Stigmata Martyr

Album: In the Flat Field (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A track from the first Bauhaus album, "Stigmata Martyr" describes the crucifixion on Jesus; the stigmata are the marks in his head, hands and feet.

    According to lead singer Peter Murphy, the song is note a swipe at Christianity or any other religion. He explained in the Village Voice: "The message is, really, the dangers of obsession, of almost psychosomatic induction of that masochism. That alone can be an illusion. And it's way off the mark as to the actual source of the message of any religious God. God doesn't want you to be in pain and die. It wasn't anti-religious. It wasn't demonic. It was alluding to the manifestation. Is it truly a mark of the Holy Ghost or is it simply an obsession condition? That's all there is to it."
  • After Bauhaus split up in 1983, Peter Murphy became a Muslim (he was raised Catholic). When the band got back together for a 1998 tour, he vetoed this song from the setlist. He told the Village Voice: "I don't think the other members of the band really got what I was writing about, and the collective intention suddenly became very anti-religious."
  • The song gets pretty intense at the end, when Murphy repeats "in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti" as we hear screams evoking the crucifixion. This translates to "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," which is said in Catholic mass when making the sign of the cross.
  • This appears in the 1988 horror movie Night of the Demons in a scene where a girl is overcome by demons and develops a taste for blood.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.