# Mary, Don't You Weep **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106 "2013-02-02T06:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/1 "2013-02-02T06:02:04Z")
I’m not a christian. I may about as anti-christian as it gets. But damned if I can listen to [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIX6btGIn8w&feature=youtube_gdata_player)song without feeling like jumping into the baptism pool and lettin’ a gruff speakin’ pastor drizzle oil on my head! The Old People Pit thread had me remembering suffering through church as a kid. The way the women would **sang** , boy. A good many of them could give Aretha a run for her money, too. I really mean that. They could. I remember when I no longer was forced to endure church anymore. I guess I thought I would never hear those moaning, groaning, wailing voices again. Good ol’ youtube. Any atheists out there have religious songs that still stir up the ol’ soul? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/2 "2013-02-02T06:23:37Z")
Not an atheist but I get a charge out of [You Brought The Sunshine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4h_ItABOWc) every time I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/3 "2013-02-02T06:27:14Z")
Every devout atheist I know loves a good rendition of Ave Maria. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/4 "2013-02-02T06:35:17Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Every devout atheist I know loves a good rendition of Ave Maria. Yesssss! Schubert, natch. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/5 "2013-02-02T06:39:48Z")
Another [Mary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFAOJnfM6g8),this one by Patty Griifin. _Jesus says, “Mother I couldn’t stay another day longer.” Flys right by me and leaves a kiss upon her face While the angels are singing his praises in a blaze of glory Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place_ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/6 "2013-02-02T08:01:03Z")
It ain’t soul music, but gods damn it, if you can listen to a good singer do “O Holy Night” without getting at least a little verklepmt…well, then you just got no soul. Also, this version of [“Let it Be”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4bib4PBqGA) gives me a taste of the cathartic comfort black Christians find in their church music during times of trouble. (Despite it being written by a white British dude, of course!) ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/7 "2013-02-02T08:48:44Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Any atheists out there have religious songs that still stir up the ol’ soul? Right there with you, sister. Music with conviction moves me, and I love me some Aretha, Blind Boys, and Sister Tharpe. One that I love is David Eugene Edwards, best known for his band [16 Horsepower](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/16-horsepower-mn0000899350). Back country, out-of-place and time, with a morality to fit. The preacher’s son focuses on the Old Testament as understood by evangelical Christians, with wonderful results: “I’ll forgive your sins, I am able But for my own I feel great shame. I would offer up a brick to the back of your head, boy If I was [Caine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THlgU-8dMYg).” And: “Every man is evil, yes Every man’s a liar, Unashamed with a wicked tongue Sing in the [Black Soul Choir](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-vpAn15-vE)” Or you could just watch [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONYJR7n9QQ). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/8 "2013-02-02T13:06:14Z")
I can’t do religion without music. If the music in a worship service isn’t good, I’ve been known to leave. God doesn’t want me to sit there in misery. Back in the '60s when the Catholic Church brought in folk masses and guitar masses it was a tragedy for music. All the great stuff by Mozart, Bach, Palestrina was no longer done by parish choirs. I was in a parish choir that did twelve-part Mozart masses…next thing I knew we were singing dumbed-down brand-new pseudo "folk"crap. So several generations of people have grown up never hearing the incredible music composed for weekly Catholic worship by the immortals of music. A tragedy. All they know is the occasional Ave Maria. I do love a good jazz mass. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/9 "2013-02-02T14:38:41Z")
In addition to religious ballads by Prince and Lenny Kravitz, I’ve got “Oh Happy Day” by the Edwin Hawkins Singers and “Changed” by the Hawkins family on my mp3 playlist. I’ve got Aretha and Mahalia doing their thing too. I have a Jewish gospel album by this cool cat Joshua Nelson. It’s probably sacrireligious to say this, but he sure knows how to take the Jews to church! If it hadn’t been for the music, my hatred for church and everything church-related would have been 100% instead of 85%. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/10 "2013-02-02T14:45:11Z")
Anyone who likes old time country and/or bluegrass can get behind a good “sacred song.” Even the jokers on _Hee-Haw_ would occasionally join together in 4 part harmony… …just returned from an extended YouTube sojourn. Couldn’t pick just one. When Jerry Jeff Walker was backed by the Lost Gonzo Band, they’d interrupt the rascally hijnks to lead the drunken, stoned audience in a rousing “Amazing Grace.” _Everybody_ sang along. In an earlier tradition, my favorite version of _The Messiah_ features Emily Ameling singing “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.” While she’s singing, I know, too… ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/11 "2013-02-02T15:20:07Z")
Strong feelings make for powerful songs and artworks in general. I’m atheist but I don’t get too sniffy about the original inspiration fora work. One of my favourite songs is “Hymn” by Barclay James Harvest and Prefab Sprout’s “Jordan, the comeback” is a belter too. Religious overtones aplenty but the only thing that matters is what it means to me. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/12 "2013-02-02T15:54:17Z")
A person doesn’t have to believe a story is true to be moved by it. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/13 "2013-02-02T16:44:20Z")
Many. Most recently was Cee Lo’s cover of [Mary Did You Know?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ptNwE7K8o) this past Christmas, even though I’m not religious and find the premise of the song silly (i.e. if Mary didn’t know who-what her son was going to be then she really didn’t pay much attention to the angel). Numerous religious songs move me. The cover of [Softly and Tenderly](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgRcljuaf-E) that plays at the beginning of the movie _Trip to Bountiful_ and while Fundamentalist hillbillies can be genuinely terrifying in their beliefs sacred harp songs like [Idumea](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIkPyUecsnI) or [Conversation With Death](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFzmt9_s7I) give me goose bumps. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/14 "2013-02-02T16:56:54Z")
[I’m Leaning on the Lord](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOVtFHZ1q14). It just makes me want to run thru the woods jumping up and down terrorizing little kids who have cut Sunday school to go fishin’. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/15 "2013-02-02T17:16:43Z")
In keeping with the thread and the suggestion of Amazing Grace I’d like go for the triple word score and add bagpipes. [Amazing Grace - Scottish Bagpipes - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO5y2O_hv3I) Wait until the middle when the rest of the band comes in. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/16 "2013-02-02T17:43:42Z")
Great songs in this thread! Monstro, I’m about to check out Joshua Nelson. I had forgotten how nicely a good bluegrass band could praise the lawd, too. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/17 "2013-02-02T17:58:41Z")
I’m too lazy about religion to even bother calling myself an atheist, but Aretha’s [“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”](http://youtu.be/315W9d2GYCo) moves my spirit. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/18 "2013-02-02T18:49:38Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Also, this version of [“Let it Be”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4bib4PBqGA) gives me a taste of the cathartic comfort black Christians find in their church music during times of trouble. (Despite it being written by a white British dude, of course!) That version of Let it Be immediately came to mind. Also **The Cross** by **Prince** I find very moving. ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/19 "2013-02-02T19:14:16Z")
> [@azraiel](#): > > “I’ll forgive your sins, I am able > But for my own I feel great shame. > I would offer up a brick to the back of your head, boy > If I was [Caine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THlgU-8dMYg).” What? Of course I wasn’t the slightest bit inebriated when I posted at 2:48 on Friday night/Saturday morning… Gah. So the first link is the link I intended, but imbedded in a lyric from the second song. And the first line is misquoted. Of course he can’t forgive your _sins_–he’s just a man–but he can forgive your _wrongs._ So yeah. Need to install a breathalyzer on this dang contraption. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106/20 "2013-02-02T19:20:01Z")
[Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPvL-n6KG8k) make me wanna shout Hallelujah! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mary-dont-you-weep/649106.md?page=2)