unstuckincanon:
bookish-bi-mormon:
bookish-bi-mormon:
thinking about compiling and list of song artists who were raised mormon and their lyrics that make me (a mormon) go absolutely batshit
The entirely of “Trouble” by Imagine Dragons?!?!?!?
ooo please do compile and share this list! i looked up the lyrics of “Trouble” to see what you were talking about, and OH. “i was only 19” “I’m just a man, a man on a mission” ok yeah this is Relevant to My Interests
YES that! That’s what hints at it being about a mission, and using that it gives more meaning to the chorus : “pray for me brother/sister, I need redemption, I’ve got no faith” like, firstly addressing people as brother/sister is common in a lot of religions, but as a missionary it’s expected. You gotta address everyone as brother or sister. Plus this chorus captures a feeling that I think is really common among missionaries. When we serve missions, we have no idea what we’re doing and half of us don’t feel like we’re “worthy” enough to be out there, or that we don’t have sufficient faith/don’t know if what we’re teaching is true.
(Sorry you encouraged me so here’s my essay on Trouble ig)
I just feel like it really gets at that like, genuine desire to be faithful and good, while also struggling.
Plus the opening lines are “Oh quiet down, I’ve had enough, I guess it’s now or never,” which perfectly sums up how a lot of missionaries (especially amab ones) feel about the constant pressure to serve a mission. Like, okay, I’ll go. It’s inevitable. I’m going so that people will shut up.
and the BRIDGE. “Oh maybe you could save my soul, from all the things that I don’t know.” This one is. ooof. I think a good faith reading of it is directed at God. Once again, balancing on this precarious faith. “Maybe.” Maybe God can save me, Maybe what I’m teaching is true.
The other interpretation (and the one I relate to) is that this is directed at another missionary or a leader or something. Somebody who’s approval you have started to see as salvation. I think this is common for missionaries as well. (and inevitably you are let down when you are rudely reminded that they are human)
and tie it all together “I want no trouble,” repeated over an over. You just. You’re talking to strangers everyday and people are angry at you and you feel like you’re worthless and you don’t know why you’re even there and you just, don’t want any trouble. Please. Just let me do what’s expected of me so my parents won’t complain, let the people I talk to turn me down nicely, let my companions get along with me. Please let me get through these 2 years without trouble.