Tower of Babel Lyrics
Someone called us Babylon
Those hungry hunters
Tracking down the hours
But where were all your shoulders when we cried
Were the darlings on the sideline
Dreaming up such cherished lies
To whisper in your ear before you die
Sodom meet Gomorrah, Cain meet Abel
Have a ball y'all
See the letches crawl
With the call girls under the table
Watch them dig their graves
`Cause Jesus don't save the guys
In the tower of Babel
`Cause Jesus don't save the guys
In the tower of Babel, no no no
The dealers in the basement
Filling your prescription
For a brand new heart attack
Were the doctors in attendance
Saying how they felt so sick inside
Or was it just the scalpel blade that lied
I have a different opinion of what this song is about than the comments above. I find it hard to believe the gay thing because 1. The call GIRLS are under the table. It seems more like it is painting a picture of a house of general sin, not just sins from being gay. 2. They mention a dealer in the basement dealing bad things. This points more towards drugs, stress, partying, etc that might occur in this house of sin.
It seems to me that this song is about the music industry. Its about how at parties you have booze, coke, and bitches and everyone loves you. But at the end of the day, they only care about you because you're famous. It paints a picture of these sniveling creatures crawling around pretending to be your friend and care about you. "When we cried" there were no shoulders of these people there.
The only line that makes me think of homosexuality is that "Jesus don't say the guys in the tower of Babel". Unless he is just emphasizing the worthlessness of these people. I think the word "closet" makes people jump right to gay. But I guess all music is up to anyone's interpretation.
The meaning of the lyrics of this song which has been my thoughts since 1975 are this. Snow=good cocaine. Cement= bad cocaine. Junk=heroin. Angel=either a joint or a gay guy in the closet it could mean either. But the closet is always stacked. My interpretation has always been about the party scene in the mid 70's of either London or Los Angeles or both. Look up the words in an urban dictionary.
This has nothing to do with being gay whatsoever. Elton was not even out at the time and no one knew of his homosexuality. This song is about sinners and how "Jesus don't save the guys in the Tower of Babel". Sodom & Gomorrah, Cain & Abel were places and people who committed unforgivable sins. When he says "See the letches crawl With the call girls under the table Watch them dig their graves" Letches are men with strong sexual desires and of course we know what call girls are. So these lusting men are crawling after the call girls under the table digging their own graves for sins they are committing. Let's not forget the drug dealers in the basement; all these people are sinners and Jesus isn't saving any of them!
@bobbico Bud, puhlenty of people knew he was gay. He was called out on that years before this song was written. Taupin, his bandmates, and friends & family certainly knew. This isn't 'about sinners' as the central intent of the song. It's much more about the lowlifes that successful people & their money always attracts. As John & Taupin started to gain fame, these types all came out of the woodwork. The sense of them being sinners does play a part, as the arrogant forces who ordered the building of the tower were taken down for their affront to 'the...
@bobbico Bud, puhlenty of people knew he was gay. He was called out on that years before this song was written. Taupin, his bandmates, and friends & family certainly knew. This isn't 'about sinners' as the central intent of the song. It's much more about the lowlifes that successful people & their money always attracts. As John & Taupin started to gain fame, these types all came out of the woodwork. The sense of them being sinners does play a part, as the arrogant forces who ordered the building of the tower were taken down for their affront to 'the lord'. So the song equates those figures with the arrogant affluent and their 'enablers'- the types who will use you for the partying time, but never be there to be that 'shoulder' when you need it.
Babel was in the Old Testament, so Jesus can't save those guys by definition. Unless everyone pre-Christ was automatically saved. I forget.
Rather convinient if they were lol. I'm not gay myself but love this song. I always seem to go for the gay songs, damn it. I don't care :) Women still make me stiff and thats what counts :p
I feel this song was about the belief that all gays are going to hell. That god doesn't like gays and the longer they are acting in gay activities, the deeper the "dig their graves". He is putting bible references out there to say that the bible says god won't protect a lot of things, so why isn't only gays are going straight to hell?
I feel this song was about the belief that all gays are going to hell. That god doesn't like gays and the longer they are acting in gay activities, the deeper the "dig their graves". He is putting bible references out there to say that the bible says god won't protect a lot of things, so why isn't only gays are going straight to hell?
I the closet reference could be about gays who live in the closet and try to commit suicide or take drugs to ignore their feelings.
I the closet reference could be about gays who live in the closet and try to commit suicide or take drugs to ignore their feelings.
Not about gays.
Not about gays.
Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics, not Elton, so any "gay" references were purely coincidental. The biblical tower of Babel was built by hypocrites who thought they could see God by building a tower, instead of leading a true good life. The song has drug references, of course, but speaks about people pretending to be good rather than actually being good. My opinion only, of course, but the song is about Elton John's followers at the time; media types, record industry big wigs, etc, who pretended to adore Elton because he was uber popular at the time. Not true friends, not truly appreciating his music; just faking adoration because he was extremely popular at the time. The song mocks the whole scene...drugs, loose women, plastic surgery (was it just the scalpel blade that lied) that surrounded Elton and the band at the time. But when they needed true advice (where were all your shoulders when we cried) they saw the pretenders for what they were.
@stubbyfingerjo Yep, that's basically my take as well.
@stubbyfingerjo Yep, that's basically my take as well.
One of the tales/intrepretations about the Tower of Babel was God's wrath in response to homosexuality. You have to remember that though Elton was not "out" at the time, Bernie Taupin wrote the lyrics and Bernie is gay. This song has definite gay references, "were the darlings on the sidelines dreaming up such cherished lies, to whisper in your ear before you died." A gay man lying (probably to a relative) about sexual orientation.
"This closet's always stacked." Pretty obvious. "Sodom meet Gomorra - Cain meet Abel" - men meeting. Although there are also references to "call girls" and "lechers" this was mostly a biblical take on the prejudice against gays in the 1970's era.
This song, to me, speaks about the decadence and conspiracy that "higher mortals" believe surrounds the gay scene - think of Freddie Mercury's OTT parties and you've pretty much got it! A great song, very catchy, fun, and it tells a story. Listen and learn!
Nothing to do with the gay scene whatsoever.
Nothing to do with the gay scene whatsoever.