Heathens

## *The Gods We Can Touch* alternative chronology

"**Heathens**" is the thirtieth single released by AURORA and the fourth single from her album, *The Gods We Can Touch*. On December 3, 2021, the song was officially released worldwide.

## About the song

Aurora explained to Australian radio station *Triple J* that the track is inspired by the classic tale from the Book of Genesis, she said:

> "A long, long time ago, Eve took a bite of a forbidden apple hanging from the tree of evil and good. [...] In her act of doing so, she granted humans free will; I just think that is very beautiful, and I wanted to honour her and women like her, who little by little granted us freedom in this world. A freedom to live as we please, to explore and taste. I think life should be lived in all of its colours, and that is why we live like heathens."
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Aurora later explained to *Apple Music*:

> "The mother in this song, she offers love and room and a home to all the people that aren’t welcome elsewhere. That’s the spirit of the song. It’s very inspired by women, especially how many women have been punished and burned just for being women. It’s an ode to women."
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Adding to that when she spoke to *Numero Tokyo*:

> "Human beings are beautiful because they have some missing parts and humanity. But especially we women have a history of being embarrassed in thinking, raising opinions, expressing our sexuality, everything. I think it's very strange that you have to stand up and seize the right you should have. 'Heathens' is a hymn not only to women, but to all those who have not been respected."
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In an interview with *Aurora France*, Aurora said: "*Heathens* is very hard to sing cause you have to sing the whole chorus in one breath."

## Lyrics

She bargains with the world

So everything she wants will come to her

With no greed inside her mind

She knows what she deserves

We fell from sky with grace

And landed in her soft and warm embrace

She gave her love, her gift of life

So we could live with her

That is why we live like heathens

Stealing from the trees of Eden

Living in the arms of freedom

And everything we touch is evil

That is why we live like heathens

The stone, the dirt, the dust

The unforgiving promise made to us

Unworthy of your light, your god, your touch

We're guided by the lust

We cry the fallen names

We cry for those you burned beneath the flame

We stand besides the good and brave

The broken and enslaved

That is why we live like heathens

Stealing from the trees of Eden

Living in the arms of freedom

And everything we touch is evil

That is why we live like heathens

Everything you touch

Will be hers

A mother with no heart

Will give love

Her love is yours

But only if you give

Your heart to her

That is why we live like heathens

Stealing from the trees of Eden

Living in the arms of freedom

And everything we touch is evil

That is why we live like heathens

That is why we live like heathens

That is why we live like heathens

Lyrics copied from the official lyrics video.

## Trivia

* A slightly different version of this song appeared on alternative tracklist vinyls of *The Gods We Can Touch*, where it is sometimes listed as "Vinyl Version".
	+ Differences in the "Vinyl Version" include different percussion and guitar.
* The song was first discovered in various song repertoires in early 2021.
* When registered on ASCAP, the song credits were mistakenly mixed with those of "Heathen" by Sly and Robbie featuring Lutan Fyah.
* The song's instrumental was leaked shortly after its release.
* Physical releases of *The Gods We Can Touch* include printed lyrics that do not appear in the song. These lyrics were also found in the video description on official YouTube videos for "Heathens", but were later removed there. Four lines in- or before the song's bridge:
> If I believe in you, the light you give
> But I need free will
> The part of life
> You can't forgive
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>

## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej0eA-Fp-p8&t=141s
2. ↑ https://aurora.lnk.to/Heathens
3. ↑ https://www.universal-music.de/aurora/musik/heathens-701068
4. ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/aurora-new-single-heathens-mini-movie-the-gods-we-can-touch/13660738
5. ↑ https://rentry.co/t4tei
6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220419090913/https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-gods-we-can-touch/1589814809
7. ↑ https://numero.jp/interview300/
8. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CXG9zsDLp-e/
9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO1QTzF1uUc&t=1516s
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etIXDCSB\_VU
11. ↑ https://www.universalmusic.it/popular-music/album/the-gods-we-can-touch\_34541412826/
12. ↑ File:Heathens songfile.png
13. ↑ File:Heathen ascap.png
14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4lYcCJWDr8
15. ↑ File:Heathens-lyrics-CD.album.jpg
16. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20211205215539/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etIXDCSB\_VU