One of the projects I'm working on now is a new textbook on the English Bible as Literature. The approach will be essentially the one I take in English 280, but I'm particularly interested in showing the influence of the Bible on English, American, Canadian, Australian and other English-speaking cultures. I've got a good handle on literature, art, and film, and I know lots of "classical" music, but I'm looking for recommendations for popular music that responds to or is indebted to biblical stories, characters, or language. For instance, there's a Bruce Springsteen song called "Adam Raised a Cain." There must be lots more, but I'm sure you know the music scene better than I do. Recommendations? (Also, I'm looking for secular popular music as opposed to Christian rock or praise songs.)
Thanks!!
Posted by hhamlin at December 8, 2006 08:45 AMJust about anything on U2's _How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb_ could be considered as having strong religious references. I don't know about specifically *bibilical* allusions, though. "Vertigo" is my favorite. You have to listen to the whole thing, beyond the "Jesus round her neck" line. I consider who the "you" is in the chorus. The last lines are particularly powerful, following the sort of Satan-tempting-christ-in-the-wilderness lines ("all of this could be yours") -- "Your love is teaching me how to kneel."
There's another called "Yahweh." Worth checking the album out.
I have a copy if you'd like.
Joan R.
Oh, also, there are "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own" and "Crumbs from Your Table." Actually, the whole album is pretty much spirtually themed, but these 4 are the most so.
jsr
Tori Amos. Like that's a surprise.
"Marys of the Sea"
"Father Lucifer"
"Original Sinsuality"
"Icicle"
She's been singing about the "Good Book" for years.
"icicle"
"well, I think the good book is missing some pages,
gonna lay down...
And when my hand touches myself,
I can finally rest my head.
And when they say take of his body
I think I'll take from mine instead..."
Interesting, no? ;)
Posted by: M. Cautrell at December 8, 2006 07:14 PMAs already mentioned, U2 is a good place to look. Along with "How to..." I would recomend "Joshua Tree" which is full of Christian themes. "I Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for example contains several lines, "I have spoke with the tongues of angels, I have held the hand of the devil. It was warm in the night. I was cold as a stone." and "I believe in the Kingdom come where all the colors bleed into one, bleed into one."
Bob Dylan is another good choice. He even released several "Christian" albums including "Saved" and "Slow Train A Coming." If those titles are too Christian most of his other work has at least some Biblical imagery.
Johnny Cash is another good one. Look at his newer American Recordings series. "American Recordings IV" has the song "When the Man Comes Around" which has whole passages of Revelation in it and deals with Chtist's second coming.
Hope this is helpful,
Rob
Wonderful! Thanks for the suggestions, and keep 'em coming. I should clarify, too, that I'm not excluding Christian songs exactly, just ones designed for worship (loosely defined). Similarly, for instance, on the literary side, I'm interested in secular (i.e., outside the liturgy) writing as opposed to church hymns, prayers, devotions, and such. I want to track the influence of the Bible on the culture at large. Your suggestions so far are bang on!
Posted by: HH at December 9, 2006 10:14 AMThe song that immediately came to mind was an old Dylan song, "The Hour When the Ship Comes In," which references Goliath. But I have found that many many Dylan songs have significant Biblical imagery and refernces. We have nearly everything he has done since the 60's, and I can listen to some cd's myself and make some further notes for you. Another artist is Lenard Cohen. He has several images and explict references to Jesus, as does Jackson Browne in "Rock Me on the Water." I guess one question I have for you is whether you are looking for explicit references to specific Biblical stories, or more general Biblical messages (such as the Dixie Chick's "I Hope").
Posted by: P Burdette at December 9, 2006 01:31 PMHave you tried the Residents: they have an album called Wormwood (it gets better). it is a sarcastic (Mocking?) version of their take on the bible. it begins with "the begining" and progresses to songs like "God's Magic Finger " and "Spilling The Seed ","Bridegroom Of Blood ","Bathsheba Bathes " and of course such favorites as "KILL HIM!" guess what its about, oh, just one more..."Judas Saves."
I dont know if this is something you can use but you might find it interesting at very least.
