Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Cry for Judas” by The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats’ song ‘Cry for Judas’ sketches out a tale of biblical proportions. It speaks to the tragedy of Judas Iscariot, the disciple to Jesus who, according to the Christian faith, ultimately betrayed him. The track, from the album Transcendental Youth, highlights the human tendency to forget our sorrows in pursuit of short-term pleasure. The title itself contains a hint of hope, a plea for mercy for Judas, a man already condemned to the everlasting fires of hell.
The lyrics foreshadow Judas’ fateful decision. “Dancing into trouble,” a line that comes near the beginning of the song, alludes to the power of subtle temptation that lures Judas astray and eventually leads to his downfall. “Lights going fuzzy,” may either describe the blurred vision of a man stumbling into his own demise, or his growing confusion with the simple decisions of life that have become increasingly convoluted.
At first, Judas seems to succumb to the darkness of his own selfishness. Yet by the end of ‘Cry for Judas’, there is a glimmer of hope. The voices of friends and family echo with their pleas for him to take his “bitter, little life” back, urging him to reject the passing pleasures of this world that have caused him to betray his Saviour. They call on him to embrace the grace he will receive if he turns away from his darkness.
The song, while describing a disappointing and ultimately heartbreaking story, also displays a profound understanding of the fragility of the human spirit. ‘Cry for Judas’ captures a common struggle of wanting to do good, yet desperately straying towards our own earthly desires. In this regard, the title begs us to remember the frailty of man, and to cry for Judas’ sorrow.