so compelled to sing to something that doesn’t exist. On the one hand you say that God doesn’t exist yet you feel compelled to hate him so. If he doesn’t exist, why isn’t he at best innocuous?
c(Quote)
He is innocuous, but many of the people who do believe he exists do many things that are both foolish and destructive.
Vinny(Quote)
I have a new song you might want to add. Listen to Reason by Bryan Steeksma.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQjrlsSGJrs
I felt your grip begin to fade
You kept me tied, blind and afraid
But then I broke you and saw
The look on your face said it all
So could you feel the way I felt
Did you kneel the way I knelt
Did you stand up and yell
Pleading for someone to help
Or listen to reason
Open your eyes
It’s a wonder what you’ll find with an open mind
You may be surprised
Yeah
Gotta get away from this illusion
For the sake of the world, this delusion
It’s gotta, gotta, gotta go-ooh
Yeah-ooh
If the dark is just a thought
Then the light is in your mind
The lies we tell ourselves
Will ruin the world with time
Did you feel the way I felt
Did you kneel the way I knelt
Or did you look up and stare
Waiting for your acts or prayer
Won’t you listen to reason.
Will you open your eyes
It’s a wonder what you’ll find with an open mind
You might be surprised
Yeah
Gotta get away from this illusion
For the sake of the world, this delusion
It’s gotta, gotta, gotta go-ooh
Yeah-ooh
Gotta get away from this illusion
For the sake of the world, this delusion
It’s gotta, gotta, gotta go-ooh
When is it enough
When will we all wake up
So look around
And see what’s right before your eyes
No control beyond these skies
Gotta get away from this illusion
For the sake of the world, this delusion
It’s gotta, gotta, gotta go-ooh
Yeah-ooh
Gotta get away from this illusion
For the sake of the world, this delusion
It’s gotta, gotta, gotta go-ooh
Riplox(Quote)
Slayer-The Antichrist
sdrtd(Quote)
Ed Harcourt – Church Of No Religion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzRwAdU9vZw
Anders Emil(Quote)
Don’t forget “BU2B”, “Armor and Sword”.
There are other Rush songs that makes minor references:
“Tom Sawyer”, “Ghost of a Chance”, “Far Cry”.
Hill(Quote)
you got it wrong. it’s religion we hate.
Jerin(Quote)
This is a good one. Speak to Him by Gripp and Greydon Square. The rare atheist rap out there is typically pretty good. http://youtu.be/yd1k-a4RWVM
Cody(Quote)
I think that Frank Zappa’s “Dumb All Over” should be on that Top 10 list. The lyrics are extremely to the point in regard to religious stupidity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWUptVHNfvw
Vantro(Quote)
Vantro,
Good one.
Luke Muehlhauser(Quote)
Holy Smokes by Aesop Rock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEghwRmI9KA
Holy smokes!
Father, black suit white collar
Kiddie porn dungeon, guns, and three fingers for your daughters
Caught belly-up, antique Nazi paraphernalia
You can not pay your bills with holy water and Hail Mary luck [Oh my!]
Uh oh! And yet another pill slipped
down the hatch and pass ‘em through the kill-switch
I need a couple A’s for Q’s
I’m not an asshole, I’m just a little confused
am(Quote)
You might want to (if you haven’t already) give a listen to Ani Difranco’s “What If No One’s Watching”. It’s more agnostic than atheist, but unapologetically so and, more importantly, it’s definitely not Christian.
Droid’s Conundrum(Quote)
Funny, started a playlist along these lines years ago. Many of them overlap with the original list (though I like A Perfect Circle’s cover of Imagine better for the purposes, more dark and angry, sorry Lennon fans). Big fan of XTC’s Dear God. Will seek out some of the other suggestions.
John(Quote)
Excellent list and also the songs mentioned by others, but I think that Innuendo MUST be on the top ten.
Carlos Giraldo(Quote)
just so you know, metallica isn’t atheist. There lead singer, James Hetifield, has a tattoo of Jesus on his arm and a cross on his upper chest. AND leper messiah seems to be talking more about greedy churches rather then a disbelief in God.
IBELIEVE(Quote)
What are some ways to get someone see your point when they are so insistent you are wrong? My mother will not see my point of view when it comes to me being an atheist. She thinks I’m only pretending for some reason.
CC(Quote)
Here’s a good one by Temple of the Dog:
Wooden Jesus where are you from?
Korea or Canada, mayeb Taiwan?
I didn’t know it was the holy land.
But I believed from the minute the check left my hand
And I pray.
Can I be saved, I spent all my money
On a future grave
Wooden Jesus I’ll cut you in on twenty percent of my future sin
Porcelain Mary her majesties pure
Looking for virgin territory
Coat hanger halos don’t come cheap
From television shepherds with living room sheep,
And I pray.
Can I be saved,I spent all my money on a future grave
Wooden Jesus I’ll cut you in on twenty percent of my futuresin.
Colin(Quote)
Song I wrote called “Freedom from Religion.”
http://youtu.be/mZYWUDCXN0E
Freedom from Religion
I am not a Christian, I am not a Jew.
I am not a Muslim, nor a Hindu.
I am not a Buddhist, though I’ve read Alan Watts.
What I am’s an atheist and here is what I’ve got…
Chorus:
I’ve got freedom from religion. I’m up off of my knees.
Your myth and superstition has no power over me.
I never was a sinner, and I don’t need to be saved.
There’s something masochistic ’bout the suffering you crave.
Verse 2:
I don’t pray to the father or the son or the holy ghost.
And I don’t shave my head and sing “Hare Krishna you’re the most.”
I live my life as best I can. I sleep from dusk till dawn.
And I only light the candles when the electricity’s gone.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
So chant your little chant and mumble your prayer.
Light your candles, burn your incense upon your knees there.
Lift your eyes to the heavens and pray, pray for my soul,
As I sing the chorus one more time before I have to go.
Repeat Chorus Twice
Words & Music
Copyright © 2011 by Burnell Yow!
All Rights Reserved
Burnell Yow!(Quote)
How about John Lennon’s “God”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jknynk5vny8
Vinícius(Quote)
How bout Against Me!’s “Walking is Still Honest”
Ben(Quote)
You forgot “Heresy” by Nine Inch Nails, “The Hand That Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails, “Head Like A Hole” by Nine Inch Nails, and “Bad Religion” by Godsmack(I know, Sully is Wiccan BUT I consider that song to be an Atheist song).
David(Quote)
Here’s one I wrote:
Verse 1:
I am alone now
With nothing to lose
Pulled away the curtain
To get a clear view
How my heart has been breakin’
How much I’ve felt forsaken
Saw that my life
Was not what it seemed
Somehow this “truth” means nothing to me
Oh how I was mistaken
And now my foundation is shaken
Bridge:
All those nights I cried in my bed
Those familiar doubts rang all through my head
Chorus:
Too many times I have given my all
And too many times I gave into the fall
Now I just give up
Because I’ll never win
For deep in my heart
I know my faith is now dead
Verse 2:
All of the others
Whose faith is divine
Will never discover
The truth in the lies
No one’s listening to their praises
Doing just fine in their places
Seeking pure comfort
For hearts cold and stiff
Their friend is a figment
Of legend and myth
Created a problem that they cannot solve
Claim to be wise yet know nothing at all
Bridge:
All those nights I cried in my bed
Those familiar doubts rang all through my head
David(Quote)
One last thing, “The Reflecting God” by Marilyn Manson.
David(Quote)