ApologetiX- Song Lyrics: Superficial

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Chart History
From the album Talking Book, Superstition was a #1 Pop hit for Stevie Wonder in 1973.

It was also a big hit for Stevie Ray Vaughn on Live Alive in 1986.

Songwriter:
Stevie Wonder

J's Journal:
The Pharisees and scribes thought their observance of religious traditions put them on higher ground than the rest of the people. Jesus, however, said they were blind guides leading the blind. Of course, they weren't exactly overjoyed to hear that, but He was right. They had the Word of God at their fingertips but missed what the Book was really talking about -- even as Christ was performing signs and wonders in their midst -- because they were so uptight about their rituals. As He said Mark 7:6-7, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." I wish those days were over, but unfortunately there are still plenty of Pharisees and scribes walking around today. Once I got the lines "Very superficial -- whitewash on the wall" and "Pharisee official -- wipe your face and hands," I knew we had something special to build on. We recorded the vocals for this song and "Bone Digger" in a late-night session in a makeshift studio at a Red Roof Inn in Toledo OH, after playing a concert for Yes-FM on September 9, 2006. It didn't hit me until later that we had recorded two songs that involved Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles (whose song "I Got a Woman" is used in Kanye West's "Bone Digger") in the same session.

Stats:
Genre: R&B
Length: 3:51

Superficial
Parody of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder
(Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 7:1-5, 15-23; Matthew 13:24-29, 36:43; Matthew 15:7-9; Matthew 23:24-29; Mark 7:1-23)

Very superficial – whitewash on the wall
Very superficial – letter of the law
There’s too much obeying, no one’s looking past
Leaven’s in the breadbox spreading pretty fast
And do you really think that the Lord judges man on the surface
Superficial change your ways

Ooh, Pharisee official – wash your face and hands
Sifting out the small bugs, swallowing a camel
Keep doin’ the same things, even though they’re wrong
You don’t want to change things, you’ve had ‘em so long
When you receive these things that you know come from man
And you're stubborn
Your traditions taint your faith

There is true forgiveness – nothing more than grace
Carry your traditions to 29 Isaiah
Thirteenth verse, oh baby, go and look into that
7:6-9 in Mark – put it in your past
And do you really think that the Lord judges man on the surface
Superficial change your ways

Mark 7:6-7
He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."