God Songs: Secular vs. Certified Religious

[Montauk6]

Is it just me or is it a coincidence or what?

Why do religious/inspirational songs performed by Christian/Gospel acts never seem to knock it outta the ballpark or bring it home to the heart the way pious tunes by their supposed heathen, sinful counterparts?

Some examples:

Aretha Franklin: "Amazing Grace" (possibly one of the greatest gospel albums of all time)
Elvis Presley: "Peace In The Valley"
The Impressions: "People Get Ready"
Stevie Wonder: "Have A Talk With God"
Marvin Gaye: "Wholly Holy," "God Is Love"
George Harrison: "My Sweet Lord"
Prince: "God"
Staple Singers: "I Just Want To Thank You" (from the "Let's Do It Again" soundtrack)
Bob Dylan: "Gotta Serve Somebody"
Joan Osborne: "One of Us"
The O'Jays: "Prayer"
The Doobie Brothers: "Jesus Is Just Alright"

[jobycom]

1. Secular singers are singing about God because they've just had

a spiritual inspiration they want to share. Religious singers are just doing their job, and trying to pretend they really care. Same reason a rookie baseball player has more fun then a 32 year old on his fourth team.

Just a suggestion.

[khashka]

2. True

Just doing it by rote vs. expressing something deeply felt.

I'd like to add several songs to the list, all by KaTe Bush:

Disbelieving Angel - an indictment of how we confuse the truly sacred and the profane

Lily - a gnostic christian classic

Symphony In Blue - god, sex, and the meaning of life


Khash.

[WCGreen]

12. You mean I will never recapture the glory of that very first

time, that it will always be rote, that no matter how many times I try...

I will never recapture the glory of that first time

Getting the puzzle done.....

[bridgit]

3. norman greenbaum ~ spirit in the sky

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best

Prepare yourself you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die
When you die and they lay you to rest
You're gonna go to the place that's the best

Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
Go to the place that's the best

[Heidi]

5. I've always loved that one, bridgit. (nt)

[xmas74]

9. One of the most requested songs played at funerals now.

[bridgit]

10. i'd chose it myself if the play-list consisted of only that...

and "killing me softly"

[xmas74]

11. It's a good song.

And Killing Me Softly-I prefer the Roberta Flack version. Beautiful.

[AntiCoup2K4]

4. They don't have the marketing

Christian music rarely crosses over into the mainstream, and the stuff that does is usually non-blatant enough to fit the format. i.e Stryper in the late 80's who made as many sappy cheesy ballads as any other hair band, except theirs were about Jesus.

Unfortunately this barrier sometimes works two ways. You get a band like the 77's who secular radio won't touch because they're a "Christian band" and yet because their lyrics don't say "Jesus" every third word, most Christian stations won't touch them either, and it's hard to find a record store Christian or secular which carries their CD's. Luckily their website now takes care of that. The same can be said for Phil Keaggy, a guitarist who none other than Eric Clapton once called the best guitarist on earth.

[ofrfxsk]

6. What I've always found interesting is U2 songs

Half of their songs are praising and lamenting for Jesus, and cursing God in some. In a quarter Bono is whipping himself severely for having actual human thoughts, eek - sex, greed, envy, lust! The last quarter for enjoying himself and assuming God approves because we must be allowed fun at some point. God has a sense of humor after all.
You still die.

The point is: Christian music comes in all forms. We all see things differently. Some people find comfort from the overt Jesus loves me gospel stuff and others find it hidden. That is all.

[AntiCoup2K4]

7. U2 had a serious struggle with music vs religion early in their career.

During the band's formative years in Dublin, Bono, Edge, and Larry, along with many of their friends became involved with a bible study group. Adam Clayton didn't participate.

While the guys took their spirituality seriously, they took their music just as seriously. And after they signed with Island records some members of their religious group actually suggested they should choose between God and their music. They didn't feel a choice was neccessary, but if pushed, they were going to stand by the band and by their friend Adam.

