I heard this Eurythmics song on the radio today. I haven't heard it in a very long time. I was not a fan of Eurythmics, I thought they were terrible, and Annie Lennox's androgynous dressing like a man was always strange to me. I never understood why she did that. Not that I thought she was an attractive woman anyway, I think she' pretty homely really, but I digress. As we all know, their biggest it was Sweet Dreams, and Missionary Man came out a few years after that did. I've always hated the song. But I'm just wondering what other people think of it. I thought it was a strange single for rock/pop radio. And I've sometimes wondered why it was released as a single. I've never figured out if it's a positive song about God and the church or if it's putting God and the Bible down. From the music and the words, I guess I pretty much think it's putting all that down. Which is one reason I don't like it. And I just hate the music. And the video was totally weird. It was like some kind of S & M thing. Well maybe not, but I don't know how else to describe it. Annie Lennox is in this leather dominatrix-looking outfit, and there's a part in the video where she's got her head in some kind of thing that looks like a torture device. I just thought it was creepy. And I was surprised that the song got as much airplay as it did, since the song mentioned God and all, and it seemed to me back then that rock and pop avoided any mention of God, unless it was Christian rock/pop. One of the weirder rock songs from the 80s. But maybe it's supposed to be a positive song about God, since I've heard that Annie Lennox actually got started singing in a church choir when she was a girl. But like I said, I'm just curious to know what anyone else thinks of it, and if you've heard or read anything about what the song is really supposed  to be saying and what inspired her to write it, I'd like to know. Thanks!

Here are the lyrics--

Eurythmics: Missionary Man

Well I was born an original sinner.
I was borne from original sin.
And if I had a dollar bill
For all the things I've done
There'd be a mountain of money
Piled up to my chin...

My mother told me good
My mother told me strong.
She said "be true to yourself
And you can't go wrong."
"But there's just one thing
That you must understand."
"You can fool with your brother -
But don't mess with a missionary
man."

Don't mess with a missionary man.
Don't mess with a missionary man.

Well the missionary man
He's got God on his side.
He's got the saints and apostles
Backin' up from behind.
Black eyed looks from those Bible
books.
He's a man with a mission
Got a serious mind.
There was a woman in the jungle
And a monkey on a tree.
The missionary man he was followin'
me.
He said "stop what you're doing."
"Get down upon your knees."
"I've got a message for you that you
better believe."

I don't remember the video, maybe it's on YouTube. In the lyrics, I don't see an "S&M thing," though Eurythmics had a song, "I Love You Like a Ball & Chain," could be S&M.
Is "Missionary Man" positive or negative about religion?  Could go either way. In lieu of asking Annie, you'll have to decide. You can make up your own mind, can't you?

???

Here are the lyrics--

Eurythmics: Missionary Man

Well I was born an original sinner.
I was borne from original sin.
And if I had a dollar bill
For all the things I've done
There'd be a mountain of money
Piled up to my chin...

My mother told me good
My mother told me strong.
She said "be true to yourself
And you can't go wrong."
"But there's just one thing
That you must understand."
"You can fool with your brother -
But don't mess with a missionary
man."

Don't mess with a missionary man.
Don't mess with a missionary man.

Well the missionary man
He's got God on his side.
He's got the saints and apostles
Backin' up from behind.
Black eyed looks from those Bible
books.
He's a man with a mission
Got a serious mind.
There was a woman in the jungle
And a monkey on a tree.
The missionary man he was followin'
me.
He said "stop what you're doing."
"Get down upon your knees."
"I've got a message for you that you
better believe."

I don't remember the video, maybe it's on YouTube. In the lyrics, I don't see an "S&M thing," though Eurythmics had a song, "I Love You Like a Ball & Chain," could be S&M.
Is "Missionary Man" positive or negative about religion?  Could go either way. In lieu of asking Annie, you'll have to decide. You can make up your own mind, can't you?

