David Ramirez: “The Forgiven” (2013)
Gifted lyricist David Ramirez wonderfully articulates the dilemma of the songwriter whose audience wants hard-hitting truths…just not the inconvenient, overly-truthful ones.
They love me for being honest
They love me for being myself
But the minute I mention Jesus
They want me to go to Hell
It’s hard to find the balance
When I don’t believe in one
When you mix art with business
You’re just shooting an empty gun
You’re just a songwriter, you ain’t a preacher
We came to mourn you, not to look in the mirror
Sing about those hard times, sing about those women
We love the broken, not the forgiven
These songs will only take me
As far as the people will go
If I can’t make them happy
Well then they won’t come to my shows
Maybe that’s what killed
All the great voices in the world
Always bleeding for every line
But no one was bleeding in return
You’re just a songwriter, you ain’t a preacher
We came to mourn you, not to look in the mirror
Sing about those hard times, sing about those women
We love the broken, not the forgiven
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/09/17/songs-you-may-have-missed-474/
Every Moment Has A Song 