# Bible stories in non-religious songs
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 24, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283 "2010-02-24T18:14:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/1 "2010-02-24T18:14:38Z")
Let’s list secular songs that specifically refer to stories from the Bible.
I’m not merely talking about a song that namedrops Jesus, Moses, etc. And not a a traditional or spiritual number performed by a secular artist.
I mean a popular/secular song that references a specific story from either the old or new testament. We’ll also exclude songs from the stage or screen that are themselves Biblical adaptations (_Jesus Christ Superstar, The Prince of Egypt_, etc.)
For starters:
“Let’s Misbehave” (Cole Porter): _When Adam won Eve’s hand, he wouldn’t stand for teasin’/He didn’t care about those apples out of season._
“Highway 61 Revisited” (Bob Dylan): _Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”/Abe says, “Man, you must be puttin’ me on.”_
“Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen): David and his music in the 1st verse, plus _Your faith was strong but you needed proof/You saw her bathing on the roof_ in the 2nd
“Pride” (U2): Jesus isn’t mentioned by name, but given the context of the song, it’s obvious who _One man betrayed with a kiss_ is.
“Fallin’” (Connie Francis): _Like Delilah’s home in town/When Samson tore it down_, plus Jericho reference, too
“The Call of the Wild” (David Byrne): _God told Noah “Build an ark”_
“There Once Was a Man” from **The Pajama Game** : Adam & Eve, _There once was a man who loved a woman/She was the one he ate the apple for._
“It Aint’ Necessarily So” from **Porgy and Bess** lists David & Goliath, Moses in the river, Jonah in the whale, and even Methusalah.
“Miracle of Miracles” from **Fiddler on the Roof** also lists David & Goliath, plus Moses and the Red Sea, Daniel in the lion’s den, and Joshua & Jericho
“The Good Book Song” from **A Mighty Wind** mentions David & Goliath and Noah and the Ark.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/2 "2010-02-24T18:18:51Z")
Danzig’s “Twist of Cain” (about Cain and Abel).
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### Author:  [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/3 "2010-02-24T18:25:15Z")
“[Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdZBIsY7iE)” (Pixies): Tells a somewhat abbreviated version of the story of King David and Bathsheba (“Uriah hit the crapper…hit the crapper…_dead_”)
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### Author:  [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/4 "2010-02-24T18:31:20Z")
**Hard Headed Woman** , performed by Elvis Presley (written by Claude Demetrius.) The three verses reference the stories of Adam and Eve, Samson and Delilah, and Ahab and Jezebel (though Ahab is just referred to as a King.)
[Lyrics here.](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/elvis+presley/hard+headed+woman_20048919.html)
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/5 "2010-02-24T18:46:13Z")
Roy Harper’s “Don’t You Grieve,” about the betrayal of Jesus as told by Judas.
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### Author:  [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/6 "2010-02-24T18:58:29Z")
Does “Joy to the World” count, even if Jeremiah wasn’t _actually_ a bullfrog?
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### Author:  [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/7 "2010-02-24T19:08:43Z")
Regina Spektor’s [Samson](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/reginaspektor/samson.html) is narrated from the perspective of Samson’s girlfriend who gives him a haircut.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/8 "2010-02-24T19:21:18Z")
There’s The Irish Rovers/Shel Silverstein’s “The Unicorn”, which is about how there aren’t any unicorns today because they procrastinated for too long and didn’t get on Noah’s ark.
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/9 "2010-02-24T19:29:07Z")
“[Tower of Babel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LU1ra5fssQ)” by Elton John.
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/10 "2010-02-24T19:32:56Z")
“I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago”
I don’t know the song writer, but it was recorded by Elvis Presley (possibly others).
References Moses, King David, Jonah.
Lyrics here, with a million annoying animated ads:
[http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-was-born-about-ten-thousand-years-ago-lyrics-elvis-presley.html](http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-was-born-about-ten-thousand-years-ago-lyrics-elvis-presley.html)
It’s been many years since I heard the song, but bits of it get stuck in my head on a regular basis.
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### Author:  [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/11 "2010-02-24T19:39:36Z")
Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.”
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/12 "2010-02-24T19:44:20Z")
The second verse of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne”
And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water.
And he spent a long time watching from a lonely wooden tower.
And when he knew for certain only drowing men could see him
He said "All men shall be sailors then until the sea shall free them.
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open.
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone.
I would also put Tom Paxton’s “Jesus Christ SRO” in this catagory
Jesus, you’re making it big on Broadway.
Gosh, it’s good to see your name in lights.
Singing those rock and roll songs, by golly.
Betcha you learned them from Buddy Holly.
Bet you kept the heavenly angels up late at night.
A-picking up a backbeat.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/13 "2010-02-24T20:35:05Z")
[Prodigal Son](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/PRODIGAL-SON-lyrics-The-Rolling-Stones/CC95CE70DC35DBCF4825689A00277127) by the Rolling Stones
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### Author:  [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/14 "2010-02-24T20:43:06Z")
[“The Song of Solomon”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owAkE4GLH4w) by Kate Bush.
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### Author:  [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/15 "2010-02-24T20:46:35Z")
_“Turn, Turn, Turn”_ by The Byrds
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/16 "2010-02-24T20:47:52Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I would also put Tom Paxton’s “Jesus Christ SRO” in this catagory
>
> Jesus, you’re making it big on Broadway.
> Gosh, it’s good to see your name in lights.
> Singing those rock and roll songs, by golly.
> Betcha you learned them from Buddy Holly.
> Bet you kept the heavenly angels up late at night.
> A-picking up a backbeat.
Got a chapter and verse for this “story”? 😛
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### Author:  [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/17 "2010-02-24T21:04:05Z")
“All You Zombies” from the Hooters - First verse is about Moses, second about Noah, and ends with a verse talking to “Holy Father”.
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### Author:  [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/18 "2010-02-25T04:22:45Z")
“Jesus was Way Cool” by King Missile, which alluded (however indirectly) the water-into-wine story
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2010, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/19 "2010-02-25T09:04:04Z")
Also _Story of Isaac_ from Leonard Cohen’s _Songs from a Room_.
We’ve got a lot of Leonard Cohen here.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-stories-in-non-religious-songs/530283/20 "2010-02-25T15:10:48Z")
“Adam’s Apple” by Aerosmith
Full lyrics are here:
> **[ADAM'S APPLE Lyrics - AEROSMITH | eLyrics.net](https://www.elyrics.net/read/a/aerosmith-lyrics/adam_s-apple-lyrics.html)**
>
> back when Cain was able way before the stable lighting struck right down from the sky a mother ship with fate said let's give it a try c...
It offers a new spin on eating the apple i nthe garden of Eden.
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