As far as S & M, I was meaning the video. Like I said, I didn't know how else to describe it. But in the video she is in this weird leather outfit and all. It was just stupid really. But, then I hardly ever saw an 80s pop music video that wasn't. Most of them never had anything to do with the song, and 99 percent of them never made any sense at all! One of my major complaints about videos. But that's another thread entirely.

???

^ Yeah, the leather thing, the S&M theme was real big in '80s videos.  Sex sells. I remember when Tipper Gore was gearing up the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), she made a remark about how MTV videos just "show a lot of women hanging by their wrists!" I think there was was at least one video with women hanging by their wrists--KISS, Motley Crue, or something.
Anyway, I'd rather hang by my wrists than spend one minute with Phyllis Schlafly, which is exactly where Tipper ended up when she decided to become a media morals crusader!
::)

  I've never figured out if it's a positive song about God and the church or if it's putting God and the Bible down.


"When Jesus shows up, the first thing He's gonna do is kick the a*bleep*sses of His followers."

If you can understand that sentiment, you can understand Annie Lennox.  And when the defecation hits the rotary oscillation, you'll find to your great surprise, that the two of you were on the same side all along.

I think it combines God and sex, like was popular in the '80s.

What position did this Missionary Man take?

It wasn't really an S&M thing.  First, she was alway s wearing some kind of PVC 80-s outfit.  Next, it was semi-animate so she was a kind of Automaton...which was a cool effect for it's time.  I knew the words and I thought it was not really a song that took an opinion. If there is a story, it's just that I was converted by a missionary.  (imho)

Stop and get down upon your knees I'm gonna say something that you better believe believe believe believe believe......etc.


Love that song.

That guy loks to his bible books.

I heard this Eurythmics song on the radio today. I haven't heard it in a very long time. I was not a fan of Eurythmics, I thought they were terrible, and Annie Lennox's androgynous dressing like a man was always strange to me. I never understood why she did that. Not that I thought she was an attractive woman anyway, I think she' pretty homely really, but I digress. As we all know, their biggest it was Sweet Dreams, and Missionary Man came out a few years after that did. I've always hated the song. But I'm just wondering what other people think of it. I thought it was a strange single for rock/pop radio. And I've sometimes wondered why it was released as a single. I've never figured out if it's a positive song about God and the church or if it's putting God and the Bible down. From the music and the words, I guess I pretty much think it's putting all that down. Which is one reason I don't like it. And I just hate the music. And the video was totally weird. It was like some kind of S & M thing. Well maybe not, but I don't know how else to describe it. Annie Lennox is in this leather dominatrix-looking outfit, and there's a part in the video where she's got her head in some kind of thing that looks like a torture device. I just thought it was creepy. And I was surprised that the song got as much airplay as it did, since the song mentioned God and all, and it seemed to me back then that rock and pop avoided any mention of God, unless it was Christian rock/pop. One of the weirder rock songs from the 80s. But maybe it's supposed to be a positive song about God, since I've heard that Annie Lennox actually got started singing in a church choir when she was a girl. But like I said, I'm just curious to know what anyone else thinks of it, and if you've heard or read anything about what the song is really supposed  to be saying and what inspired her to write it, I'd like to know. Thanks!


Ed, honey, you need to lighten up! About God in music, actually no one back then got that bunged up about it, positive or negative. Today is where political correctness will get you. Lastly, about the "weird " 80's videos. Yeah, most of them made no sense, but that is what I liked about them. 

Look I listen to mostly metal and I'm also cristian. But I like all kinds of music.i hate the 80's the hair the clothes especially most radio 80's musick. But Annie Lennox rules great artist. And yes a lot of videos sucked because music videos were new and people didn't know what to do in them. Attention and shock was the biggest idea to do so people would remember your song ,hence all the pentagrams and weird looking stuff. As far as this song Annie Wes married to a hair crisnu. Can't spell it.anyway it freaked her out how devoted he was to his beliefs. But aren't we all. Anyway it was about that experience and not so much about God.

OP, heaven knows what you would have made of their next effort - 'Beethoven'...

Well, judge for yourself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbuMXyzouJQ