In the Jesus Sectional

For a songwriter, analyzing songs is key. When I lived in the loft downtown, there was an adult bookstore downstairs, and a songwriter who worked there as a sales clerk. To my surprise, he was also a hardcore Christian. He had a powerful singing voice and wrote in a heavy metal style. Clean cut, from the rural south, he despised city living, but thought we should collaborate, calling us “city mouse” and “country mouse.” He gave me a demo of his original song, called “Demons of the Devil.” I listened, as his amazing tenor-baritone jumped octaves, into falsetto, then descended devilishly, growling into Hades. The lyrics started typically, “Demons of the Devil / They come into your House,” but then took a turn, with “They climb upon your furniture / Lie across your couch.” The furniture theme continued.. with dining room and bedroom sets demonized in following verses. I praised his melody and vocals, but wondered why he used all the home-furnishing imagery. He explained the song was about his pets, who refused to obey his strict “no furniture” rule, and were incorrigible, helping him understand why God didn’t allow animals into the kingdom of Heaven.