I was dreamin'[1]“Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.” -1 Nephi 8:2 when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray[2]“All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.” -Isaiah 53:6; Mosiah 14:6
But when I woke up this mornin’
Could’ve sworn it was judgment day[3]The Latter-day Saints of the 19th century asked Brigham Young if it was even worth planting orchards in Utah territory if the Second Coming was right around the corner anyways. Indeed, each … Continue reading
The sky was all purple
There were people runnin’ everywhere
Tryin’ to run from the destruction
You know I didn’t even care[4]“…but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” -D&C 38:30
‘Cause they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time[5]“…do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, … Continue reading
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999
I was dreamin’ when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party[6]Truman G. Madsen, in his 2000 lecture series on the presidents of the church, recounts how Brigham Young, in the midst of worsening mob violence in Nauvoo, while desperately trying to complete the … Continue reading
And parties weren’t meant to last
War is all around us[7]“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” -Matt. 24:6
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I’m gonna listen to my body tonight[8]For our bodies are as essential to our salvation as our spirits; hence we listen to our bodies as much as we do our souls, for they are one and the same, for there there is no such thing as … Continue reading
Yeah, they say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999
Yeah, yeah
Lemme tell ya somethin’
If you didn’t come to party
Don’t bother knockin’ on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And baby he’s ready to roar, yeah yeah[9]Obvious double entendre, yes, but recall that the aforementioned Brigham Young was also called the Lion of the Lord.
Everybody’s got a bomb
We could all die here today, uhh
But before I’ll let that happen
I’ll dance[10]“And David danced before the Lord with all his might” -2 Samuel 6:14, and as was also quoted by fellow ‘80’s mainstay Footloose. my life away, oh
They say two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
We’re runnin’ outta time
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999)
Say it one more time
Two thousand zero zero
Party over, oops out of time
Yeah, yeah
So tonight we gonna, we gonna (tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999)
1999 (1999)
Don’t ya want to go (1999)
Don’t ya want to go (1999)
We could all die here today (1999)
I don’t want to die
I’d rather dance my life away[11]Happy belated New Years, by the way…and, well, Happy severely belated Turn of the Century too, I suppose.
References
| ↑1 | “Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.” -1 Nephi 8:2 |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | “All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.” -Isaiah 53:6; Mosiah 14:6 |
| ↑3 | The Latter-day Saints of the 19th century asked Brigham Young if it was even worth planting orchards in Utah territory if the Second Coming was right around the corner anyways. Indeed, each generation of Saints since then have been convinced that theirs was the one at last living in the final, final last days. This is not to imply that we’ve all been wrong about the imminence of the Second Coming; as Cormac McCarthy said to a fan who confessed he thought he was already dead: “You weren’t wrong, just early.” |
| ↑4 | “…but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” -D&C 38:30 |
| ↑5 | “…do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.” -Alma 34:33 |
| ↑6 | Truman G. Madsen, in his 2000 lecture series on the presidents of the church, recounts how Brigham Young, in the midst of worsening mob violence in Nauvoo, while desperately trying to complete the Temple, get as many people endowed as possible, and simultaneously organizing the pioneer companies westward, would clear the ground floor of the Nauvoo Temple each evening, strike up the band, and hold a dance party. In the Temple, mind you! This was a man who fully understood, on a profound level, just how important partying is for our mental health and physical survival—both individually and collectively—and just how literal “men are that they might have joy” really is, yes, even in our most absolutely awful moments. |
| ↑7 | “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” -Matt. 24:6 |
| ↑8 | For our bodies are as essential to our salvation as our spirits; hence we listen to our bodies as much as we do our souls, for they are one and the same, for there there is no such thing as immaterial matter, and all spirit is matter. |
| ↑9 | Obvious double entendre, yes, but recall that the aforementioned Brigham Young was also called the Lion of the Lord. |
| ↑10 | “And David danced before the Lord with all his might” -2 Samuel 6:14, and as was also quoted by fellow ‘80’s mainstay Footloose. |
| ↑11 | Happy belated New Years, by the way…and, well, Happy severely belated Turn of the Century too, I suppose. |