Atonement

Album: Glory (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In Christian theology the atonement refers to God's pardoning of sin through the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, making possible the reconciliation between God and man. Smith penned this song to represent the death of Christ. He explained: "It goes to a minor key to reflect His sacrifice, and then the music brightens to signify a breakthrough, that death has been conquered. The technique of having two distinct sections of music in the same song to convey the spectrum of emotion was suggested by my producer David Hamilton - a trick he learned from studying classical pianist Frederic Chopin."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.