Posted by: J Bennett at December 9, 2006 02:48 PMOh Yeah, and the Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil. I found this list online but haven'nt had a chance to check them out: (the reviews are from the blogger that found the songs)
20) This Is My Fist! - Jesus Plus Nothing (MP3)
I know punk generally consists of short songs, but this song could definitely have made the cut for Short Songs For Short People clocking in a 40 seconds on the dot. Any punk that involves a female vocalist is alright with me.
19) Guster - Jesus On The Radio (MP3)
As I do with all the bands when I add them to the list, I checked out Guster's website while listening to this song. It was quite pretty, and so is this song.
18) Mogwai - You Don't Know Jesus (MP3)
I think Mogwai must be confused. I do know Jesus, as he occasionally comments on our blog. Well Mogwai, as un-informed as you may be, you managed to put together a solid track. Has sort of a spooky atmosphere to it.
17) Mad Capsule Markets - Jesus Is Dead (MP3)
I remember listening to this band is Casey's car in high school. That is my only experience with them, but this song is great. I can't understand a word being said, but I still quite enjoy it.
16) Cake - Jesus Wrote A Blank Check (MP3)
Who doesn't enjoy Cake? Especially the DQ ice cream variety...oh right, the band Cake. This song, like all Cake songs, is very catchy. I think this may be the only song on the list with horns, that makes it special. Not Less Than Jake special though.
15) Bearsuit - Cookie Oh Jesus (MP3)
Indie Pop at its best. This song is incredibly catchy, almost to the point of irritation. This is definitely one of the songs that stays in my head the longest. Good song for sure, but I couldn't listen to it too much.
14) Sebadoh - Jealous of Jesus (MP3)
I think this is the best description of the relationship between Casey and Jesus. He hides it well, but there is a slight feeling of jealousy of Casey's part. Apart from Casey's emotional distress, this is an amusing song.
13) Kanye West - Jesus Walks (MP3)
I'm really not a Kanye West fan, but I do enjoy this song. I think it is more for the background choir chanting Jesus Walks and the Bom Bom Bom guys. It may help that I have never seen the video for this...they (Kanye West videos) tend to be, um, bad.
12) The Flaming Lips - Shine On Sweet Jesus (MP3)
I must make sure to say something nice about the Flaming Lips this time, I was overly negative in my previous list. The fact that they've made it on two of my very exclusive lists should be praise enough. As far as this particular song goes, I do enjoy it quite a bit. Still not likely to buy the CD anytime soon.
11) Iron & Wine - Jesus The Mexican Boy (MP3)
This is probably the least memorable track on the list. With that said, I do like it quite a bit. Definitely a nice song to listen to late at night when you are working at your PC writing up some gobblygook expert commentary on a track for a post.
10) Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus (MP3) (Original)
Oddly I prefer Cash his when he is covering other people's music and I quite often enjoy his covers to the originals. This Depeche Mode cover is no exception. Although A Boy Named Sue is a pretty awesome song.
9) Tenacious D - Jesus Ranch (MP3)
As soon as I found out there was a Jesus song by Tenacious D I had to find it Which I apparently already did over a year ago; it was already on my computer. Beyond the fact that Jack Black has some pretty amusing lyrics, he does have a great singing voice and it is matched well with his musical partner Kyle Gass.
8) Clem Snide - Jews For Jesus Blues (MP3)
Clem Snide will forever be associated with Christina Aguilera for me, since I heard his cover of Beautiful. Much like the Ramones will always be associated with Offspring for their cover of Offspring's hit, I Wanna Be Sedated. Still, this song reaches the top ten easily.
7) Bad Religion - American Jesus (MP3)
I don't know, I just can't dislike Bad Religion. This song is kind of what started this list...I mean besides the whole showing my love for Jesus thing. Someday I'll do a list and decide to keep Bad Religion off, but this is not that day.
6) Wilco - Jesus, Etc (MP3)
This song was neck and neck with next song on the list. It was really hard to make the decision on which I liked more, but eventually the guy's voice in the number 5 track was what won me over. Still, this Wilco track is great, fantastic even.
