Oh Regina. Welcome back, dear one.
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor…
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
‘Laughing With’ is the first single from Regina’s new album Far, due for release on June 26, and from the sounds of it we’re for a real treat. ‘Laughing With’ is classic Regina, complete with simple piano and typically biting lyrics. What struck me about this track in particular is her brilliant observational skills, and that line about being told that God will ‘give you money if you pray the right way’ is stunning. Oh, to be able to write like that. And sing like that.
Laughing With – Regina Spektor
I desperately wanted to embed the video here but the damn thing wouldn’t let me, so go here to check it out – it’s a goodin’.
Make sure you also sample ‘Blue Lips’, also from the forthcoming album. This track also seems to question the whole idea of faith and belief and it will be interesting to see if the whole album explores this theme further. Gorgeous melody too.
Regina’s got a new album and all’s right with the world.
Was that too much?
9 comments
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June 1, 2009 at 6:26 am
mjrc
there are so many great bands/artists putting out albums this year, i can hardly keep up! i’m really looking forward to this one.
welcome home!! did they miss you?
June 2, 2009 at 10:13 am
itallstarted
Thanks! I reckon I was ever so slightly missed, yes. It’s good to be home!
June 2, 2009 at 1:11 pm
mjrc
hey, i like this song, the god one. i like the blue one, too, so i think this will be one of those must-have albums for me. thanks for sharing.
June 2, 2009 at 4:23 pm
itallstarted
Oh yes, definitely high up there on my wish list too! Glad you like.
June 2, 2009 at 11:26 pm
cdv1971
I saw that this one was coming out, it’s going to be a good summer (winter, winter. must get used to that) for music.
June 3, 2009 at 8:01 am
itallstarted
Ugh, yes it’s definitely winter here! Arrived back to nonstop rain and icy wind. It was unseasonably warm the whole time I was in the UK so this is quite a rude shock!
July 3, 2009 at 1:55 pm
kat r
hey, it’s cool you kept the “old” design of the album cover.
I remember looking at it on her myspace, but then they changed it the day after. it’s nice to look back at the old one…i like them both.
So the album has reached #3 on Billboard, isn’t that amazing? I’m so happy for Regina.
July 9, 2009 at 5:40 am
Niamh B
Unbelieveably touching song, really great… best new song I think I’ve heard all year.
September 14, 2009 at 2:37 am
Zosimos
I actually think this is a terrible song. No. Stop. Don’t flame me for being anti-Christian. I’m about as Bible-Belt Methodist as it gets…but then again, Regina Spektor is Jewish, so maybe my personal religious beliefs are irrelevant. This song is very bad, and would be more appropriate as a Dido song about the perils of TV addiction.
This song trivializes the real struggles that people go through by using such ridiculous examples such as “waiting for test results,” “waiting for your kids to come home from a party,” and “getting scared because the airplane you’re on is shaking violently.” You do realize that the people with the REAL struggles will never have the opportunity to wait for test results, will never be financially comfortable in a stable enough neighborhood to worry about what party their child won’t be able to attend, or ever have enough money to even buy a plane ticket. And those are just people living in America who are “starving and so very poor.” What about Libyan children who have a life expectancy of 15 years? This song is a good example of how people who do already believe can stroke themselves and simultaneously put off people who don’t believe from a faith that could save their souls.
Nor do I think that Regina Spektor should be hailed or lauded for any purpose. Poor girl, left during Perestroika, had to leave her upright piano behind. My family couldn’t leave our country if we wanted to, and definitely would not have to worry about leaving our piano behind. My wife and I did not have the opportunity to excel at a Musical Conservatory College, either. Poor, poor Regina’s story begins as almost ANY EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION STORY DOES. Ironically enough, it ends with a breast augmentation for poor, poor Regina.
You’re an Aussie, you should know better. You should especially know better than to swear in the post where you put a song like this…it is pretty much admitting how little you think of the moving spiritual nature of the music. I also don’t think that anti-prayer rhetoric should be considered “observant,” as neither Judaism nor Christianity suggest that God throws money at you for praying the right way. Churches and synagogues throw money at PASTORS and RABBIS for praying the right way, which is why we normal people have to listen to the non-nonsensical dribble. Biting lyrics? Offspring writes biting lyrics. This is wishy-washy pseudo-ironic nonsense designed to pander to the class with enough money and time to waste on such tripe.
Sorry, just really hate this song, and don’t think it compares with any of Regina’s supposed inspirational sources. 2nd rate at the very best.