Hound Dog Harmonies: "Nailed"

The Schlosskirche (Castle Church) where
Luther nailed the 95 Theses.
The top of the tower has the opening lines
of "A Mighty Fortress is our God"
written in German.

Today we kick off our month-long celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with a rock song about Martin Luther and the 95 Theses. 

The Short: 

Song: "Nailed"

Artist: Theocracy

Album: As the World Bleeds

Genre: Metal

Listening Suggestion: With some Abendbrot to celebrate some German food?

Christian Author Listener(s): Wayne Thomas Batson

Selected Lyrics:

Here I am, a broken man who's done all that a man can do

And found that it's only filthy rags.

Monasteries, religious schools, indulgences, laws and rules

It all added up to nothing and darkness and death.

Vanity, heartache, and emptiness...

Never fight it anymore,

For the burden on my life has been released--

Nailed it to the door...

There's fire in my spirit, and fire in their eyes,

And now they'll want to burn me alive--

Yet freedom rings. 

Unworthiness is all I bring.

The blood of Christ is all I claim,

This grace revealed everything...

You can listen to the song on the band's YouTube channel, though brace yourself for a bit of strong metal--albeit with a really cool pounding sound for the hammer. It's also fairly easy to find on Spotify.

The Long: 

While this song might not suit all tastes musically (I'm a self-professed headbanger and even I can only stand to listen to it occasionally), I think it does a good job of telling Luther's story--you might even say it hits the nail on the head. From his brokenness as a monk trying to reach God through his own works to his final reliance on Christ and realization that all the works in world won't save him, Luther's story is relayed in this somewhat angsty rock ballad.

Beyond just telling Luther's story, the song does a fair job of referencing the gospel--the fact that we can't save ourselves, that Jesus is ultimately everything, and the confidence of knowing that fact  as we face troubles in life. 

Also, let's be honest--it's just exciting to find a song about Luther. I may have had a little nerd moment when I initially heard it.

What songs about Luther do you know of?