A lot of the "Christian music" audience abandoned U2 in the 90's because they thought the band had gone totally secular in the lyrics. Yet the song "Until the End of the World" was actually written from the viewpoint of Judas Iscariot, and his own misinterpretation of what he thought the Messiah was supposed to be, which led him to betray Christ.

"The Wanderer" on Zooropa was a song about a man who fought his demons and wanted to come back to God, though Bono didn't feel comfortable singing it himself and called Johnny Cash in.

And then there's "Yahweh" on the new album which is the most blatantly religious song they have done since "40". And it's no coincidence that it's those 2 songs that are the final encore on the current tour.

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

[tjdee]

16. That's also part of the reason Adam was Bono's Best Man.

From what I've read Adam was sometimes the odd man out because of the religion thing, and part of the reason Bono asked him to be in the wedding was to make up for that (in part).

I think Vertigo's about God too.

The difference between U2's music and "Christian music", also to answer the original poster's larger question, is that Christian artists go "let's talk about God in glowing praise" or whatever. The music is secondary, the lyrics are sanitary and one-dimensional (mostly, there are some exceptions), etc. U2 and secular groups go "Let's make some music that rocks--and if the lyrics are religous, cool."

[tjdee]

18. Self delete

self delete

[benny05]

8. There are songs by Kutless

that rock, actually. They are a Trinitarian based group.

I also like Tom Jones "Green Green Grass of Home".

"One of Us" by Joan Osborne to me, questions God, but I still like it a lot for that reason.

Perhaps there are songs in other languages I'm not familiar with...

[Montauk6]

17. Doe "One of Us" question God, per se?

Or those that present this impossibly rigid view of this perfect, flawless, devoid of foibles, superbeing? Instead, Joan sings about a guy (or gal) who's just a way cool, down-to-earth being.

Now, Tori Amos's "God" could be considered a bit "Alice Kramden" in its outlook: God, sometimes you just don't come through/Do you need a woman to look after you?

[tjdee]

19. That was the worst song Joan Osborne had, IMO.

She has a great voice, but I think the whole "God" business got in the way of it.

[VelmaD]

13. Uh...The Staples Singers started out...

as a gospel group. Aretha started out doing gospel as well.

[Montauk6]

15. I know, Velma, in fact most soul singers came out of the church, BUT...

The Staples and Aretha upon reaching the peak of their respective fame were well into the secular scene by the late 60s. Also, Pops Staples is a renowned Bluesman, don't forget.

I contrast these folks with, say, Andrae Crouch or Phil Driscoll who are pretty much exclusively gospel artists (and very talented in their own right, don't get me wrong).

[blondeatlast]

14. Perhaps the "sinners" are more inspired than the "saints" are.

Jesus hung around with whores and thieves, for instance.

Not to put too fine a point on it here, but the Staple Singers were widely reknown for their gospel performances well before they became popular in the mainstream, and rightly so. I'm a huge Staples fan from way back.

[tjdee]

20. Secular=concerned with music; Religious=concerned with perceptions of God.

Even when Aretha's recording Amazing Grace, the people there are concentrating on how her voice sounds, the musical arrangement, etc.

When Crystal Lewis (who has a voice similar to Celine Dion) records a song, her main focus is on worship and what she/her producers *think* God would approve of, and what they think people who like religious music would like. The music is kind of secondary, IMO. Actually, Crystal is a bad example of this, because she does try to get poppy with her stuff.

I think that's pretty clear with people who cross over--their talent and interest in music wants to be taken out of the box of religious repertoire.

[Tallison]

21. How about "Jesus Just Left Chicago"

:turningmuddywaterintowine:

[Strawman]

22. Stevie Wonder: Jesus Children of America

a great answer to the holier than thou types

[Taverner]

23. Easy "Christian" "Rock" is music by Christians, who happen to play music

These songs are made by musicians who happen to be spiritual...