5) Jeff Tweedy - Whistling Jesus (MP3)
I know what your thinking. Casey comes off like an ass most of the time. No? Not what your thinking? If not that, it must be that we've already heard Tweedy in full Wilco mode. This is true, but c'mon! Good old fashioned whistling, everyone enjoys that. [Oh, not nice - and to think, I had to download an entire concert torrent in flac format to get that song. Tweedy claimed it was for the upcoming Loose Fur album, but it now seems it didn't make the cut. Sorry Jesus. - Casey]
4) Modest Mouse - Jesus Was An Only Child (MP3)
I don't believe it. I saw Dogma, and it filled me in on the truth. Modest Mouse, like Flaming Lips, is an artist I like, but could never completely get into them. I also got sick of hearing Float On everytime I went to Subway after weekly soccer games, despite it being a good song. Other than that, this song is fun, I highly recommend it.
3) Supergrass - Jesus Came From Outer Space (MP3)
Another band that has been absent from my music listening for far too long. I have a slightly better excuse for this one, as I don't actually own any Supergrass albums. I really should, I know...but I don't.
2) Tori Amos - Mrs. Jesus (MP3)
It seems I never listen to go old Tori anymore. Usually, if I was in the mood I would stick in Emm Gryner (influence from Casey) or Fiona Apple. I'm glad I came across this song in my searches. For some reason I can't help but think of Amos cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit anytime I listening to her. Nirvana? Covers? That brings me to...
1) Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam (MP3) (Original)
Last time I mentioned Jesus and Nirvana together, they were locked in a vault together. This is one of those songs that I neglected to think of when I started out this list (Unlike Green Day's Jesus of Suburbia, which I just plain neglected). Finding the Vaseline's original is what brought this one to mind.
Joan Osborne : "What if God was one of us," and "Lumina"
Dishwalla : "Counting Blue Cars"
"Tell me all your thoughts on god,
cos I'd really like to see Her..."
Tori Amos : "God"
"God sometimes you just don't come through,
do you need a woman to look after you?"
Don't forget movies.
"Dogma." Comedy.
"Leap of Faith." Somewhat comedy, somewhat drama.
"The Apostle." This one is dark. Robert Duvall is a pastor that begins to lose his family and his job so he leaves town after beating a guy with a baseball bat for sleeping with his wife. Creates a new identity, new church, gets the new town he's in back to church then his wife back home hears him through the static on the radio and calls the police.
"The Nativity Story."
"Passion of the Christ."
"Bruce Almighty."
"Sister Act."
"Sister Act 2 Back in the Habit." Great Soundtrack
and so on.
There are also certain songs from Linkin Park that could be considered Christian like
"In the End."
It starts with
one thing/I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
keep that in mind/I designed this rhyme
to explain in due time
All I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
Its so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on/But didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch it go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried/It all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually/be a memory/of a time when
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
And lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
One thing/I don't know why
Doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind/I designed this rhyme
To remind myself How
I tried so hard
"Somewhere I Belong"
(When this began)
I had nothing to say
And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me
(I was confused)
And I let it all out to find
That I’m not the only person with these things in mind
(Inside of me)
But all that they can see the words revealed
Is the only real thing that I’ve got left to feel
(Nothing to lose)
Just stuck, hollow and alone
And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own
[Chorus]
I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real
I wanna let go of the pain I’ve felt so long
(Erase all the pain till it’s gone)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m close to something real
I wanna find something I’ve wanted all along
Somewhere I belong
And I’ve got nothing to say
I can’t believe I didn’t fall right down on my face
(I was confused)
Looking everywhere only to find
That it’s not the way I had imagined it all in my mind
(So what am I)
What do I have but negativity
’Cause I can’t justify the way, everyone is looking at me
(Nothing to lose)
Nothing to gain, hollow and alone
And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own
[Repeat Chorus]
I will never know myself until I do this on my own
And I will never feel anything else until my wounds are healed
I will never be anything till I break away from me
I will break away, I'll find myself today
[Repeat Chorus]
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m somewhere I belong
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m somewhere I belong
Somewhere I belong
"Easier to Run"
It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something long
It’s so much easier to run
Replace all this pain here all alone
Something has been taken from deep inside of me
The secret I’ve been locked away where one could never see
look so different, never show,
They never go away
Like moving pictures in my head
??
