Jesus Christ

I always believed that this song was about someone struggling with the implications of human worthlessness at the core of Christianity, and trying to reconcile them with the idea that God loves human beings and has made a personal sacrifice to save them. Christianity, as I understand it, holds that all people are irredeemably sinful, and that they could never possibly get into heaven on their own -- but God sacrifices himself out of love on their behalf. If you really think about, it, though, that's kind of weird: the message is that, no matter how well you live your life, you're scum. You get God's love, but you could never deserve it.

So, you've got the narrator of the song: a profound believer who doesn't believe in himself. He's keenly aware of his religion's message about his sinful nature (for instance: "my bright is too slight to hold back all my dark") but also aware that God is, apparently, giving him a second chance. He's afraid of coming face-to-face with God and having to account for the fact that he's still a bad person ("I'm not scared to die -- I'm a little bit scared of what comes after"). What's more, he can't get the idea of Jesus' return out of his head: Jesus says that he'll come back subtly, and that true believers will know when it's happened. But what if the narrator's not good enough to know? What if he misses it, or worse, mistakes his Lord for an impostor and "crucifies" him all over again? These worries dominate the narrator's thoughts, and so, for all that his religion claims to offer him grace, it's only clouding his mind with pain and fear.

These are the lyrics, posted by brand new themselves:

Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face The kind you'd find on someone that could save If they don't put me away It’ll be a miracle

Do you believe you're missing out? That everything good is happening somewhere else With nobody in your bed The night is hard to get through

And I will die all alone And when I arrive I won’t know anyone

Jesus Christ, I’m alone again So what did you do those three days you were dead? Because this problem is gonna last More than the weekend

Jesus Christ I’m not scared to die But I’m a little bit scared of what comes after Do I get the gold chariot Or do I float through the ceiling

Or do I divide and pull apart Cause my bright is too slight to hold back all my dark This ship went down in sight of land And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands?

I know you're coming in the night like a thief But I’ve had some time, O Lord, to hone my lying technique I know you think that I’m someone you can trust But I’m scared I’ll get scared and I swear I’ll try to nail you back up So do you think that we could work out a sign So I’ll know it's you and that it's over so I won't even try I know you're coming for the people like me But we all got wood and nails And we turn out hate in factories We all got wood and nails And we turn out hate in factories We all got wood and nails And we sleep inside of this machine

(they were posted on their website, and have since been cached and retrieved for this purpose)

I read through some of the comments, not all so apologies if this is a repeat of someone elses.

As a person with depression, this song had a really different meaning to me then a lot of people thought it to be.

Basically the song is about someone with a really shitty life, who is probably depressed, having a conversation with "Jesus Christ" about it because he's alone and he's gotten to a place where turning to some sort of faith is the only "comfort." Whether that faith is literally the Jesus Christ from Christianity or his own "Jesus Christ."

"Do I divide and fall apart?" He's asking if he should let all the bad in his life consume him and fall apart from life. A really big thing a lot of people suffering depression can really feel in touch with. Do you let it consume your life? Do you part from everything that "made" life for you?

"Cause my bright is to slight to hold back all my dark" Again, something anyone with depression can relate to. He's talking about there isn't enough good stuff happening in his life or within himself to make him move on from the bad. There isn't a good enough balance between the two, and he can only pretend he's fine for so long before the "darkness" breaks though.

"And the ship went down in sight of land" Pretty simple. He feels like he fell apart and got depression or was about to recover it right before "land". Land being where everything is better.

There's a lot of other parts I could give my explanation for but the result would be extremely long. Just, I interpret this song not as a war within someones self about religion or anything like that. It's just a kid, who is depressed, alone, confused, and has a pretty shit life talking to his "Jesus" about it all because he has no one to help him.

First of all, why does every song ever written have to be about a girl? And why is it so ridiculous that someone with a strongly religious background would write a song reflect his inner thoughts about God? Really? All those biblical references for a song about some random girl? I might be prejudiced... but I feel like I know what this song because I can relate to Jesse's upbringing: a Christian family. And like him, I don't follow the beliefs of my family. But if you've never had that experience, of course you reject the possibility he's musing about religion. If you hate religion, you don't want to believe that he can have a softer side toward it, that he can muse about believing it or not, because you don't. You can do terrible things, but still have moments where you sit and ponder jesus death. I think that's exactly what created this song, a feeling that his old beliefs are still there in this heart, dormant but alive, and wondering while Christ would even want him anymore.

