最近聽到一首歌〈Take Me To Church〉，我對這位愛爾蘭歌手 Hozier 一無所悉，只是對歌充滿宗教意味，心中藏了一個問號，在這個悖離信仰的世道，在流行頻道高唱帶我去教堂，顯然格格不入。
昨天在網路看到 Hozier 到巴黎參加 Virgin 電台舉辦的演唱會，他綁起一頭長長捲髮，身穿格子紋襯衫，邊彈吉他，演唱這首 2013 年發行的主打歌 〈Take Me To Church〉，鏡頭照到前排歌迷，開始跟著哼唱，可不是一兩位而已，算一算有 20 位，他們合音可不是隨口唱和，顯然是訓練有素的合唱團。
他們的合音帶給現場意外驚喜，溫暖照耀音樂的靈魂，Hovier 更是感到不可置信，在這個小型演唱會，竟然來了合唱團，為他的歌合唱。Hovier 演唱完畢，請他們用美聲方式把副歌再唱一遍，劃下 Live 現場最美的句號。
我因此好奇 Hovier 這首歌到底在說什麼，首先找到 MV ，一點進去看。看完，我心頭為之震撼，會有這樣的反應，不是因為影片赤裸裸描述同志愛，而是不見容於世人的愛，為人所踐踏蹂躪、驅逐打擊。隨之而來的副歌唱著 〈Take me to church，I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies，I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife，Offer me that deathless death，Good god, let me give you my life〉，撲之而來的是暴力摧毀影像，不自覺投射了耶穌的愛到哪的疑惑。片中有一秒電視畫面，出現俄羅斯同志街頭遊行，後為立法禁止。只要看過一支流傳俄羅斯反同志的的 "Occupy Pedophilla" 影片，會為這種虐待暴力畫面感到無比震撼，身為人的同理心完全喪失殆盡，假藉各種名義阻擾同志平權的行為，威脅一個生命的自由。
歧視與仇恨始終讓這地球不同的人群彼此對立，就算隨著世界爭取 LGBT 權益的聲浪不斷在媒體曝光，仍無法跨越那道妖魔化同性戀的枷鎖，或許片中那一個鎖鍊綁住的盒子最後被焚燒，隱喻無法戰勝的邪惡人心?
Hozier 近期接受「紐約雜誌專訪」談到這首歌創作想法，講的是回歸自我與人性〈The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love〉，愛就是他的信仰，即使世界充滿黑暗那一面，你都不該恐懼，面對它，你才能看見希望的光。
致 恐懼的靈魂，願音樂帶來祥和與希望，穿越傳統的牆，迎向愛與自由的天空
"Take Me To Church" 歌詞
My lover's got humour
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshipped her sooner
If the heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
'We were born sick, ' you heard them say it
My Church offers no absolutes
She tells me, 'Worship in the bedroom.'
The only heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you—
I was born sick,
But I love it
Command me to be well
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[Chorus 2x:]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
Drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
[Chorus 2x:]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
No Masters or Kings
When the Ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am Human
Only then I am Clean
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[Chorus 2x:]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
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