It hardly seems two minutes since this was playing on radio stations around the globe and yet my calendar informs me that it was released 18 years ago in 1993. This month’s Classic Rock Magazine has an interview with Lenny Kravitz about the iconic song he wrote on the back of a paper bag that took the world by storm.
I’m singing lines like ‘I was born long ago’ and ‘I’m the chosen I’m the one’, but obviously it’s not about me,” he clarifies. “It’s about Christ, and it’s coming from the Jesus Christ Superstar kind of place. I’m singing in role, y’know, as if it was a musical, and the question means: are you gonna go the way of love? Let’s think aboutn what Christ really said. His methods were all about love. So the question is, are you gonna continue to live in this way, full of hate, or are you gonna live in the way of love? Are you gonna go my way?
I was born long ago
I am the chosen, I’m the one
I have come to save the day
And I won’t leave until I’m done
So that’s why you’ve got to try
You’ve got to breathe and have some fun
Though I’m not paid I play this game
And I won’t stop until I’m done
(But what I really want to know is)
Are you gonna go my way
And I got to, got to know yeah
I don’t know why we always cry
This we must leave and get undone
We must engage and rearrange
And turn this planet back to one
So tell me why we got to die
And kill each other one by one
We’ve got to hug and rub-a-dub
We’ve got to dance and be in love
(But what I really wanna know is)
Are you gonna go my way
And I got to, got to know (I got to know)
Are you gonna go my way
‘Cause baby I got to know, yeah
I was always called idealistic. Y’know, ‘This guy is always singing about love, peace, spirituality and equality’ but they are pretty great ideals.
Possibly one for the Alt:Hymnal if I could get the right images to run with it.
Thanks for this post. I love Lenny Kravitz. I’ve let everyone know I want one of his songs played at my funeral!
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