# Looking for religious music that isn't typical of religious music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302 "2007-07-18T20:15:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/1 "2007-07-18T20:15:47Z")
For example “Jesus is Just Alright” by the Doobie Brothers. I’m not looking for Hymns, I’m looking for contemporary songs that mention Jesus, God, Christianity… etc. Yeah, I know there are a lot of athiests, agnostics, and others out there. With all due respect, I don’t need really care to hear your replies if they’re knocking the above request. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/2 "2007-07-18T20:21:47Z")
Well, there’s _My Sweet Lord_, which arguably includes Jesus among the other deities mentioned. Also, _Spirit in the Sky_, although I’ve never been sure how serious that is, if at all. You might also include _Morning has Broken_, but that’s more of a traditional hymn. Jewel’s _Hands_, seems pretty religious, too. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/3 "2007-07-18T20:30:40Z")
Are you looking for contemporary, mainstream rock/pop songs? I mean, there is a rather large genre of Christian rock (and pop and rap and reggae etc.) so I just want to know if you’re asking about stuff you would hear on mainstream popular radio, or if you are looking for recommendations from contemporary religious music in general. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/4 "2007-07-18T20:33:46Z")
The Proclaimers, “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian.” Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/5 "2007-07-18T20:43:13Z")
Well, on the one hand, there’s contemporary Christian music: Christian rock, et al. The stuff released on Christian labels by overtly Christian bands, marketed to the “Christian” market. A recent thread discussing this: [Tell me about Christian rock music](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=426106) On the other hand, there are “mainsteam” songs with religious or spiritual themes: songs by secular artists (who may or may not be Christian (or some other religion) but don’t market themselves as Christian artists). This could include songs by George Harrison, U2, Johnny Cash, and many others. Some of these are listed in this old thread: [Atheist Dopers: favorite religious songs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=240547) ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/6 "2007-07-18T20:55:00Z")
[QUOTE=Skammer] Are you looking for contemporary, mainstream rock/pop songs? I mean, there is a rather large genre of Christian rock (and pop and rap and reggae etc.) so I just want to know if you’re asking about stuff you would hear on mainstream popular radio, or if you are looking for recommendations from contemporary religious music in general. [/QUOTE] I’m looking for mainstream stuff I’d hear on my local non-Christian based radio station. Like the oldies station, or a rock station for example. ---
**Author:** ![stucco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@stucco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stucco)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/7 "2007-07-18T20:58:27Z")
Sufjan Stevens. The _Seven Swans_ album is the most overtly christian, but _Michigan_ and _Illinois_ (not the full names) also have religious themes (check out ‘Vito’s Ordination Song’). Also, ‘Samson’ by Regina Spektor is about the biblical story and also one of the most beautiful songs. edit: I guess these are more college radio than mainstream, but I’ve heard Samson in a German H&M, so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/8 "2007-07-18T21:00:53Z")
Maybe this is too subtle, but I’m pretty sure U2’s [“Mysterious Ways”](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Mysterious-Ways-lyrics-U2/B4AC116C8BEC308E48256896002E9833) is about the Holy Spirit. Of course U2 has plenty of other “religious” songs, some that specifically refer to God or Jesus and some that don’t. ---
**Author:** ![kivrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@kivrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivrin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/9 "2007-07-18T21:16:44Z")
[QUOTE=Enright3] contemporary songs that mention Jesus, God, Christianity… etc. [/QUOTE] A few in the singer-songwriter vein: “The Ballad of Mary Magdalen” by Richard Shindell (includes Jesus and Mary M. having a sexual relationship.) “Miriam” by Pierce Pettis (about Mary the mother of Jesus) “One Hundred Names” by the Nields (though that’s a pretty nonspecific Higher Power kind of song.) “Hymn” on the Peter, Paul and Mary album “Late Again” is about a Christian (or possibly highly assimilated American Jewish) journey of faith. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/10 "2007-07-18T21:29:35Z")
[Hallelujah](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/hallelujah.html) by Leonard Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/11 "2007-07-18T21:37:42Z")
Jesus Built My HotRod by Ministry. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/12 "2007-07-18T21:38:11Z")
_In The House Of Stone And Light_ _Battle Hymn Of The Republic_ Both are **very** different. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/13 "2007-07-18T22:00:10Z")
Would Led Zeppelin’s [“Nobody’s Fault But Mine”](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/led+zeppelin/nobodys+fault+but+mine_20081926.html) qualify? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/14 "2007-07-18T22:00:12Z")
_I’m Gonna Wait_ by Lyle Lovett _Like A Tramp On The Street_ by T-bone Burnett _Weapon Of Prayer_ on The Notting Hillbillies _Give Me Strength_ as sung by Eric Clapton _Let’s Make A Baby King_ by Jesse Winchester _Can’t Find My Way Home_ didn’t seem religious to me, but Clapton said he saw it that way. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/15 "2007-07-18T22:02:53Z")
I’d recommend the entire track of _Godspell._ _Jesus Christ Superstar_ – not so much; too downbeat. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/16 "2007-07-18T22:12:34Z")
Covenant - [Stalker](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Stalker-lyrics-Covenant/E13CA6C06CB9430A48256E840005954A) ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/17 "2007-07-18T22:37:56Z")
I second _Godspell_ – most of it, anyway. “Day by Day,” especially. Prince has a lot of religion-themed songs. A bunch of the songs on _LoveSexy_, “The Cross,” “7,” “The Holy River.” He’s Jehovah’s Witness now and has always had a lot of Christian threads in his work. I think more religious artists should record songs like “Gett Off.” Johnny Cash did a lot of religious songs too. On the _Love, God, and Murder_ three-disc set, the “God” disc collects some of his best. Bob Dylan went through a born-again Christian phase in the late '70s and released three albums with heavy Christian themes. I think the best known ong from these is “Gotta Serve Somebody.” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/18 "2007-07-18T22:46:06Z")
For some reason, Pandora loves recommending Christian Rock to me… Check out Flyleaf and Fireflight. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/19 "2007-07-18T23:24:33Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] _I’m Gonna Wait_ by Lyle Lovett [/QUOTE] Which reminds me of _Church_, also by Lyle Lovett, about an exceptionally long-winded preacher: > [@](#): > > And the moral of this story > Children it is plain but true > God knows if a preacher preaches long enough > Even he’ll get hungry too > And he’ll sing > > To the Lord let praises be > It’s time for dinner now let’s go eat > We’ve got some beans and some good cornbread > Now listen to what the preacher said ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302/20 "2007-07-19T01:37:15Z")
Randy Travis has a fairly recent song called _Three Wooden Crosses_. Really good songcraft. I recommend listening to it first rather than just reading the words. If you don’t like it, I’ll refund your 99 cents. I second _Hallelujah_ by Leonard Cohen, another amazing song. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-religious-music-that-isnt-typical-of-religious-music/412302.md?page=2)