Provo-Based Neon Trees Vocalist’s Solo, Video Slam LDS Church

Source: Video for "Trash," a solo debut for Neon Trees lead vocalist Tyler Glenn.

PROVO, Utah, April 29, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Two years after Tyler Glenn declared himself to be equally proud of being gay and LDS, the Neon Trees lead vocalist is attacking his former faith.

Glenn’s new solo debut, “Trash,”  targets and condemns the restrictive principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His debut single comes with a dark video featuring Glenn on the floor drinking from a beer bottle (drinking alcohol is against LDS Church rules), then standing and walking down a dim hallway hung with portrait similar to a famous painting of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith.

Image: Video for "Trash," by Tyler Glenn, pictured.
Image Video for Trash by Tyler Glenn pictured

Except that the first recognizable image, the man looking over his right shoulder, wearing the brown jacket and white cravat, seems to have ghoulish, empty spaces where his eyes, nose and mouth should be.

Source: LDSLiving.com
Source LDSLivingcom

Glenn sings “Trash” lyrics, which include lyrics with references to baptism before he was ready, speaking in tongues, visions, and superstitious prayers on his behalf.

The chorus suggests that church friends think the singer is a freak, “… But we got history, in all of this, I lost myself. Maybe I’ll see you in hell.”

In the video, Glenn continues down the hallway, pausing to look at a painting of a heavenly being appearing at the bedside of a younger man wearing the same white-faced mask seen in the earlier work.

Image: Video for "Trash," by Tyler Glenn, pictured.
Image Video for Trash by Tyler Glenn pictured

The second painting also is based on a work well known to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Source: Pinterest
Source Pinterest

“My entire life and perspective on God, the afterlife, morals and values, my self-worth and my born sexual orientation has been wired within the framework of this religion that doesn’t have a place for me,” Glenn told Rolling Stone in an article published online on April 29.

“I served [this church]. I was the square peg trying to fit into the round hole. I believed it till six months ago.”

The first line of the song’s bridge repeats three times: “You keep throwing me out.”

Glenn told Rolling Stone three years ago that he hoped to be a kind of ambassador to the LDS Church when it came to accepting and respecting faithful LGBT members.

Glenn hoped the church could become more progressive, as it did in 1978 when it began allowing black male members to hold its priesthood.

The church’s longstanding policy is to excommunicate members who act on homosexual feelings.

“The big problem here is that they claim it’s the only truth,” Glenn told Rolling Stone. “There have been over 40 suicides within the church as a result of this policy. These aren’t just grown men and women. Many are children. It’s backwards. It’s not of God.

“I needed to make this statement to artfully show the pain of a faith crisis and the darkness of doubt, but also that there’s ways to reclaim what is yours.”

To view “Trash,” click this link. The song’s lyrics follow.

“Trash”

I think I lost myself in your new religion
You say a prayer for me like a superstition
We were always made for love
We could always speak in tongues
On my knees and I’m seeing visions
Yeah, you remind me that seven sins are deadly
You used to baptize me when I wasn’t ready
Water never turns to wine
I’ve been drinking all the time
I think of you whenever I see fire in the sky

[Chorus]
Your friends think I’m a freak
Why, what’s in my drink?
I can’t even think, but we got history
In all of this, I lost myself
Maybe I’ll see you in hell
Okay, whatever
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

[Verse 2]
I said my flesh is weak but the spirit’s willing
And you would sell my soul just to make the killing
If you wanted me to stay
I’d prepare my days away

[Chorus]
Your friends think I’m a freak
Why, what’s in my drink?
I can’t even think, but we got history
In all of this, I lost myself
Maybe I’ll see you in hell
Okay, whatever
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

[Bridge]
You keep throwing me out like
You keep throwing me out like
You keep throwing me out like
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

[Chorus]
Your friends think I’m a freak
Why, what’s in my drink?
I can’t even think, but we got history
In all of this, I lost myself
Maybe I’ll see you in hell
Okay, whatever
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. This begs me to question one thing, and it’s not my faith. Rather, what is the definition of talent? If I ever want a song appropriately named, Glenn is a candidate. He nailed the title of this babble, not mincing words at all. It truly is a piece of “trash.”

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