You know, sometimes a song comes along that feels like flipping through the pages of your own life story. “A Bible and a Belt” is exactly that kind of song for me. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the simple, profound lessons we pick up from our upbringing—the kind that stay with us long after we’ve left home.
The song beautifully captures the balance between guidance and discipline, symbolized by the Bible and the belt. It reminds me of those times when a gentle word or a firm hand helped steer me in the right direction. It’s not just about strictness or faith; it’s about the love behind those actions and how they shape who we become.
What really gets me is how universal the message is. Even if we come from different backgrounds, we’ve all had figures in our lives who’ve taught us right from wrong in their own ways. The melody is warm and the lyrics are so genuine, it’s like the artist is sharing a piece of their soul with us.
If you haven’t heard it yet, you should give it a listen. Find a quiet moment, maybe with a cup of coffee in hand, and let the song take you back to those foundational moments that made you who you are today. It’s a moving experience that might just leave you reflecting on your own journey
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Lyrics
They were both made of leather
Both black and frayed and worn
I was brought up to respect them
Since the day that I was born
One came here from England
It’s been handed down for years
The other one was ordered from a catalogue at Sears
One my mama read to me ’til I was well into my teens
And I thought all the other one was for
Was to hold up daddy’s jeans
‘Til I told a lie and learned it had another purpose too
Out behind the shed, my daddy said
“This will hurt me more than you”
‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it
The other said King James
With love they taught us lessons
But we feared them both the same
One led us to heaven
And the other left a welt
But those were the days when kids were raised
With a Bible and a belt
I remember when I was twelve
I stole a dime store comic book
And how mama read where the scripture said to take back what I took
When I refused, my daddy grabbed arm and said “come on”
I needed more he knew than just Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Well, sometimes it made me cry
Sometimes it made me fighting mad
And I’d wish I’d been raised without them
Like some other children had
But now I’m grown with kids of my own and I know just how they felt
You know it seems to me that what the world still needs
Is a Bible and a belt
‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it
The other said King James
With love they taught us lessons
But we feared them both the same
One led us to heaven
And the other hurt like hell
But those were the days when kids were raised
With a Bible and a belt
A Bible and a belt