Do You Think I’ll Go to Heaven?
after wasting all these years?
Hi all,
Thank you and welcome to new readers of Social issues in Song. Today’s song is “Do You Think I’ll Go to Heaven”, by Lydia Adams Davis & Severin Browne, sung by Severin Browne (2001). If you’d like to hear the song before you read about it, I’ve included a YouTube video below the article.
Below, you’ll find my interpretation of the lyrics which are written in italics. Comments and questions are welcome. For Japanese students, vocabulary words in bold are provided in Japanese below. TOEIC (PBT) 450+, Eiken 2, CEFR B1.
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(434 words)
Today’s song is about a man who is thinking seriously about his life. He is wondering if he has made the right choices. He is single and has not been to university. He has enjoyed his life so far, a life that has been relatively free of problems.
Do you think I’ll go to heaven? I’ve lived a simple life
But I got no education, and I never took a wife
I watched a lot of TV, and I drank a lot of beers
Do you think I’ll go to heaven when I’m done with all my years?
He realizes that time is passing quickly, but he’s not sure about what he will leave behind after he’s gone.
Years go by like cloudy skies, and what is there to show
Where do those clouds go? They never stay
Flowers grow; their colors show
But I don’t know how to cry like those cloudy skies that rain
The man has done what society taught him to do. He followed his religious teachings because he thought that was what a person was supposed to do. He never “rocked the boat” or stood up for things he believed in. But now he’s not so sure that was right.
Do you think I’ll go to heaven?
Don’t know why I’ve got such doubt
Been to church most every Sunday
Now, isn’t that what it’s about?
I’ve stayed away from trouble even when it’s called on me
Do you think I’ll go to heaven when my body sets me free?
He has never hurt anyone.
But do you think I’ll go to heaven?
Never done nobody harm
But he has never supported others who were having a hard time. He never joined arm in arm by working in a union for workers’ rights, marching in a protest against injustice, or simply standing up for someone else even though he would see no benefit for himself.
But I kept a good, safe distance instead of joining arm in arm
I guess I’ve been an island - avoiding any tears
Do you think I’ll go to heaven after wasting all these years?
Do you think I’ll go to heaven after wasting all these years?
The man regrets not taking a stand during his lifetime.
But it’s never too late to make a difference during the time you have left.
“Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win. The important thing is don't ever give up. Don't ever stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power.”
— US Vice President Kamala Harris, Nov. 6, 2024
Question
What are you doing to make a positive difference in the world?
Vocabulary
relatively 比較的
rocked the boat 船を揺さぶった
make a difference 違いをもたらす
I believe that education should be free.
All of the articles about the songs will remain free for all students to use. (We are all students, are we not?) However, if you find these articles useful and are in a position to make a small (or large) donation, I would be deeply grateful.
Notes
Do You Think I'll Go To Heaven · Severin Browne.
This Twisted Road ℗ 2001
Severin Browne Released on: 2001-01-01
A similar song just released by Andy Revkin!
(View on YouTube to read the lyrics.)