Grenade

Analysis Method: "MALL"
Key -
M = What is the meaning of the lyrics?
A = The lyrics are clearly against Biblical teaching.
L = I don't know what the Bible says about these lyrics.
L = I can glorify God when I listen to these lyrics.
Some of my thoughts are included in gray.
A word about context: A danger of the "MALL" method is that it can take lyrics out of context. There can be cases where a follower of Jesus might take a lyric out of context to show another possible meaning that would be in line with the Bible, so I have tried to show some different possible readings of the lyrics.

Lyrics

Easy come, easy go, that's just how you live

Oh, take, take, take it all but you never give

Should've known you was trouble from the first kiss

Had your eyes wide open, why were they open?

(I believe it is possible to listen to lyrics that talk about some bad things and still glorify God through them. The important thing is how the song talks about the lyrics. In the opening to this song, he describes someone who is "easy come, easy go," which I don't see anything wrong with by itself. But then, this person was apparently very selfish, and he starts to realize there will be trouble. I'm not exactly sure what the last line of lyrics here is referring to.)

Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash

You tossed it in the trash, you did

To give me all your love is all I ever asked

'Cause what you don't understand is

(Again, these lyrics are talking about a broken relationship, which is the result of a sinful world. I am looking to see how he handles the situation, and we get the first look at the third line. While the woman might have been selfish, look at the demand he was making of her! The Bible is clear: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." To me it seems he was asking something of her that was not his to ask. The last line leads into the chorus, which I do think can show God's glory - see below.)

(Chorus) I'd catch a grenade for ya

Throw my hand on a blade for ya

I'd jump in front of a train for ya

You know I'd do anything for ya

I would go through all this pain

Take a bullet straight through my brain

Yes, I would die for you, baby

But you won't do the same

(When I hear these lyrics, the first thing that I think of - even though I don't think the song meant this - is the love that God has for us. As Jesus, the Bible tells us that God suffered and died for us even while we were still sinners. We understand love not because we first loved God but because he first loved us.

The next thought that I have is these lyrics as an image of the Ephesians 5 call for husbands to love their wives as Jesus loved his church, which was by giving up his life for her. Certainly the picture in this song is just a bit extreme, but in this I personally find it somewhat poetic. 

The problem comes with the last line of the chorus - which seems to be saying that in context this love is not so pure and selfless. Instead, it seems very selfish and confused, as he is calling the woman to give back all that he is putting in. If we continue talking in terms of marriage (which I'm not sure the song is), then I don't see in the Bible where husbands are called to love so long as they are loved back. A simple, surface reading of 1 Corinthians 13 will show love as being something way different from that. If the song is not meant in the context of marriage, then we still see an image of someone who is never going to truly be satisfied with another person, because their actions and efforts seem to be based in what they will get in return. Because of the nature of sin, that attitude is a recipe for constant disappointment!)

Black, black, black and blue, beat me 'til I'm numb

Tell the devil I said, hey, when you get back to where you're from

Mad women, bad women, that's just what you are, yeah

You'll smile in my face then rip the brakes out my car

(In my reading, the song takes a definite shift here. Whereas I held out hopes for the best, it seems that this guy's reaction just turns to bitterness and anger, which runs opposite to the forgiveness called for in the Bible).

Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash

You tossed it in the trash, yes, you did

To give me all your love is all I ever asked

'Cause what you don't understand is

(I highlighted the first two lines with two colors to show, again, that bad situations by themselves can be listened to for God's glory - depending on how they are handled. From reading the rest of the lyrics, I don't really see anything redemptive in the song at this point).

(Chorus)

If my body was on fire

Ooh, you'd watch me burn down in flames

You said you loved me, you're a liar

'Cause you never, ever, ever did, baby

(These are some pretty strong words! While it may be true that he was treated badly, the problem is that the lyrics seem to treat the guy as being perfect. For whatever wrongs that the woman did, I can guarantee that the guy was not without fault - this comes from the Bible and from my own experiences in marriage. Relationships involve two very sinful people trying to come together in an intimate, loving way. The result 

(Chorus)

No, you won't do the same

You wouldn't do the same

Ooh, you never do the same

No, no, no, no

 
Closing Thoughts
Bruno Mars' music is interesting to me - the little that I have heard of it. Musically speaking, he sings catchy melodies that I would argue have some depth to them (though this doesn't come through as much in this song). Another part of "Grenade" that I find pulling me in is the use of chord progression. The song uses the interval of a fifth (a certain space between notes) in both major and minor chords to create a nice motion to the song. In terms of instruments, this song is simple enough but effective.

It may be for these reasons that I want to like this song more than I probably should. As I wrote above, I can hear parts of this song and be taken to thoughts of God's love and the selfless love that he wants me to have as a husband. Unfortunately, that is only a very small part of the song. The rest of the song leaves me feeling angry and hurt, as the lyrics so deeply express the pain that the singer feels. The problem is that this pain seems to stem from a relationship worldview that far misses the mark of the beauty to which God calls us in relationship.

Whereas God made relationships to be completing, redemptive, and sanctifying, I only see this song pointing me towards a worldly ideal of selfishness in relationship.

If you liked this song or the singer, I would recommend another hit by Bruno Mars: "Just the Way You Are." Where "Grenade" has such strong bitterness and hurt, "Just the Way You Are" goes from the complete opposite direction and speaks to overlooking faults, seeing the best in someone, and using words to help bring those characteristics out of them.