← Index · pp. 34–35
p. 34 — Pre-Pro
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Midnight Church Aftermath — Pre-Production Sheet
Anything But Jesus
Key D Minor
BPM 128
Artist Kris Bradley
Co-written with Blue Foley
Status Chorus & Bridge — Rewrite Possible
"I tried everything. Anything but Jesus. Turns out that was the thing."
Kris has been a seeker since she was small — mystic, spiritual, curious, restless. Reiki, shamans, crystals, tarot, whiskey, pills, smoke, men, women — she tried everything to fill the God-shaped hole she didn't have a name for yet. This is not a preachy "I found Jesus" song. It's the honest account of everything that came before — the searching, the bending, the idols, the exhaustion — and the quiet recognition that the one thing she kept running from turned out to be the thing. Not a declaration. A confession. There's a difference.
Opens with the full inventory — everything tried, nothing working. The pre-chorus is the bone-tired summary: been through hell just to get to heaven. The chorus names the pattern — God-shaped hole, running from the light. Verse 2 gets more vulnerable: every idol took a piece of her soul, she bent the truth until her back broke. The bridge is the biblical turn — biting the apple, wanting sight without surrender. The resolution is not arrival. It is implication. The aftermath of the search.
Reiki, shamans, crystals, tarot — the full mystic inventory
God-shaped hole
Called to the light, running and hiding
Every idol took a little piece of my soul
Wanted sight without surrender
Addicted to the fall of all those seasons
Not preaching — just saying
Demo Status
Core concept and verses are strong. Chorus may need a rewrite — currently feels redundant and sits awkwardly vocally. Bridge direction is good but feels incomplete.
Bridge Note
Must not resolve with a direct "I found Jesus" moment. Needs a subtle implication — vulnerable repentance, asking to be pointed forward. Not a conversion. A surrender.
Overall Vibe
Production direction TBD pending rewrite. Let the lyric rewrite inform the sonic direction.
Chorus — Feels redundant. Not sitting well vocally as written. Open to a full rewrite if the right co-writer can crack it.

Bridge — Direction is right but incomplete. Must land on subtle surrender rather than declaration. "Lord forgive me" or asking to be pointed forward. Blue's input on the outro could show repentance and acceptance without preaching.

Next Steps — Consider bringing to a Nashville co-writer for the chorus rewrite.
Verse 2 — "Ain't no altar call, no child it's the aftermath"

Direct reference to the album title and title track. One of the most significant Easter eggs on the record — the phrase "midnight church aftermath" is implied right here, connecting this song's spiritual reckoning directly to the album's thesis. Confirm whether intentional.
Concept TBD
Chorus rewrite — bring to Nashville co-writer or crack in session?
Bridge resolution — confirm the subtle surrender approach, no "I found Jesus" moment
Easter egg confirmed — "Ain't no altar call, it's the aftermath" links to the title track
Production direction TBD pending lyric rewrite
Music video or visualizer direction TBD
p. 35 — Lyrics
Midnight Church Aftermath — Lyrics
Anything But Jesus
Written by Kris Bradley & Blue Foley
© Boomfox Productions
I tried it all
Still ain't found what's gonna save me
Back up against the wall
Folded the hand that life gave me

I tried Reiki
Found me a shaman
And a crystal ball
With a witch on call
House of tarot cards fallin'

I tried whiskey
I've been sinnin'
I tried pills and smoke
And rolled with both
Men and women
I've been through hell
Just to get to heaven
Cause when you don't want a king
You'll try 'most anything
Trying to relieve a soul that's got a
God shaped hole
Called to the light you'll try to
Go run and hide behind
Your thin disguise
Of lies that made you blind to
All your rhymes and reasons
Anything but Jesus
I bowed down to anything
Anything just tryna feel whole
Every idol took a piece
Just a little piece of my soul

I'm not preaching
I'm just sayin'
I bent the truth till I could
Feel my back breakin'

Heaven help me
Felt that wrath
Ain't no altar call
No child it's the aftermath
* "Ain't no altar call / No child it's the aftermath" — Confirmed Easter egg to the title track.
I lost myself
Trying to be my own savior
Cause when you don't want a king
You'll try 'most anything
Trying to relieve a soul that's got a
God shaped hole
Called to the light you'll try to
Go run and hide behind
Your thin disguise
Of lies that made you blind to
All your rhymes and reasons
Anything but Jesus
I bit the apple
Wanted sight without surrender
And the snake led me in
To the hell that I entered
Cause when you don't want a king
You'll try 'most anything
Trying to relieve a soul that's got a
God shaped hole
Called to the light you'll try to
Go run and hide behind
Your thin disguise
Of lies that made you blind to
All your rhymes and reasons
Addicted to the fall
Of all of those seasons
Screaming anything but Jesus