"Let's See It" by We Are Scientists, Saturday, August 21, 2021

We Are Scientists formed in 2000 when two college students in Berkley, California met at bass guitarist Chris Cain's Dawson's Creek viewing party. Cain and guitarist/vocalist Keith Murray became good friends. Their mutual interests included comic books, films, television, and stand-up comedy. The nerdy pair went on to create nerdy music, blending music and comedy into their live shows. The band's biggest hit "After Hours" is from their second album, Brain Thrust Mastery. The song was featured in the video game Tony Hawk: Ride and in the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Today's song, "Let's See It," was featured in an episode of Gossip Girl. "Let's See It" analyzes a couple's argument in terms of science, faith, and fate. "The evidence is gonna suggest that [the speaker] will let [the listener] down." He "muster[s] the faith that [the speaker] won't let [the listener] down." But he must be resolved that "science will just have to surrender to fate."

I KNOW THE EVIDENCE IS GONNA SUGGEST THAT I WILL LET YOU DOWN. For one week in October every year at Mission College, evening activities shut down. "Sorry but the weight room is closed for TentsRevival," the RA told James, Allan, and Mark. "That's a great way to kill a workout routine," Mark said. It was only the fifth week of school and the third week since they Allan had joined his roommate Mark and new friend James three nights a week in the basement of the dormitory. "Should we check out the meetings for our spiritual health?" James said with a smug smile. "Might as well see what all the hype is all about," Mark said. "I want to go up to my room and get a jacket," Jim said. When the trio met in front of the the large canopy spread out on the lawn in front of the music and communications halls, Allan was wearing a thin Skillet hoodie covering his t-shirt and the Floridians were wearing winter coats. Music was coming from the tent. Praise and worship music "He is mighty to save, mighty to save" was coming out for the from the tent accompanied by an acoustic guitar and woodblock drumming. The tent was pack and staff continued to put out chairs in the back. Students were pushing their way to sit in the front. Allan made a sideways glance to his friends. Like Allan, they were also looking for seats in the back and at the sides. "Amen!" "Amen!" "We love you Jesus!" students shouted after the song finished. After two more energetic songs and a worshipful slow song, the guest speaker, Daniel Ashcraft, took the stage in his tight jeans and slim-fitting pink lavender shirt with a skinny black tie. 

I WOULDN'T SAY SOMETHING I DIDN'T MEAN. The handsome young pastor mesmerized the rows and rows of students in front of in front of Allan and his friends. Ashcraft was a well-skilled orator, using crowd dynamics to play into his conversational preaching style. He started by telling his testimony, about how he was a straight-edge punk rocker, kicked out of the house and on a motorcycle migration between San Diego to Seattle, sleeping in garages wherever he could, often eating from dumpsters or stealing food when he needed to, until one day he was caught stealing from this old surfer dude just south of San Francisco. Rather than pressing charges, the man invited him to the local Seventh-day Adventist church. "I was hungry and that man fed me. But he knew that I was hungry for more than bread." The crowd erupted in cheers and intense "Amens." Pastor curated a look, a preaching style, that said, "I'm not your parent's generation of preacher," yet preaching generally the same message the old men in suits on Sabbath said with their neck ties strangling them. "I don't believe in rock music anymore. I sold my bass guitar so that I could study at the Believable Truths institute in northern California. You see, rock music is all about the glory of man. Even Christian rock it's all about 'look at me.' I say, 'don't look at me, look at him.'" The crowd erupted in cheers. Later that evening, Facebook and Twitter had the quote: "Don't look at me, look at HIM"--Pastor Daniel Ashcraft along with other quotes from the evening flooding students at Mission College's timeline. After a twenty-five minute altar call for 1)first timers 2)rededication 3)call into ministry, the evening ended with several praise and worship songs. "Guys, I really gotta get to my calculus homework," Mark said. Allan and James also slipped out during one of the last songs.

Read the lyrics on Genius.