| In the Name of God | |
| Train of Thought | |
| Length | 14:16 |
| Working title | |
| Release date | November 11, 2003 |
| Lyrics | John Petrucci |
| Music | Dream Theater |
| First live performance | Carling Apollo Manchester, Manchester, England, on Jan. 16, 2004 |
| Total live plays | 105 |
| Recorded | Cove City Sound Studios, Pie Studios NY |
| Other appearances | Live at Budokan |
| Previous song | Stream of Consciousness |
| Next song | Octavarium (album) |
In the Name of God is the seventh and final song on Dream Theater's seventh album Train of Thought. It ends with the same piano note that the next album, Octavarium begins with as part of the Meta album cycle.
Written about the cult religion "The Davidians". The bridge also talks about the ensuing Waco siege, were 80 of the 130 doomsday cultists were killed and the church of Mount Caramel was burned down. The vocals over the outro are a metal rendition of the first verse and chorus of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
John Petrucci recorded this song using a 6-string guitar tuned 2 whole steps down (C-F-B♭-E♭-G-C).
Lyrics[]
How can this be? Why is he the chosen one? Saint gone astray With a scepter and a gun Learn to believe In the mighty and the strong Come bleed the beast Follow me it won't be long Listen when the prophet Speaks to you Killing in the name of God Passion Twisting faith into violence In the name of God Straight is the path Leading to your salvation Slaying the weak Ethnic elimination Any day we'll all be Swept away You'll be saved As long as you obey Lies Tools of the devil inside Written in Holy disguise Meant to deceive and divide Us all Listen when the prophet Speaks to you Killing in the name of God Passion Twisting faith into violence In the name of God Blurring the lines Between virtue and sin They can't tell Where God ends And mankind begins They know no other Life but this From the cradle They are claimed Listen when the prophet Speaks to you Killing in the name of God Passion Twisting faith into violence In the name of God Hundreds of believers Lured into a doomsday cult All would perish in the name of God Self-proclaimed messiah Led his servants to their death Eighty murdered in the name of God Forty sons and daughters Un-consenting plural wives Perversions in the name of God Underground religion Turning toward the mainstream light Blind devotion in the name of God Justifying violence Citing from the Holy Book Teaching hatred in the name of God Listen when the prophet Speaks to you Killing in the name of God Passion Twisting faith into violence In the name of God Religious beliefs Fanatic obsession Does following faith Lead us to violence? Unyielding crusade Divine revelation Does following faith Lead us to violence? (Battle Hymn of the Republic) Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword His truth is marching on. Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Glory, Glory, Hallelujah...
Trivia[]
In the verse just before the instrumental break starts, James can be heard screaming the lyrics under the main melody, making In the Name of God one of the only Dream Theater songs to feature screamed lyrics. The other two songs that has screamed lyrics is Octavarium, where James can be heard screaming in the second to last verse of Intervals if one listens closely ("When we finally start living, it has become come too late"), as well, James can clearly be heard screaming the last verse of Intervals. ("Trapped inside this Octavarium"), and the third song being Build Me Up, Break Me Down, where James can be heard screaming the last part of the chorus ("Build me up. Break me down").