So in honour of Reformation Day, and for your viewing enjoyment, I give you "95 Theses [But the Pope Ain't One]". It's a rather clever little music video, even if there are some historical aspects I'm not so keen on... like making Luther's wife, Katherine von Bora (who used to be a nun), well, too sexy, and implying she was beheaded... which she totally wasn't... and making it appear as though the Catholic Church was universally corrupt, which it was not... Okay. History rant over. Enjoy the video! (Lyrics posted below)
"I got 95 Theses and the Pope Ain't One"
If you're havin' Church problems then don't blame God, son!
I got ninety-five theses but the Pope ain't one.
VERSE 1
Listen up, all my people, it's a story for the telling
'bout the sin and injustice and corruption I been smelling:
I met that homie Tetzel, then I started rebelling
Once I seen the fat Indulgences that he been selling.
Now the Cath'lics of the world straight up disgracin' me
Just because I waved my finger at the papacy.
My people got riled up over this Reformation
That's when Leo threatened me with Excommunication.
I warned y'all that Rome best agree to the terms.
If not, then you can eat my Diet of Worms!
You think you done something spectacular?
I wrote the Bible in the vernacular!
A heretic! [What?] Someone throw me a bone.
You forgot salvation comes through faith alone.
I'm on a mission from God. You think I do this for fun?
I got ninety-five theses but the Pope ain't one.
Save me!
CHORUS
Ninety-five theses but the Pope ain't one.
If you havin' Church problems then don't blame God, son
I got ninety-five theses but the Pope ain't one.
VERSE 2
One Five One Seven, that's when it first went down.
Then the real test was when it started spreading around.
Sixty days to recant what I said? Father, please!
You've had, what? Goin' on fifteen centuries?
Oh snap, he's messin' with the holy communion.
But I ain't never dissed your precious hypostatic union!
One place at one time. Well, thank you Zwingli.
Yeah, way to disregard that whole I'm God thingy!
Getting all up in my rosary you little punk.
Your momma shoulda told you not to mess with no monk.
What you bumpin' me for? Suddenly you sore.
Keep that up, you'll have yourself another Peasant War.
You blame common folk for the smack they talkin'
You ain't even taught them proper Christian doctrine.
With my hat, my Bible, and my sexy little nun,
I got ninety-five theses but the Pope ain't one.
Save me!
CHORUS
VERSE 3
When I wrote the ninety-five, haters straight up assailed 'em.
Now they only care whether or not I nailed 'em or mailed 'em.
They got psychoanalytic. Now everyones a critic,
And getting on my case just because I'm anti-Semitic.
I've come back from obscurity to teach y'all a lesson,
'Cuz someone here still ain't read their Augsburg Confession.
I said Catholicism brings a life of excess,
And we all remember what went down with Philip of Hesse!
But you forgot about me and my demonstration?
Like you can just create your own denomination?
We don't like this part, so well just add a little twist.
Now we Anglican, Amish, and even Calvinist.
I gave you the power, you gone and abused it.
I gave you God's truth, you just confused it.
Don't you never underestimate the stuff that I done
I got 95 theses but the Pope ain't one.
Save me!
CHORUS
(*Special thanks to Katherine Cooper for the link!)
