Crucified Again (album version) Lyrics
You don't need what you can't carry
The blood will flow into the ocean
The voices breaking with the motion
[Hook]
Crucified, been crucified again
Crucified, been crucified again
In the night, they started singin'
They had no right to keep believin'
But down bellow, there's someone screamin'
A broken church, no bells a ringin'
[Hook]
They crucified, been crucified again
They crucified, been crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again
The preachers talk on television
Hand out the judgments of their religion
But when I heard those women singin'
They made a sound I couldn't believe in
[Hook]
Crucified, been crucified again
But he who bears the scar remembers
The fire is burnin' down to embers
The fire is burnin', but I can't remember
[Hook]
Crucified, been crucified again
Crucified, been crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again, and again, and again
All you great and mighty nations
Who think you've payed for your high stations
The cities may be built in the sand
But ours were built by their fathers' hands
[Hook]
They crucified, been crucified again
They crucified, been crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again, and again, and again
Till the crowd cries: "Do it again"!
Crucified again
Crucified again
Crucified again, and again, and again
Till the crowd cries: "Do it again"!
About
This song features on 2015’s deluxe version of Reflektor, but the group had been playing it live at least twice before its official release. Whilst it bears some lyrical resemblance to “Here Comes The Night Time” – specifically the references to televangelists criticising Haiti – they are separate songs, and “Crucified Again” featured in Arcade Fire’s live sets in Haiti during the Reflektor tour.
The subject of the song is the 2010 Haiti earthquake. There are lots of uses Neon Bible-style of religious imagery.
The two existing live recordings of the song are quite different. The first features Win Butler on organ and Sarah Neufeld’s violin prominently. The second recording is based primarily around Win Butler’s acoustic guitar and vocals.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning