Vain and fickle, were we weaned on a pickle?

I grew up listening to Steve Taylor, a Christian rock singer from the 80's and 90's that mainly used satire to drive his message home. This morning I woke up with the melody line of one of his songs from his album "Squint", in my head. He entitled the song "Smug". It is a clever, little ditty on the seductive nature of pride. I am not sure why I remembered this song, I have not heard it in many years. My taste in music now runs more to the worship and contemplative side. Maybe the closing words of Malachi (4:1) reminded me of this: "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them." Taylor is a master as using satire and humor to communicate a difficult message. Here is a link to the hilarious video of "Smug", shot in Turkey in the early 90's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNMNQZFIyeI

"Smug"

Strike this little pose

Chin up in the air

Lips together tightly

Nostrils in a flare

Now look like you care

Very nice!

Practice in the mirror

Brushing back a tear

Very sincere

A promising career could begin right here at home

If you've got that smug...That smug...

chorus:

Hey mama hey mama lookee what your little babies all have become

Hey mama hey mama don't it ever make you wish you'd been a nun?

Vain and fickle, were we weaned on a pickle?

Is it in our blood?

Rome is burning

We're here turning smug

Strike another pose

Power politics

Swallow their conventions

Get your power fix

We love to mud wrestle

We love to be politically Koreshed

Practice that smug

Post it like a man

One part Master Limbaugh

Two parts Madame Streisand

Now pretend you're in a band

My, my, we're looking smug

Very very very very(chorus)

All you smug-starved millions in the thick of the search

Welcome to our church

Whatcha wanna solve?

We can help you evolve from merely self-righteous

To perfectly smug

Strike the proud pose of our country club brethren

Friendly as a tomb

Fragrant as the bottom of a locker-room broom

Now what's the matter?

Hey...get off your knees...that part don't come 'til later...God will not be pleased...

(chorus)

Hey mama hey mama lookee what your little babies all have become...

Rome is cooking

My, we're looking smug