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The Day God Died

from Singles by Bill Milford

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about

I don't really like this song very much for a couple of reasons. One, the melody doesn't do much for me. Two, the way I sing it. Three, the tempo (considering the content) is excruciating. However, I wrote it and put some time into the Dylanesque lyrics which I think are interesting. If I can come up with the inspiration or a new way of doing it - I would love to record it again and make it more palatable.

The premise of the tune considering my agnostic/atheist stance - is that I can hold this metaphor with my background as I try to understand what it means for others. I do like the phrasing of the last verse:


So if God’s the metaphor,
Of ineffable beauty,
Found in life as it unfolds in our hands,
Then I give praise to this moment,
And give thanks for its wonder,
As I struggle to understand.
How to reconcile,
All the terrible things,
That have been done in God’s name.
But now I know what to do,
I will name them untrue,
For only God and love are the same.

lyrics

The Day God Died

The Day God died,
Nothing happened,
It all came down in my mind.
No need to call on a holy icon,
No need to listen from above or behind.
(It was a) scary moment to be honest and sure,
But freeing when I thought and took time,
Only bound by myself,
Responsible and lonely,
That’s what happened on the day God died.

Chorus
Don’t look away from what is,
Don’t look away from what was,
Don’t look away from what you know life will be.
Leave the God that you hate,
Take the God that you love,
And get the God that you know that you need.


The day God died,
I thought about Jesus,
And at first became worried and sad,
Was he just a figment of human imagination,
Or when God died, did he just lose his dad?
The real Jesus was a carpenter,
A hard working guy,
Who preached and did the best that he could,
He lived a principled life,
By the work he was doing,
Cause there’s no cheating in life or in wood.

Chorus


The day God died,
I thought about the Buddha,
Sitting down neath that old Lotus Tree,
I wondered what he would said,
If I had asked him,
About the death of my deity.
(And I heard) There are some things in life,
That you just won’t figure out,
And it’s impossible to know if they’re true,
If you want to know God,
There’s just one way up the mountain,
Be in the world and do things God would do.


So if God’s the metaphor,
Of ineffable beauty,
Found in life as it unfolds in our hands,
Then I give praise to this moment,
And give thanks for its wonder,
As I struggle to understand.
How to reconcile,
All the terrible things,
That have been done in God’s name.
But now I know what to do,
I will name them untrue,
For only God and love are the same.

1/4/09

credits

from Singles, released February 1, 2019
Home recording - Instruments and vocal - Bill Milford

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Bill Milford Tallahassee, Florida

Bill Milford lives in Tallahassee, FL. He performed professionally during his 20's and still plays out occasionally. He has performed with Barb Siftar, Lindy Hearne, Lynn
Adler, Chris Peters, Gail Nickse, Fred Griffeth, Richie Summa, and many other fine artists. He made dozens of dollars during his folk career so he offers his recordings without charge. ... more

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