This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral)

Steve Taylor's Song "This Disco(Used To Be A Cute Cathedral)"

What Steve says about it:From Now The Truth Can Be Told Liner Notes & Song-By-Song Essays, Now The Truth Can Be Told Insert Booklet, August 23rd, 1994:

"In the heart of Manhattan stands an old Presbyterian church that was converted in the mid '80s into New York's famed Limelight Club. My on-the- scene investigation began with the required ritual of waiting with the anxious crowd outside the entrance until a neo-nazi type doorman decided my shoes wouldn't scuff up the dance floor. He then escorted my friends and me through the vestibule, past rows of authentic looking crypts, then up to the cashier ringing up fifteen dollar admissions underneath a large cross.

We followed the beat to the sanctuary, just in time to catch a giant video screen being lowered over the pipe organ to show Madonna's latest for the two thousand boogie pilgrims jammed on the dance floor. My mind began to wander (like it always does during Madonna songs), and I started to imagine it was Sunday night, and that the church elders had devised all this as a way to attract new members.

Most of us, myself included, are guilty of wishing Christianity was more fashionable. But the Apostle Paul's example of becoming "all things to all men" in order to reach across cultural barriers can sometimes be used as an excuse to dilute the Gospel message, and hopefully draw a trendier, more affluent flock."

Lyrics:Sunday needs a pick-me-up?
Here's your chance
Do you get tired of the same old square dance?

Allemande right now
All join hands
Do-si-do to the promised boogieland

Got no need for altar calls
Sold the altar for the mirror balls
Do you shuffle? Do you twist?
'Cause with a hot hits playlist, now we say

This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where the chosen cha-cha every day of the year
This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where we only play the stuff you're wanting to hear

Mickey does the two-step
One, Two, Swing
All the little church mice doing their thing

Boppin' in the belltower
Rumba to the right
Knock knock, who's there? Get me out of this limelight

So, you want to defect?
Officer, what did you expect?
Got no rhythm, got no dough
He said, "Listen, Bozo, don't you know"

This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where the chosen cha-cha every day of the week
This disco used to be a cute cathedral
But we got no room if you ain't gonna be chic

Sell your holy habitats
This ship's been deserted by sinking rats
The exclusive place to go
It's where the pious pogo, don't you know

This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where the chosen cha-cha every day of the year
This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where we only play the stuff you're wanting to hear

This disco used to be a cute cathedral
Where the chosen cha-cha every day of the week
This disco used to be a cute cathedral
But we got no room if you ain't gonna be chic

Category:

Music

Tags:

• This
• DiscoUsed
• To
• Be
• Cute
• Cathedral

[Hoss5b2]

Steve was so cutting edge, even back in the early 80s he saw how the church was selling out to society in order to get butts in the seats. You can compromise the method but never the message, but now we even have the "emergent chruch" doing both. Thanks Steve for your insights.

[jimmmmie]

Love this! Thanks for posting!

[CALIfotoSPUD]

Geeeeeeeez! I remember this song from way back when...

KROQ (the rock of the 80s) played the hoeck out of it.

Thanks for sharing.

[puckhndler]

Sorry about the double post, to err is human and I'm more human than the next guy...

[puckhndler]

I saw Steve Taylor-I believe-on the "Unguarded" with Amy Grant another act, who I can't find. I do remember this song and that's how I found my way here...

I miss the eighties......

[oldgamergeek]

@Hoss5b2 Roger That, methods change but the WORD OF GOD is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

[wlinden]

"Presybterian"? The Church of the Holy Communion was Anglican ("Episcopalian") before it was swallowed by the amalgamated Parish of Calvary and St. George.

[wlinden]

"Presybterian"? The Church of the Holy C

[tnphotographer]

Steve Taylor is one of a kind. :) Lyrically, you'd think this could have been written yesterday.

[wizzygynoid]

This song is about Limelight, the New York City nightclub built in an old deconsecrated Episcopal church.