Sheep Go To Heaven
by Cake

Album: Prolonging the Magic (1998)
Play Video
  • I'm not feeling alright today
    I'm not feeling that great
    I'm not catching on fire today
    Love has started to fade
    I'm not going to smile today
    I'm not gonna laugh
    You're out living it up today
    I've got dues to pay

    And the gravedigger puts on the forceps
    The stonemason does all the work
    The barber can give you a haircut
    The carpenter can take you out to lunch

    Now I just want to play on my panpipes
    I just want to drink me some wine
    As soon as you're born you start dyin'
    So you might as well have a good time, oh no

    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell
    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell

    I don't wanna go to Sunset Strip
    I don't wanna feel the emptiness
    Old marquees with stupid band names
    I don't wanna go to Sunset Strip

    I don't wanna go to Sunset Strip
    I don't wanna feel the emptiness
    Old marquees with stupid band names
    I don't wanna go to Sunset Strip

    And the gravedigger puts on the forceps
    The stonemason does all the work
    The barber can give you a haircut
    The carpenter can take you out to lunch

    Now, but I just want to play on my panpipes
    I just want to drink me some wine
    As soon as you're born you start dyin'
    So you might as well have a good time, oh no

    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell
    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell

    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell
    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell

    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell
    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell

    Sheep go to heaven
    Goats go to hell
    Sheep go to heaven Writer/s: JOHN M MCCREA
    Publisher: Stamen Music
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

  • Kurt from TexasLol, it's a fun song, good for a laugh but don't take yourselves too seriously in the commentary. Check your source for frigs sake, goats are not unclean.
    According to the OT split hoof and cud chewing clean? Okay, lol. Split hoof, no cud, Mr Piggy, unclean, lol> That a--hide... crank up the tune and the bbq and let's eat, I'm famished.
  • Omaha Tim from The Middle1. The sheep / goat reference is a friggin' analogy because Jesus was analogized as a shepherd.
    2. Animals with cloven feet are considered unclean to eat. Old Testament. Way before Jesus and other sanitary measures like cooking temperature. From the era that brought us circumcision and bathing in running water.
    3. If you are going to post or write songs about scripture, you should prolly understand the script.
    4. Love this song!
    5. Love this band!
    6. God loves goats. Who doesn't?
  • Jared from AusThis song also has links to absurdist theatre, in Samuel becketts 'Waiting for Godot' (1948-1949) it states "the grave digger puts on the forceps" this it a direct link to the concept of being enlisted to die at birth, forceps are used (or at least were used in the time of the plays writing) to deliver a child. Implying you were born to die, which kinda links into the whole song
  • Colin from EarthYou guys have the right idea but seem to be missing some very blunt Christian/Pagan imagery. "The carpenter can take you out to lunch" Jesus was a carpenter, and the good sheep will dine with Him in Heaven.

    Conversely, Pan was the Greek half man/half goat (satyr) diety of wine and revelry, and the namesake of the panpipes. The singer is making it plain he wants to have a good time like a goat-legged pagan party god and doesn't care for being a good sheep.
  • Kerry Ditson from Shrewsbury, MaThis song always reminded me of death, with the "gravedigger puts on the forceps" (pretty obvious), "The stonemason does all the work" (tombstone) "The barber will give you a haircut" (Cutting the hair of the dead/making them look nice before burial) "The carpenter will take you out to lunch" (Coffin). I think it's about the singer coming to terms with the death of someone he loved, and wondering what happened to them.
  • Jas from Clifton, TxThis song is oddly pretty ingenious. I really like the whole theme of the song, that society will judge you based on things like outward appearances regardless of the fact that you can't change who you are without being totally artificial. Why worry about what people think when they are only going to see things their way anyway?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

Song Cities

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

John Lee Hooker

John Lee HookerSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for Bruce Pollock's 1984 conversation with the esteemed bluesman. Hooker talks about transforming a Tony Bennett classic and why you don't have to be sad and lonely to write the blues.

Tom Waits Lyrics Quiz

Tom Waits Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

Pool balls, magpies and thorns without roses - how well do you know your Tom Waits lyrics?

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.