Playlist to Flippant Heathens: 10 Songs for When You Feel Pretty Good about Being an Unbeliever

1. Fun. — One Foot

An incredible amount of sauciness from Nate Ruess.

I happened to stumble upon a chapel last night.
And I can’t help but back up when I think of what happens inside.
I got friends locked in boxes (That’s no way to live).
What you’re callin’ a sin isn’t up to them.
After all (after all), I thought we were all your children.

But I will die for my own sins — thanks a lot.
We’ll rise up ourselves — thanks for nothing at all,
So up off the ground
Our forefathers are nothing but dust now.

2. Big D and the Kids’ Table — Pinball

Shake your fist.

Looks like we’ll have to stand up on a mountain and scream,
“Oy, if there’s a God, get your ass down here.”

3. Vampire Weekend — Ya-Hey

Does anyone want to get matching ‘Ya-Hey’ tattoos with me?

Through the fire and through the flames,
You won’t even say your name,
Only, “I am that I am.”
Who could ever live that way?

4. Modest Mouse — Ocean Breathes Salty

No mental space to stress out about going to hell if you’re jamming along to this one.

You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye.
When the earth folded in on itself.
And said “Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell are really there, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”
You wasted life, why wouldn’t you waste death?

5. Regina Spektor — Baby Jesus

Instead of feeling like the underdog, you can feel like the self-righteous one with this song.

They said all the non-believers,
They get to eat dirt,
And the believers get to spit on their graves.

6. Vampire Weekend —Unbelievers

Ezra Koenig does a great job at making non-Christianity feel a little less scary. Thanks, Ezra Koenig.

If I’m born again I know that the world will disagree
Want a little grace but who’s going to say a little grace for me?
We know the fire awaits unbelievers, all of the sinners the same
Girl, you and I will die unbelievers bound to the tracks of the train

I’m not excited. But should I be?
Is this the fate that half of the world has planned for me?
I know I love you, and you love the sea —
But what holy water contains a little drop, little drop for me

7. Streetlight Manifesto — Down, Down, Down to Mephisto’s Cafe

In case you don’t catch it on your own: Mephisto’s Cafe is tongue-in-cheek for Hell.

We’re going down, down, down to Mephisto’s Cafe
Down, down, down to Mephisto’s Cafe
And the gears will spin and the sinners sin, but at least we’ll give them hell
And the righteous few will spit on you, so bid them all farewell
We’re going down, down, down to Mephisto’s Cafe
We’re going down, right?
Right!

8. Depeche Mode — Personal Jesus

I can’t handle the sass. I can never handle the sass.

Feeling unknown,
And you’re all alone?
Flesh and bone,
By the telephone —
Lift up the receiver
I’ll make you a believer.

9. Joan Osborne — What if God was one of Us?

Who knows what Joan was really trying to get at? She makes it feel chill and that’s good enough.

Yeah, yeah, god is good. Yeah, yeah, god is great. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

10. REM — Losing my Religion

I guess the 90s were the prime decade for leaving Christianity and feeling great about it.

That’s me in the corner
That’s me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don’t know if I can do it
Oh no I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough