229. The Black Crowes "Remedy"

"Remedy" is the second track by The Black Crowes from their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. It reached #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1992 and stayed at number 1 for 11 weeks. On the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song peaked at number 48. It also reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's highest charting single in the UK. The song can be heard on the fictional radio station "Liberty Rock Radio 97.8" in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV. The song was also used in commercials promoting the ESPN series Tilt. It is also used as the theme song for the Howard SternWrap-Up Show on Sirius XM Radio. The key riff of the song is lifted from the vocal chant which runs through the first half of Parliament's "Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples" from the 1975 album Mothership Connection.

Baby, baby why can't you sit still?
Who killed that bird out on you window sill?
Are you the reason that he broke his back?
Did I see you laugh about that?
If I come on like a dream?
Would you let me show you what I mean?
If you let me come on inside?
Will you let it glide?

Can I have some remedy?
Remedy for me please.
Cause if I had some remedy
I'd take enough to please me.

Baby, baby why did you dye your hair?
Why you always keeping with your mother's dare?
Baby why's who's who, who know you too?
Did the other children scold on you?
If I come on like a dream?
Would you let me show you what I mean?
If you let me come on inside?
Will you let it slide?

In an interview with Black Crowes lyricist/frontman Chris Robinson, he explained the reason for the song: "'Remedy' is a song that essentially is about freedom. We were into the whole idea that the 'war on drugs' was just silly - it was this asinine concept to me and millions of other people. So that song to me is about freedom, plain and simple, just put in a Rock & Roll framework." Freedom is a theme that I have chosen for our daily bible reading today. The theme of freedom is in Luke's gospel chapter 4 and verses 18-19.

Jesus’ mission was to save that which was lost. This salvation and good news was and is directed toward every area of need, poverty, and problem of humanity. By nature, everyone lives separated from God. people live with a great number of problems and misfortunes, urgently needing the good news of the love and the grace and the favour of Jesus. Jesus was convinced that he was able to fulfill his mission because God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit.

PROBLEM: POVERTY
Luke 4:18 (a): “to proclaim good news to the poor”

There is much spiritual and moral poverty. Economic poverty is also a very real problem throughout the world and increasingly so.

What did Jesus do for the poor?

• He had compassion on a poor widow and raised her only son from the dead, because this son was the source of support for the widow’s future.
• He healed the lepers, so they could return to their work.
• He condemned the rich who exploited the poor, especially the orphans and the widows.
• On the other hand, we see that he praised the action of a poor widow who placed all that she had in the offering plate.
• He did not prevent her from giving, nor does the Bible mention that he gave her any funds, now that she was without money.

The poor are not always poor. On the contrary, they are often rich in faith. 

“Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5).

I know several people with significant economic needs, yet they are rich in faith and progressing economically. They do not feel abandoned by God, but rather they feel very loved. From my point of view, a person who follows Jesus and trusts him is not poor. He or she may lack material things, as did both Jesus and Paul. The promise is that God will provide for their needs. 

PROBLEM: CAPTIVITY
Luke 4:18(b): “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives”

In the Gospels we do not read of Jesus freeing anyone from prison. (In Acts we do read of some who were miraculously set free from jail). He did not even give freedom to John the Baptist when he was in prison, although he certainly would have had the power to do so.

So, what prisoners did he free?

The gospel's tell us that Jesus liberated many people who were possessed by demons. Today across the world there are many people who are prisoners of the devil and demons intervention.There are tribes and people groups that have turned to spiritism, witchcraft, and mind-reading and are bound in some way by evil spirits. From the reading Jesus simply promises that these people can be set free from their captivity?

“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin’ ” (John 8:34).

It wasn’t just the prostitutes, adulterers, and tax collectors who were sinners. The Jews thought they were free, but Jesus saw that they were totally enslaved to sin. Today, many think they are free, but they are imprisoned by such things as addiction, hate, violence, hypocrisy, envy, greed, and many other things.

Prisoners of wealth

Wealth prevented the rich young ruler from following Jesus, and money continues to be a great obstacle, hindering many people from faithfully following the Lord. Our mission as follwers of Jesus is not only directed toward the poor, but also toward the rich. They need to be freed from the love of money.

Prisoners of tradition and legalism

The religious in Jesus’ day were bound by their traditions and laws, such that they could not accept the grace of Jesus Christ. Today, many believe they can secure their salvation by observing religious traditions. Believing themselves to be free, they are slaves of tradition. There are many captives and they need to be freed. Do we proclaim freedom in Christ to them? Do we proclaim freedom from the bondage of some traditions?

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

PROBLEM: PHYSICAL SUFFERING
Luke 4:18 (c): “recovery of sight for the blind.”

Jesus took an interest in people’s physical suffering. We are not the God who heals, but we believe in the God who can heal. The first Christian church cried out to God for miracles and healing, and God answered. How many of us cry out to God for healing? God is the same God, yesterday, today, and forever. Sometimes he heals instantly, sometimes it is a process, sometimes he uses medicine, sometimes he only removes the pain; but we can cry out to him and trust in him.

PROBLEM: OPPRESSION
Luke 4:18 (d) “to set the oppressed free”

Many are oppressed, distressed, weighed down, and grieving.

• Socially oppressed - Jesus had compassion on the outcasts (lepers, for example) Do we have a mission to reach the outcasts of society?

• Oppressed by sin and a destructive lifestyle. Jesus restored the life of the Samaritan woman. The prodigal son returned to his father’s warm, loving home.

• Oppressed by difficult life experiences. Many live oppressed by pain and hurts of the past—childhood abuse, marital infidelity, and financial injury. Do we give hope and encouragement to their wounded and broken hearts?

• Oppressed by fear and worry Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not worry” (Matt. 6:31). Fear and worry do not allow a person to live a happy, abundant life. Even so, many Christians live oppressed by this current evil—fear of what is to come, fear of what others will say, worry about the current economic state, worry about their children, etc.

Jesus was sent by his Father to proclaim freedom by his life among us. And he says, speaking to his Father, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). We have been sent to do the same. May God give us strength to live and bring hope to a broken world.