Dear God please help me

[Iloveopiates]

I was listening to this song recently for the first time in a long time, and as I was listening I thought it would be interesting to check out interpretations of the lyrics on that song meanings.com site. I didn't see one person mention anything near as to what I have always thought the song to be about.

The song stems from Morrissey's Rome period, and with Rome and Italy in general being super Catholic I always took the song to be like it is coming from the point of view of a catholic priest. The priest gets impure thoughts in his head because he is like any other normal human (his keg between his legs), he feels physical attraction to others from time to time. And so he is asking Dear,God for help, not to act out on these thoughts and feelings Weather it has anything to do with same sex or opposite sex is irrelevant. Its always been to me just about a priest who took his vow of celibacy but being human he just can't help feeling attraction for others and he is pleading for God to help keep him strong while he tries to overcome these feelings.

This may or may not have come up before, I've been a member for a long time but I just recently started to participate in posts.

 

[ExpectingToFly]

Interesting interpretation.

I agree with the Rome/Catholic connection, but I've always viewed this as Morrissey talking about himself rather than in character as someone else. I've always viewed it as him trying to come to terms with being gay - his heart is on a string because of the "inbuilt guilt" brought about by his Catholic upbringing. It's finally free at the end because he is now at peace with his sexuality.

I've also thought there might be a more sinister interpretation, in that the sexual moments were as a result of child abuse from a catholic priest. So Morrissey (or the narrator) finally finds peace within themselves to pursue a meaningful sexual relationship, or are even finally able to overcome the scars from that.

It's a beautiful song, deeply moving. And can be interpreted in many different ways.