Let The Mystery Be Analysis

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The famous song “Let the Mystery Be,” written and performed by Iris Dement in 1992, is centered on Iris’s personal philosophy on the question of religion and life’s origins. The song begins with the chorus, which is repeated two times throughout track. The first half of the chorus states that people are always concerned with the question of how life began and what happens after we die. Then in the second half, Iris ties the theme of the song together by maintaining that since no one knows the exact answer to these questions, she’ll just “let the mystery be.” The first verse of the tune considers popular perspectives on the questions mentioned in the chorus. She begins each idea with, “some say…” and then summarizes its ideology. Some of the …show more content…

One interesting aspect of the song is its initial country gospel sound. If one were to not listen to the lyrics carefully, he or she might actually mistake it for Christian music. I believe that is what makes the subtle message so powerful; it’s almost unexpected by the viewer. Based on phrases like, “no one knows for certain” and “let the mystery be,” it’s clear that Iris is conveying an agnostic viewpoint. There were also a few parts that Iris was displaying skepticism through the extremity of the idea. For example, she says that some people will reincarnate as carrots or sweet peas. This phrase displays the contrast of different perspectives and how this drastic difference makes it hard for her to believe any idea. Interestingly, Iris was raised a Christian, but I think that some of her statements like, “I’ve heard I’m on a road to purgatory, and I don’t like the sound of that,” show her opposition to the judgments she’s received about her actions throughout her life. Overall, the tune does an excellent job at conveying Iris’s contentment with religious uncertainty and skepticism of those who claim to know the

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