[Mike’s part]
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
If I could take all the shame and the pain I would
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all the shame and the blame
It's easier to run replacing this pain with something long
It’s so much easier to run
Replace all this pain here all alone
Some things I remember but thought the soul bypassed
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn’t have
Sometimes I think I’m letting go and never looking back
I never really thought so, I never realized?
[Mike’s part]
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
If I could take all the shame and the pain I would
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all the shame and the blame
Just watch it in the sun
All of the helplessness as I’ve
Pretending I don’t feel misplaced
It’s so much simpler to change
It's easier to run replacing this pain with something long
It’s so much easier to run
Replace all this pain here all alone
It's easier to run
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made
It's easier to run
If I could change I would
Take all the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all the shame with me
Keep in mind I said COULD be considered.
Posted by: Angela at December 9, 2006 10:28 PMBlack Sabbath:
Album: Master of Reality
Songs:
After Forever
Lord of This World
Album: Vol. 4
Songs:
Every Day Comes and Goes
There are various others by them, but these are my particular favorites because they are not satanic, but were released at a time when Black Sabbath got a lot of crap for beinf Satanic.
Also, Jim mentioned Cash's Personal Jesus, but it might be interesting to note that this song has been covered numerous times. What about that song might be so "good" to cause that?
a URL to the complete Sabbath lyrics is attached, but please note that after 1978's Never Say Die album, Ozzy left the band, and the rest of the albums are inherently inferior.
Others by Various
Lake of Fire by the Meat Puppets, covered by Nirvana
Jesus Walking on the Water by the Viole4nt Femmes
Bartender by Dave Matthews
Judith by A Perfect Circle
And here's a satirical one:
Hell Yeah by the Bloodhound Gang (i think it's funny as hell)
1. Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
2. God Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
Posted by: Ashley at December 10, 2006 09:20 PMThought of another movie soundtrack "O Brother Where Art Thou?"
And I can't remember the title but maybe someone else does but on Billy Joel's last album didn't he have a song about a River there's a line about having "a river to cross" argh I hate it when I forget titles.
"Only God Knows Why" by Kid Rock
Posted by: Ashley at December 12, 2006 12:30 AMGus Gus does a song called "Is Jesus Your Pal?" and Adam Pascal's song "Cellophane Sun" has a Garden of Eden-y reference. Treat Her Right has a song, "Jesus Everyday," that examines Christian attitudes, but isn't biblically based or referencing it really (that I remember). Then a lot of Tara MacLean's music seems to have some sort of biblical reference. "Jericho" or "Jordan" (or both), I think do, although I get some of her songs mixed up a lot of the time.
Posted by: Erin B. at December 12, 2006 11:40 AMHey Angela, I think your thinking of "River of Dreams." but it's been awhile since I listened to Billy Joel so he could have something newer.
Posted by: J Bennett at December 12, 2006 03:21 PMYeah it is "The River of Dreams" thanks J Bennett. Don't feel so bad the last time I heard the song was when it was on the radio.
It's on his Greatest Hits Vol 3 according to www.lyrics.com/Lyrics.aspx?AlbumID=1497 . Also according to this website on the same album are the titles "Keeping the Faith" "All About Soul". Or just check out the lyrics for the album "River of Dreams." Oh the website above annoyed me incase anyone goes there. I recommend this website http://search.lyrics.astraweb.com.
Then there are songs by Chistina Aguilera: "Blessed" "Keep on Singin' My Song".
modest mouse - "bukowski"
bright eyes - "arc of time"
dispatch - "steeples" "questioned apocalypse" "general"
tool - "intolerance" "sober" "disgustipated" "aenema"
I don't have a new one to add I was just curious if Professor Hamlin has enough yellow note pads for everything we've given him?
Posted by: Angela at December 13, 2006 05:45 PMTo avoid writer's cramp, I plan to cut and paste! This is extremely useful. Thanks for all of you who have made suggestions.
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