Christian songs by artists that don't usually makes "Christian Music"

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Inspired by the Alternative Christian Music thread.

Jesus - The Velvet Underground
He Gives Us All His Love - Randy Newman

and so on.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh I missed out Randy Newman in my subgenre of "Christian Music By Jews" - except don't you think Randall is being ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek (see "I Think He's Hiding" and "That's Why I Love Mankind")

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

... Leonard Cohen's in there too I expect

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Dadismus, I don't think he IS being ironic. "Gods Song" is using the idea of God as a character rather than a figure of faith, so this harldy counts as a Christian song. And "He Gives Us All His Love" doesn't come across as anything other than sincere, to my ears anyway. It doesn't pile it on too much (as his ironic songs often do - see "Small People" ) and his voice adds to the fragility of the message.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Van Morrison to thread.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Presence of the Lord - Blind Faith

Calling: Nick Cave, Spiritualized

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Most or even all of I See a Darkness by Bonnie Prince Billy. And a bunch of his other stuff too. In fact, Bonnie Billy to thread!

― neil simpson (neil simpson), Thursday, 20 November 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Lou Reed was raised Jewish too, yeah?

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 20 November 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Most of Sabbath's 'Master Of Reality'

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Thursday, 20 November 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Bob Dylan 1979-81 to thread :-)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 20 November 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

also Bob Dylan 1962-1978, 1982-

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 20 November 2003 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Creed.

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 20 November 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

"i know you love me" by smoking popes. josh caterer admitted to this being about JC right before the band broke up and he went into the cloth.

― notfazed (notfazed), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe country music shouldn't count, since Jesus has a way of creeping into country songs, it's like that's his superpower.

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Cuz I was thinking John Prine.

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Richard Thompson's "Mary and Joseph".

Elton John's "Dear God" would also qualify, but XTC's song with the same title would involve including songs from an "anti-Christian" standpoint. In which case add Jethro Tull's "Aqualung".

Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", as well.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"Just Wanna See His Face" Rolling Stones (and Pussy Galore, El Vez and Blind Boys of Alabama)

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Neutral Milk Hotel -- "King of Carrot Flowers Pts. II and III"
"I love you, Jesus Christ"...

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 20 November 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Stevie Wonder: "Jesus Children Of America" and "Have a Talk With God"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 20 November 2003 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Spacemen 3 to thread!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 20 November 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Didn't the guy from Sunny Day Real Estate go Christian for one album?

Also, are Evenescene Christian? I can never get a straight answer out of those goths!

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 20 November 2003 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

"He Gives Us All His Love" may not be irony, but it's only sincere in the sense that the character singing it is a sincere Christian, in the same way that Newman's "Follow the Flag" is an expression of patriotism by someone who is definately not Newman. I'm almost certain that Newman is an atheist.

― dylan (dylan), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

billy idol, "white wedding" (which has so much christian symbolism, that i'm shocked that it's slid under the radar of those who look out for such things).

david bowie, "word on a wing" (see above -- though i guess cause DB was a homo, this one doesn't count to the jesus freaks).

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

In the Christian Music by Jews department, we should note the Christmas albums by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.

P.S. Not all Christians are intolerant of homosexuals. In fact, many queers are Christians.

― dylan (dylan), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Johnny Badlees - OTM with Sabbath.

Also:

Big Star - "Jesus Christ"
Chris Bell - "Better Save Yourself," "Look Up"

― calstars (calstars), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Roxy Music "Psalm"

James

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

The Byrds--"The Christian Life"
Honeybus--"Jug Of Water"

― Sarah Pedal (call mr. lee), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Most of U2's back catalog to thread.

― David A. (Davant), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:22 (twenty-two years ago)

To this day I don't understand what Stevie Wonder is saying in "Jesus Children of America."

― Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I once played The Velvet Underground at a party, and when "Jesus" came on, a girl there said something like, "Oh is this a Christian band?" I replied, defensively, something like, "No, I don't think so. In fact, they have this other song about heroin with a line about feeling just like Jesus' son." It turned out that she was an evangelical Christian, which was unexpected considering the make-up of everyone else in attendance there, but she was good friends with one of the people who threw the party. I was immediately very embarrassed about being so adamant about saying, "NO! They aren't CHRISTIAN!" When I asked her how serious she was about it, or something like that (this was a long time ago, so I don't remember the conversation in much detail), she actually mentione going to Puritan Reformed Bookstore in Delaware, a place I once went with my sister and her husband. It was funny that she mentioned that particular detail, since it immediately gave me an idea of who I was dealing with, theologically. She was nice about it, anyway. I was a little bummed out that she was so cute after that--and she was a dancer major (or minor), if I recall correctly.

― Rockist Scientist, Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:39 (twenty-two years ago)

"If You Find Yourself Caught In Love" Belle and Sebastian (although there are a few other B&S tracks that hit on religion, "The State I Am In" most notably)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I always thought "Personal Jesus" was more sacrilegious than anything else, about a guy telling his lover he'll be like her own Messiah figure, and the sexual connotations of "Reach out, touch faith" factor into that as well.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Savior
Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave (Which may also be anti-Semitic, "I do believe it's people like you who crucified Christ" I believe he says)

― Ben, Friday, 21 November 2003 00:48 (twenty-two years ago)

You mean After Forever. Geezer Butler nearly became a priest, and he did write the lyrics.

― Schwingung (Damian), Friday, 21 November 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Kinks- All God's Children
MAtthew Sweet (who's an atheist) often toys with it.

― Cunga (Cunga), Sunday, 5 June 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

a girl there said something like, "Oh is this a Christian band?" I replied, defensively, something like, "No, I don't think so. In fact, they have this other song about heroin with a line about feeling just like Jesus' son."

you should've said YES

― latebloomer: Pain Don't Hurt (latebloomer), Sunday, 5 June 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

Being that they're dutiful Mormons, I'd say that much of Low's catalog fits this bill pretty squarely - particularly their magnificent Christmas album.

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Sunday, 5 June 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

A large chunk of Chris Bell's I Am the Cosmos...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 6 June 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

Iron and Wine to thread!

― Mickey (modestmickey), Monday, 6 June 2005 05:32 (twenty years ago)

Sam Beam said in an interview somewhere that he's actually not Christian at all, he considers himself agnostic, but he loves to use Christian imagery and themes in his music.

"All dead white boys say God is good"
WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN

― Mickey (modestmickey), Monday, 6 June 2005 05:33 (twenty years ago)

The Chris Bell stuff has a huge do-I-believe-this-myself? tinge to it.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 6 June 2005 06:33 (twenty years ago)

Prince, "The Cross"...too obvious?

― Telephonething, Monday, 6 June 2005 07:01 (twenty years ago)

Kinks- All God's Children
MAtthew Sweet (who's an atheist) often toys with it.

Isn't Ray Davies one as well? "Father Christmas" doesn't sound much like something that a Christian could write.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 6 June 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

new order's "run wild" to thread...

― william, it was really nothing (superpopelectro), Monday, 6 June 2005 10:32 (twenty years ago)

Dadismus, I don't think he IS being ironic.

Randy Newman's not just an atheist, he's kinda the Super-King of the Atheists; "He Gives Us All His Love" is subtler than some of his other jabs, but it's still a jab - the song's fragility, its remarkably moving tone, is RN pointing out that he does see the appeal, even the beauty, of the God-exists proposition. But the song is is, I think, a gentle "how pathetic" comment on belief. For further evidence of the depths of his atheism, consult the libretto for his "Faust"; also, numerous interviews.

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Monday, 6 June 2005 10:45 (twenty years ago)

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