. I was very surprised to find meaningful lyrics to this song because the band is young. Usually young singers don’t write wise things. The guitar starts with a gentle melody. Then the lyrics begin. The narrator, Jesse Lacey opens himself up as he sings to Jesus. In the first stanza, Lacey speaks adoringly of a pretty face that could bring salvation to him. You then get a little glimpse of how he feels about himself when he says, “If they don’t put me away It’ll be a miracle,” The second stanza explores the isolation and loneliness Lacey feels. He asks Jesus if it is hard sleeping alone every night, being disconnected from other people and the moments they bring. The singer then makes a statement that he will die alone and that even in the afterlife he will be lonely. The mindset here is obviously very depressing and solemn. This person is struggling with what he views as the tragedy of life. This seems to come from a sense of worthlessness and a poor self-image. In the next stanza, Lacey asks Jesus for help. He is afraid of being alone and feels that his life will not change any time soon. But then he begins to sing with confidence and honest curiosity. He claims he is not afraid of death but “of what comes after”. He is asking one of the most common questions in history. All people want to believe in a higher power, a continuity of existence. But for most it is a battle between faith and their confidence in themselves. In the next stanza, Lacey’s mind begins to drift to the dark thoughts that hold him back. He sounds like he is feeling guilty about his life, maybe he feels undeserving. The line, “Because my bright is the slight to hold back all my dark” is evidence that he thinks the bad in him will far overpower the good. The next line, “This ship went down in sight of land” produces the image and feeling of underachieving. The goal was within reach but not obtained. Maybe Lacey is almost good enough, but not quite there. “And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands?” I think this is one of the most beautiful lines in the song. Thomas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. When Jesus was crucified Thomas doubted his ability to rise again. He told the other disciples that he would not believe Jesus was alive until he saw the holes in his hands and his side from the nails and spear. So in this line, Lacey feels like he will not be worthy of getting into heaven and that Doubting Thomas, the guardian of the gates, will not grant him passage. He has not done nearly as much as Jesus. The last stanza brings the self-pity to a climax. Lacey imagines the rapture and Jesus coming back to save man. But he is worried that the mistakes he’s made are too big and the only way he can be forgiven is for Jesus to be crucified again. He warns Jesus not to trust him. The final lines talk about the cross and nails and also how people produce sin and hate in with industrial efficiency. Lacey ends by stating that we all sleep in a machine. We are all dreamers living in our human reality. The song stops for a few seconds then the familiar guitar melody concludes. The moral of this song is to accept life and forgive yourself. Guilt festers and destroys a person from the inside out. Do not hold yourself to immeasurable standards. You also have to let love in. Often when people are in need of something most, they push it out.

what really kills me about this song is how brand new manages to control the song's intensity. it builds up and builds up, then pulls back a little, til the wood and nails part... then once that's over you're left with the realization that that was the big breakdown. it's a beautifully written song to say the absolute least.

I just think the song is about Jesse feeling alone and feeling like he's made mistakes in his life that he hopes will be forgiven.

He seems to be wondering about what will happen when he dies and if he will be forgiven, or allowed into heaven... I dont think it's against God or question anything except for his own actions...

I think Jesse has shown this in others songs too... Like in 'You Wont Know' Jesse says, "They say in Heaven there's no husbands or wives but when I show up they'll be completely out of their forgiveness supply.". Idk let me know if you agree or not...

Oh and "‘Cuz my bright, is too sly, to hold back all my dark." I really love that line for some reason.

This song is a lot deeper than a lot of you seem to think.

It's starting out with the story of a man who has done something bad...its unclear but the first line "Jesus Christ that's a pretty face" suggests that it has to do with lust. He begins talking to Jesus, but not in a religous way, in more of a hopeless way. This hopelessness, fear of death, and dying alone, and feeling like a terrible person escalates into the realization that all people are evil at heart. "I swear I'd try to nail you back up"..."We've all got wood and nails.."

It covers so much, it's hard to write a paragraph that does this song justice. I feel like it deserves a book. It's the best song I've ever heard.

agreed. this song is incredible. i'm actually really surprised brand new did a song like this.

soo anyone wanna tell me what exactly this song means..like heres an example is it against god..or is it questioning the religion...i cant figure that one out so someone wanna actually use this site for what its here for hmm