--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hymns have always sounded like sung…" description: "\"Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up - I knew I was going to hell b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png" --- # Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never… ![“Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up - I knew I was going to hell before anyone ever told me that I was. People found comfort in this all-knowing source, but I felt frightened and found out. I developed some weird…” quote by Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png) > “Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up - I knew I was going to hell before anyone ever told me that I was. People found comfort in this all-knowing source, but I felt frightened and found out. I developed some weird and very dramatic complexes.” [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker perceives hymns as mystical incantations, yet feels alienated and condemned by religious narratives, leading to deep psychological distress. **In simple terms:** Alienation from religious ritual Key Takeaway Religious language can marginalize vulnerable listeners Themes spiritual alienation psychological trauma religious critique identity formation cultural dissonance Mood melancholy defiant introspective Type personal confession critical reflection When to use this quote - personal reflection on worship - discussing religious upbringing - mental health counseling - artistic expression of faith - academic study of liturgy Key Concepts religion psychology music identity Practical Applications - Therapeutic writing about faith - Designing inclusive worship spaces Questions to Reflect On - How does religious language shape self‑perception? - Can alternative spiritual practices mitigate such trauma? A Different Perspective Some argue that hymns provide communal solace and moral guidance, countering feelings of isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Felt Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-frightened-622085/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-songs-648013/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hymns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hymns/) [Hymns Sounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hymns-sounded-648011/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Sung Spells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sung-spells-648012/) [Weird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weird/) ## Related quotes > [It is so important that our lives are built not on our feelings or circumstances, but on the word of God, and songs can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-townend/it-is-so-important-that-our-lives-are-built-not-on-our-feelings-or/) [Stuart Townend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-townend/) > [An' I sing to my God, these songs of love an' healing. I want Mashiach now, so it's time we start revealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/an-i-sing-to-my-god-these-songs-of-love-an-healing-i-want-mashiach/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [I use God in my songs a lot but I don't have a relationship. I don't know what that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-use-god-in-my-songs-a-lot-but-i-don-t-have-a-relationship-i-don-t/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [Sometimes, I ask myself how any other singer could substitute the inspiration of god in their songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/sometimes-i-ask-myself-how-any-other-singer-could-substitute-the/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [My way of communicating with God as a boy (and often even now) was through the lyrics of a song. . . . So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/my-way-of-communicating-with-god-as-a-boy-and-often-even-now-was/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I hope to bring people to God with my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahalia-jackson/i-hope-to-bring-people-to-god-with-my-songs/) [Mahalia Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahalia-jackson/) > [“For the first time, Manning felt frightened. It was an indefinite fear, of being small and vulnerable among large forces that were indifferent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-frayn/for-the-first-time-manning-felt-frightened-it-was-an-indefinite-fear/) [Michael Frayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-frayn/) > [When I first thought about becoming Jane Austen I had to forget about the fear, or at least choose something else to focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/when-i-first-thought-about-becoming-jane-austen-i-had-to-forget-about/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [When I was a kid, dealing with trying to discover myself, I didn't have anybody to talk to. I didn't have any Internet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/when-i-was-a-kid-dealing-with-trying-to-discover-myself-i-didn-t-have/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [And I was incapable of living all by myself in those lodgings where I didn't know a soul. It terrified me to sit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/and-i-was-incapable-of-living-all-by-myself-in-those-lodgings-where-i/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [“She felt frightened only for a second. For one thing, the world beneath her was so very far away that it seemed to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/she-felt-frightened-only-for-a-second-for-one-thing-the-world-beneath/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Emma felt frightened, apprehensive, yes, but also elated and excited, her feelings all tumbled and mixed together like a stew of varied ingredients tossed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hollick/emma-felt-frightened-apprehensive-yes-but-also-elated-and-excited-her/) [Helen Hollick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hollick/) > [“But when day came, with a sprinkle of rain, and he looked about him and saw on every side an unknown woods, wild heaths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/but-when-day-came-with-a-sprinkle-of-rain-and-he-looked-about-him-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I think people have a hard time dealing with a bunch of things at once. They can't have something be disturbing and funny at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-think-people-have-a-hard-time-dealing-with-a-bunch-of-things-at/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I've always been a fan of old-time hymns and Scots-Irish dirges, though I wouldn't necessarily consider myself an expert on the type of music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/i-ve-always-been-a-fan-of-old-time-hymns-and-scots-irish-dirges/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) ## More by Perfume Genius > [I wanna be bad sometimes - I wanna rip everything apart, -but it comes on less and less. Doing all this music stuff is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wanna-be-bad-sometimes-i-wanna-rip-everything-apart-but-it-comes-on/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm just very self-conscious about the way I look. I really am embarrassed of it, because I wish I wasn't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-just-very-self-conscious-about-the-way-i-look-i-really-am/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I was really scared of the devil growing up: I was convinced I was going to be possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-was-really-scared-of-the-devil-growing-up-i-was-convinced-i-was/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I like to have fun! And everything that's good for you is not fun, and that bores me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-like-to-have-fun-and-everything-that-s-good-for-you-is-not-fun-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [On the first two albums, I essentially began with lyrics and placed the music underneath or around the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/on-the-first-two-albums-i-essentially-began-with-lyrics-and-placed/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I think people have a hard time dealing with a bunch of things at once. They can't have something be disturbing and funny at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-think-people-have-a-hard-time-dealing-with-a-bunch-of-things-at/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm personally not a very contact-y person; I just let my phone die and don't turn it on for a couple of days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-personally-not-a-very-contact-y-person-i-just-let-my-phone-die/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I feel kind of limited and locked into my body and brain - I'm not super into it all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-feel-kind-of-limited-and-locked-into-my-body-and-brain-i-m-not/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I wasn't a hoarder, but I was on my way. I went to thrift stores and never didn't buy something. A lot of cat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wasn-t-a-hoarder-but-i-was-on-my-way-i-went-to-thrift-stores-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [My mom is not religious, but she's a very spiritual, magical kind of lady. One time, when I was younger, my mom said she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/my-mom-is-not-religious-but-she-s-a-very-spiritual-magical-kind-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [One of the things that 'Too Bright' refers to is how there's a lot of times where I see things that I could change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/one-of-the-things-that-too-bright-refers-to-is-how-there-s-a-lot-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [Music helped me, growing up: it very much felt like a companion and made me less lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/music-helped-me-growing-up-it-very-much-felt-like-a-companion-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [When I started to allow myself to not be locked into wearing men's clothes, things kind of opened up. It feels very kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/when-i-started-to-allow-myself-to-not-be-locked-into-wearing-men-s/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm pretty sure I would have managed to over-share no matter what time period I was born in. It's a family thing, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-pretty-sure-i-would-have-managed-to-over-share-no-matter-what/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) [Explore all 99 Perfume Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## More Comfort quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think that comfort is underrated in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-think-that-comfort-is-underrated-in-a-lot-of-ways/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) [Browse all 4,542 Comfort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up - I knew I was going to hell before anyone ever told me that I was. People found comfort in this all-knowing source, but I felt frightened and found out. I developed some weird and very dramatic complexes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Perfume Genius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comfort" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/776/perfume-genius-6519_comfort_hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spel_43737.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I…” — Perfume Genius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Perfume Genius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hymns have always sounded like sung...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```