Hozier's "Take Me to Church" Has a Meaning That's Bordering on Unholy

Over the years, Hozier (real name Andrew John Hozier-Byrne) has become an icon of the singer-songwriter music genre. With hits like "Cherry Wine," "Too Sweet," and "Work Song," the Irishman has solidified his place in 21st-century pop culture with a career that has displayed a lot of longevity — and it all started with his big breakthrough in 2013 with "Take Me to Church."

To this day, the tune is still arguably his most popular and recognizable, with certified multi-platinum international sales and several prestigious award wins. However, even some fans who love the song aren't exactly sure of its meaning.

So, what does "Take Me to Church" by Hozier really mean?

With its divine title and lyrics like "Oh, good God, let me give you my life," one might think that the tune is a religious one — but in truth, the Billboard Music Award-winning song hints at something a little more intimate, if you catch our drift.

Indeed, in an interview with New York Magazine's The Cut in 2014, Hozier himself explained that the song is essentially about sex.

"it’s about sex and it’s about humanity, and obviously sex and humanity are incredibly tied. Sexuality and sexual orientation — regardless of orientation — is just natural," he shared.

He continued, "An act of sex is one of the most human things. But an organization like the church, say, through its doctrine, would undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation — that it is sinful, or that it offends God. The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love."

When examining the lyrics, the true meaning of sex as an act of divine humanity, particularly how it relates to different sexual identities in a world with LGBTQ+ rights opponents, really begins to show: "The only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you / I was born sick, but I love it / Command me to be well."

Further in the interview, Hozier confirmed that while it may be a criticism of the church itself, it is not "an attack on faith."

"Coming from Ireland, obviously, there’s a bit of a cultural hangover from the influence of the church," he said. "You’ve got a lot of people walking around with a heavy weight in their hearts and a disappointment, and that s--t carries from generation to generation. So the song is just about that — it’s an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile."

He also explained that the song and its music video were directly referencing anti-LGBTQ+ attacks taking place in Russia at the time.

"It references the very organized attacks against LGBT youths that are carried out with impunity, without action from law enforcement," he said. "It’s people carrying out terrible acts through the justification of far-right traditionalism ... So that’s what we wanted to show. The video wasn’t over-exaggerating anything. We just wanted to tell it how it is."