Giddy Gideon

Song: "Gideon"
Artist: My Morning Jacket
Album: Z
From: Louisville, Kentucky
Year: 2005

It really took me by surprise that I could dig a band from Kentucky without a jug of whiskey and a banjo in my hand. It took me even more by surprise when I listened to My Morning Jacket play nearly a four hour set at Bonnaroo. So hopefully I will take you by surprise when I admit my love for this track even after I have found out what it means.

What is a Gideon? By golly it's not "what" but a "who". A Gideon is a religious symbol personified as a person in the bible. This symbol is a judge appearing in the Book of Judges. Now, I had to look that up myself seeing that I would have never equated Gideon to something god-related. I'm just not wired that way. I thought a Gideon was some sort of comet or big star lurking far away threatening our solar system with rays only the government is allowed access to. Oh well.

Whole song:
"Gideon.
What have you told us at all?
Make a sound, come down off the wall.
Religion, should appeal to the hearts of the young.
Who are you? What have you become?
You animal.
Come on.
What does this remind you of?
Truly.
Truly we have become.
Hated and feared for something we don't want.
Listen.
Listen.
Most of us believe that this is wrong.
You animal.
Come on.
What does this remind you of?
Animal.
Come on.
What does this remind you of?
Animal.
Come on"


Irregardless of it's connotations, I am taking this song for musical value and the purity which transfixes my ears. Word vomit. Instead of trying or researching (or proving my research) of what a gideonic judge would look like, I pixalate Zeus getting mad at wife number six. What's up hoodie/sweater/Patagonia men? My Morning Jacket, are you questioning the skies and resenting Gideon's duties? Are they making a statement about youth culture amidst haste, waste, and Internet? Are you even religious? I do appreciate the rhyme schematics of "Gideon" and "Come On". Those words contrast each other brilliantly in context, like power v. present. Heaven v. Earth in the battle of realities. This song should be playing in the background of The Real World's promotional commercial; long enough so people will ask "Who is that cool band?!" but not long enough for people to figure out why it's placed in that time, scene and space.