Songs of faith

Cafe Society
1

Inspired by the recent Glee episode. Basically a three parter:

  1. Assuming you saw the episode, how did you feel about the selections? I thought “I want to hold your hand” was an appropriate and moving choice for the atheist. Although not really addressing religion, it was still about faith, faith in the people we love. Gospel was an obvious but appropriate choice for the Christian set, although is “bridge over troubled waters” a religious song or just a folk song? Not sure how I felt about the Jewish selections. Billy Joel and Yentl. The Billy Joel song was definitely appropriate for Puck, but it’s kind of weird to think of a song about Catholic girls being sung by a Jewish girl. And Yentl while lovely, is it really representative of popular Jewish music? “What if God was one of us” seemed appropriately non denominational.

  2. What songs would you pick as both appropriate/representational of your own faith (including atheism etc), and you know, enjoyable to sing? As an agnostic, I’m really not sure what to choose. Maybe one of the TMBG sciencey songs like “The Big Bang Theory”? Are there any good Spaghetti monster songs? Unitarian songs? Something like “I wanna hold your hand” does seem like a good choice.

  3. What songs would you pick as both appropriate/representational faiths (including atheism etc) other than your own, and you know, enjoyable to sing? As an agnostic, I’m somewhat fond of “Up the Ladder” (Nylons), “Hymn” (Jars of Clay), and “Maybe God is trying to tell you something” (The Color Purple).

Would especially love to hear what people think of as representational popular songs for non Christians. Are there any Muslim pop songs? Having seen a few excellent Indian/Bollywood movies, I’m sure there are a ton of great songs from that culture, although I wouldn’t know which ones have nonsecular themes. How about Sikhs? Scientologists? Discordians? Cat’s Cradle?

2

For atheism, perhaps Dust in the Wind, by Kansas. Imagine, by John Lennon, is a little obvious.

Regards,
Shodan

3

Thought of some more after perusing my itunes)-

Christianity:
Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack (especially Indigo Girls version)

Critical of (dogmatic or bigoted/hateful or cultish) religion:
“God Thinks” (Voltaire), “Longhaired Radical Socialist Jew” (Hugh Blumenfeld). :Soldiers of Christ" (Jill Sobule), “Teen for God” (Dar Williams), “Under the Disco Ball” (Jill Sobule), “A God Descended” (Dar Williams)

Bringing different religions together, or community in general:
“Bring Your Own God” (Disappear Fear), “Christians and the Pagans” (Dar Williams), “Seed in the Sahara” (Disappear Fear), “Vrbana Bridge” (Jill Sobule)

Being spiritual/moral by focusing efforts on world issues:
“I Had No Right” (Dar Williams), “Mary” (Patty Griffin). “Let It Be Me” (Indigo Girls), “Lonely Planet” (The The)

Reincarnation:
“Galileo” (Indigo Girls), “Resistance Song” (Jill Sobule)

Singularianism:
“I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Singularitarian” (Charlie Kam)

Seems spiritual but I’m not actually sure what it’s about:
“Lumina” (K’s Choice), “Ray Of Light” (Madonna), “Hallelujah” (Jeff Buckley/Gavin DeGraw), “Chariot” (Gavin DeGraw), “Ring the Bells” (James), Souls" (Chantal Kraviazuk), “Welcome Me”/“World Falls”/“Jonas & Ezekial” (Indigo Girls)

Buddhism:
“Thank You India” (Alanis Morrisette), anything by Krishna Das, “What Do You Love More Than Love” (Dar Williams)

Trying to find meaning or something spiritually higher:
“Elegia” (K’s Choice), “Cathedrals” (Jump Little Children), “Caling All Angels” (Train)

Sci-fi religion:
“Inama Nushif” (Children of Dune), Anathem soundtrack

4

Let the Mystery Be works for me.

5

For the relatively generic Christian folks, I’d go with Simple Man. And Amazing Grace. On bagpipes.

For myself, first, last, and for evermore, it is always the immortal Free Bird.

6

*Simple Man *is one of my faves- love it.
I like Nick Cave’s Into My Arms- we played it at our wedding “I don’t believe in an interventionist God- but I know, darling, that you do”.

You’ve Got the Love works as religious or irreligious
The Power of Love
Hallelujah

7

I don’t know. If Puck sings it, I’ll have to listen to people ask “Jeff Buckley was Jewish?”

8

And Godspell.

NITPICK: I’m assuming by “soundtrack” you mean the movie with Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson. Otherwise, MUSICALS DO NOT HAVE SOUNDTRACKS. The proper term is “cast recordings.”

9

Badlands by Springsteen
*Now I believe in the love that you gave me.
I believe in the faith that could save me.
I believe in the hope and I pray that some day it
Will raise me above these

Badlands…*

10

Leonard Cohen is Jewish. Buckley was just one of many singers who’ve covered Cohen’s wonderful song.

Contemporary songs concerning faith not yet mentioned:

“Spirit in the Sky” Norman Greenbaum
“(What if God Was) One of Us” Joan Osbourne
“Higher Ground” Stevie Wonder
“People Get Ready” The Impressions
“Redemption Song” Bob Marley
“I’ll Follow You Into the Dark” Death Cab for Cutie

11

Amazing Grace for Protestants.

12

Pete Townshend put Meher Baba’s prayer O Parvardigar to music.

13

Pete Seeger’s Turn, Turn, Turn. Megahit for the Byrds.

14

That was kind of my point.

15

Sorry! I guess I’ve seen the song earnestly miscredited so often it’s hard to notice when that’s done ironically.

16

Hehe… no problem. I should have mentioned that last post (people who only seem to know Buckley’s cover) but I was distracted while posting. I came across more abrupt than I intended. :slight_smile:

I made a joking remark to my wife during that episode that they should have sang “Spirit in the Sky” for Kurt’s dad. That would have played well!

17

That’s kind of ironic, because several members of Kansas were Christian and Kerry Livgren, specifically, was in a Christian rock band (AD) after Kansas.

Ecclesiastes 3:19b-20 “Man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.”

18

Sorry I forgot to respond to the OP. I didn’t find any of the chosen songs particiularly spiritual, although “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” was appropriate and beautiful.

I think a better song for Finn, instead of “Losing My Religion” (which is not about losing one’s religion) would have been “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2.

Mercedes should have done a real gospel number (there are a million good ones) instead of a folks song. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is a great song, but not one I would expect from a church choir. The producers missed a good opportunity by choosing very non-spiritual “spiritual” songs throughout.

19

This is the one I came in to suggest.

Another for either atheists or agnostics would be the sectarian lyrics to This Little Light of Mine. It removes references to God, Jesus and Satan so that it’s basically about being the best person you can be.