What if God was one of us?
Just a stranger on the bus…

Most of the commentary on Joan Osborne’s “One of Us” focuses on its depiction of God. Is Osbourne saying God is Good? Bad? What exactly? The more important character in the song is the stranger on the bus. She asks us to consider, “What if that was God?”

Would you treat that person differently? I bet you would. What does that say about us?

Interestingly, most of our conceptions of God view Him as all-seeing–so he sees all our bad actions anyways—regardless of whether or not he is directly in front of us. For some reason, it seems much more powerful if the stranger on the bus that we were ignoring, or treating poorly, was literally God. We would feel like a bigger screw-up. Why is this, when God sees everything? The point being, if you would treat a stranger differently if you knew that person was god-in-disguise, perhaps you need to re-examine how you are living your life.

We naturally think of hypocritical, sanctimonious, outwardly religious people during this thought experiment, but I am not so sure that atheists would turn out much better. I would definitely treat people differently if I knew a random person could be god-in-disguise…an all-powerful being who could instantly turn me into a rock. I would be on my best behavior and treat everyone with dignity (just in case).

Perhaps I should be living a better life. Seeing God in the everyday, and examining how we treat others is essential to the message of this song.

The sound is a bit of a throw-back to the sounds of the 60s and 70s, though it came out in the mid-nineties. The lightly distorted guitar sounds like something Lindsay Buckingham or Neil Young might bust out. Osborne’s voice is strong and clear, and she delivers the chorus exceptionally well. It is a great hook with a catchy title.

One of Us Lyrics

So one of these nights and about twelve o’clock,
This old world’s goin’ ta reel and rock.
Saints will tremble and cry for pain,
For the Lord’s gonna come in his heavenly airplane.

If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with Him in all His glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see if, seeing meant
That you would have to believe in things like heaven
And in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

Just tryin’ to make his way home
Like back up to heaven all alone
Nobody callin’ on the phone
‘Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
And yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?

Just tryin’ to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just tryin’ to make his way home
Nobody callin’ on the phone
‘Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

songwriter: Eric Bazilian

And every road that I’ve taken/
Led to my regret.
And I don’t know if I’m gonna make it/
Nothing to do but lift my head.

“I Look To You” is off Whitney Houston’s last studio release. It was not a hit, but it is one of her best songs. She puts aside some of the more pretentious vocal runs she had in her youth and delivers a somber performance about finding strength after losing it all.

This is a different Whitney Houston song. Her voice is equally strong, it is just more mature. The lyrics are hopeful, but the delivery is sad. Perhaps her premature death adds a bit to the emotion of this song.

“I Look to You” could be interpreted in several ways-if you were so inclined- but the “You” Whitney Houston is looking to is clearly God. That makes “I Look to You” a religious song hidden in a love song. However, it works equally well as a love song.  There are only three others on this list that are overtly religious. We’ll hear “Every Grain of Sand” by Bob Dylan. It just shows that rock and pop music can find inspiration in any and everything.

I Look To You Lyrics

As I lay me down
Heaven hear me now
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all

Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun
After all that I’ve been through
Who on earth can I turn to

I look to you
I look to you

After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong

I look to you
I look to you
Yeah
And when melodies are gone
In you I hear a song
I look to you

After losing my breath
There’s no more fighting left
Sinking to rise no more
Searching for that open door

And every road that I’ve taken
Led to my regret
And I don’t know if I’m gonna make it
Nothing to do but lift my head

I look to you
I look to you
Yeah
And when all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong

I look to you
I look to you
Oh yeah
And when melodies are gone
In you I hear a song
I look to you

Coming down on me
All the rain is falling
Set me free
Take me far away from the battle
I need you
Shine on me

I look to you
I look to you
After all my strength has gone
In you I can be strong
I look to you
I look to you
And when melodies are gone
In you I hear a song
I look to you
Yeah
I look to you
I look to you

Songwriters: Robert S. Kelly

Jai Guru Deva, Om/
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” is like a prayer: Lennon says his mantra while he notices all the things going on all around him. Some of the words and images enter his mind and are “inciting and inviting” him and others just past by him just as all the rain would pass by a paper cup if you set out a cup to gather the rain.

Light, laughter, sound, sorrow, joy…it is all around him…across the universe. But right now, he is not going to let any of it penetrate him. He is going to do his mantra and calm his mind and “nothing is going to change his world.”

There are various versions of this song and the world wildlife version may be the best-though Lennon did not like that version. The bird sounds in the beginning add a spiritual and nature vibe that the other versions lack. The non-professional background singers in this version is preferable  to the choir in the remastered version. The WWF version has the proper amount of sitar too. The difference is slight though. Also check out the “naked” version.

Across the Universe Lyrics

Words are flowing out
Like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe.
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy,
Are drifting through my opened mind,
Possessing and caressing me.

Jai Guru Deva, Om.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Images of broken light,
Which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe.
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box,
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe.

Jai Guru Deva, Om.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter, shades of life,
Are ringing through my open ears
Inciting and inviting me.
Limitless, undying love,
Which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe.

Jai Guru Deva, Om.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney