100 great songs about god, religion, faith, whatever...

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Sometimes I listen to the local (SF) P&W station, and it almost always bums me out. Shit mouths the name, but don't breathe.

So name me some songs that are NOT P&W that get at what it's all about. Songs like e.g....

100. Spiritualized, "Lord, Let It Rain On Me"
99. The Rolling Stones, "I Just Want To See His Face"
98. Sufjan Stevens, "Casimir Pulaski Day"*
97. Roy Acuff, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?"**
96. Leonard Cohen, "If It Be Your Will"***

* This list is obv. in no particular order, since this song is top ten by rights.
** Okay I'm giving Acuff his props but with all due respect it's the Neville Brothers version that kills me.
*** I'll let one of the Buckley fanboys post the obvious one. btw the Jann Arden cut of "If It Be Your Will" is a little polished but will break your heart wide open. srsly.

rogermexico., Thursday, 21 August 2008 22:18 (seventeen years ago)

95. hank williams sr - the angel of death

6335, Thursday, 21 August 2008 22:27 (seventeen years ago)

94. Marcy - Join The Gospel Express
93. Joubert Singers - Stand On The Word

blueski, Thursday, 21 August 2008 22:31 (seventeen years ago)

By "P&W", you mean "intended for a worship setting", right? They can be pop songs by self-identified CCM people, yes? Because believe it or not, those people occasionally hit it out of the park. If not, someone else just start where I'm starting.

92. Steve Taylor--Jesus Is For Losers
91. Cleve Chaffin and the McClung Brothers--Babylon is Fallen Down
90. Mark Schultz--He's My Son
89. King's X--I'll Never Get Tired Of You
88. Amy Grant--Sing Your Praise to the Lord
87. Steven Curtis Chapman--Dive
86. Kirk Franklin--Stomp
85. Avalon--Testify to Love
84. 4Him--I Know You Now
83. Rebecca St. James--Me Without You
82. DC Talk--Jesus Freak
81. Keith Green--Easter Song
80. Kanye--Jesus Walks

dr. phil, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:01 (seventeen years ago)

79. DMX--Lord, Give Me A Sign
78. Boney M--By the Rivers of Babylon
77. 77s--For Crying Out Loud
76. Sister Janet Mead--The Lord's Prayer
75. Michelle Branch--Everywhere
74. Big & Rich--Holy Water
73. U2--Acrobat
72. R Kelly--3 Way Phone Call
71. Tye Tribbett & GA--No Way

(I'm limiting this to one song per act, but most of 'em have several. You may prefer "Never Let Me Down" by Kanye, as I just realized I do.)

dr. phil, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:12 (seventeen years ago)

70. "God's Song," Randy Newman, Etta James

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:23 (seventeen years ago)

69. "God Damn Job," The Replacements

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:23 (seventeen years ago)

68. "God," John Lennon

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:24 (seventeen years ago)

67. "The Seeker," The Who

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:24 (seventeen years ago)

666. "If I Ever Needed Someone," Van Morrison

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:25 (seventeen years ago)

65. "Reason to Believe," Bruce Springsteen

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:26 (seventeen years ago)

64. "Heaven Help Us All," Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:27 (seventeen years ago)

63-58.
Prince--God
Prince--The Ladder
Roxy Music--Psalm
David Bowie--Word on a Wing
VU--Jesus
Bob Dylan--Gotta Serve Somebody

iago g., Friday, 22 August 2008 01:28 (seventeen years ago)

57. Mariah Carey--Make It Happen
56. Garth Brooks--The Dance

NOTE: This gets into some dicey area around the nexus of "chance," "fate," and "providence," and could lead into stuff like Taylor Dayne's "Can't Fight Fate," where she's effectively IMPERSONATING god, specifically a jealous vengeful (also puckish) god, to force the guy into loving her. Before long I'll be arguing that ALL songs express "faith," especially those that specifically decry it, because they're still expressive of an ultimate concern. As I drink more and more vodka, I will start mentioning Dimmu Borgir or some shit. A slippery slope!

dr. phil, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:29 (seventeen years ago)

So maybe I should say,

56. Garth Brooks--Unanswered Prayers

except I don't like it as much.

dr. phil, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:30 (seventeen years ago)

55. "After Forever," Black Sabbath

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:31 (seventeen years ago)

54. Soulfly--"Living Sacrifice"

dr. phil, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:31 (seventeen years ago)

53. "I'll Take You There," The Staple Singers

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:31 (seventeen years ago)

52. "(Don't Need) Religion," Motorhead

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:32 (seventeen years ago)

51. "Jesus," The Velvet Underground, Glen Campbell

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:34 (seventeen years ago)

50. "That Lucky Old Sun", by Ray Charles etc.

Euler, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:38 (seventeen years ago)

49. "Hard Times," Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
48. "There But for the Grace of God Go I," Machine, Kid Creole and the Coconuts

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:39 (seventeen years ago)

47. "The Christian Life," The Louvin Brothers, The Byrds

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:47 (seventeen years ago)

46. "To Beat the Devil" - Johnny Cash's version (my favorite JC song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GZaaYKhRaA

tremendoid, Friday, 22 August 2008 01:50 (seventeen years ago)

97. Roy Acuff, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?"**

My favorite's the Staples Singers version.

kingkongvsgodzilla, Friday, 22 August 2008 02:02 (seventeen years ago)

By "P&W", you mean "intended for a worship setting", right?

Yah... and by default I probably kinda mean dire U2 knockoffs, though there's plenty of non-Hillsong ugh to be found on the P&W station. Shit seriously makes me gag.

timi - great call on "Reason To Believe," and yeah the Glen Campbell take on "Jesus" is beautiful. I may like it better than the original!

rogermexico., Friday, 22 August 2008 02:12 (seventeen years ago)

45. Al Green - Belle

that's not my post, Friday, 22 August 2008 03:58 (seventeen years ago)

44. Al Green - Jesus Is Waiting

strgn, Friday, 22 August 2008 04:11 (seventeen years ago)

43. Chris Bell - Look Up

strgn, Friday, 22 August 2008 04:12 (seventeen years ago)

42. Depeche Mode .: Personal Jesus

myndbloom, Friday, 22 August 2008 06:06 (seventeen years ago)

41. Saccharine Trust - Lot's Seed

MacDara, Friday, 22 August 2008 08:17 (seventeen years ago)

40. Sixteen Horsepower - Splinters
39. Danielson Famile - The Lord's Rest
38. Woven Hand - To Make A Ring
37. Low - If You Were Born Today

aldo, Friday, 22 August 2008 09:00 (seventeen years ago)

"Gentle Arms of Eden" by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer

banjoboy, Friday, 22 August 2008 11:15 (seventeen years ago)

35. the Who - "Faith In Something Bigger"

Sara Sara Sara, Friday, 22 August 2008 12:48 (seventeen years ago)

34. XTC - Dear God

zeus, Friday, 22 August 2008 12:51 (seventeen years ago)

33. Dead Kennedys - Religious Vomit

m the g, Friday, 22 August 2008 13:09 (seventeen years ago)

32. I Chase the Devil - Max Romeo

chap, Friday, 22 August 2008 13:12 (seventeen years ago)

31. "Save Me Jesus" - Bobby Charles

Euler, Friday, 22 August 2008 14:34 (seventeen years ago)

30. If I Was The Priest - Bruce Springsteen

kornrulez6969, Friday, 22 August 2008 14:43 (seventeen years ago)

29. the Who - "Man In A Purple Dress"

28. Big Star - "The Ballad Of El Goodo"

Sara Sara Sara, Friday, 22 August 2008 14:58 (seventeen years ago)

27. God Hates Us All - Slayer

Fer Ark, Friday, 22 August 2008 15:57 (seventeen years ago)

26. Black Sabbath-"Disturbing the Priest"

Bill Magill, Friday, 22 August 2008 17:01 (seventeen years ago)

25. Hank Williams: I Saw the Light

24. The Soul Stirrers: Jesus Done Just What He Said (actually vintage gospel as opposed to P&W is a WHOLE BARREL OF BRILLIANCE but if I had to pick just one track right now, as opposed to like an hour from now, it might be this)

Douglas, Friday, 22 August 2008 18:08 (seventeen years ago)

...I scanned this thread twice just to make sure and I (remarkably) don't see this:

23: PIL-Religion

kwhitehead, Friday, 22 August 2008 18:15 (seventeen years ago)

22. Elder Curry & His Congregation - Memphis Flu

Curt1s Stephens, Friday, 22 August 2008 18:20 (seventeen years ago)

There's gotta be, like, some Solomon Burke or something, right?

rogermexico., Friday, 22 August 2008 18:31 (seventeen years ago)

21. A Love Supreme -- Coltrane

Future_Perfect, Friday, 22 August 2008 18:40 (seventeen years ago)

20. I'm Going To Live the Life I Sing About In My Song - Mahalia Jackson

Turangalila, Friday, 22 August 2008 18:51 (seventeen years ago)

21. A Love Supreme -- Coltrane

Ha - I was waiting to dive in with that once we got closer to 1.

rogermexico., Friday, 22 August 2008 18:59 (seventeen years ago)

19. Faithless .: God is A DJ

myndbloom, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:03 (seventeen years ago)

18. "The Kiss" (demo version preferably) - Judee Sill

Turangalila, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:27 (seventeen years ago)

17 Crass - Reality Asylum
16 Kinks - God's Children

sleeve, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:32 (seventeen years ago)

15. "The Cross" - Prince

Formerly Painful Dentistry, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:40 (seventeen years ago)

14. "The Angels Rejoiced in Heaven Last Night" -- Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris (or the Louvin Brothers)
13. "Let the Mystery Be" -- Iris DeMent

banjoboy, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:42 (seventeen years ago)

12: "Fill Me Jesus"

Fill me Jesus
Fill me now
Fill me Jesus
With thy precious Holy Power
I am Yours, my Lord
To do with as You will
So fill me Jesus right now
(break, cleanse, mold, use...)

contenderizer, Friday, 22 August 2008 20:50 (seventeen years ago)

11. "Soap, Soup and Salvation," Lone Justice

Pancakes Hackman, Friday, 22 August 2008 21:30 (seventeen years ago)

10. "Woke Up This Morning (with My Mind on Jesus)" - Blind Roosevelt Graves

contenderizer, Friday, 22 August 2008 21:34 (seventeen years ago)

09. "Fix It Jesus" - The Reverend Charlie Jackson

contenderizer, Friday, 22 August 2008 21:36 (seventeen years ago)

8. ZZ Top - "Jesus Just Left Chicago"

Dominique, Friday, 22 August 2008 21:44 (seventeen years ago)

7. King Missile, Jesus Was Way Cool

Jake Brown, Friday, 22 August 2008 22:06 (seventeen years ago)

6. Woody Guthrie, Jesus Christ

Jake Brown, Friday, 22 August 2008 22:08 (seventeen years ago)

I've counted three repeats above, so let's make it one hundred and three

iago g., Saturday, 23 August 2008 02:10 (seventeen years ago)

8. Jesus Christ Superstar

iago g., Saturday, 23 August 2008 02:10 (seventeen years ago)

5. "Satan is Real" - The Louvin Brothers

St3ve Go1db3rg, Saturday, 23 August 2008 02:34 (seventeen years ago)

Er, 4.

St3ve Go1db3rg, Saturday, 23 August 2008 02:34 (seventeen years ago)

3. Vaselines - "Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam"

henry s, Saturday, 23 August 2008 03:16 (seventeen years ago)

2. Alice Cooper - "My God"

henry s, Saturday, 23 August 2008 03:16 (seventeen years ago)

1. Big Star - Jesus Christ

strgn, Saturday, 23 August 2008 03:18 (seventeen years ago)

0. Mojo Nixon - Jesus at McDonalds

that's not my post, Saturday, 23 August 2008 03:57 (seventeen years ago)

-1. Evening Service - The Bible Says

Owen Pallett, Saturday, 23 August 2008 06:03 (seventeen years ago)

Wanted to nominate Jesus Christ a while back, circa #8 and #9, but it felt presumptuous, as though I'd already said too much, and the time wasn't right, anway. Glad I held off. Best fucking god song ever.

contenderizer, Saturday, 23 August 2008 06:23 (seventeen years ago)

which is to say: thnx, strgn

contenderizer, Saturday, 23 August 2008 06:28 (seventeen years ago)

six years pass...

can't believe I forgot...

-2. Bob Dylan, "I Believe in You"

resulting post (rogermexico.), Wednesday, 20 May 2015 03:29 (ten years ago)

No love for "God's Comic" by Elvis Costello?

hardcore dilettante, Wednesday, 20 May 2015 03:34 (ten years ago)

-3. John Maus - Tenebrae

I'm a believer and I honestly think this is an amazing P&W song. I don't think I'd convince many other people at my church by showing them the John Maus version though.
"Love is Real" is really solid in general as a God album

H.P, Wednesday, 20 May 2015 08:34 (ten years ago)

-4. Sufjan Stevens - The Transfiguration
-5. Talk Talk - Wealth
-6. Dearhunter - Calvary Scars

H.P, Wednesday, 20 May 2015 08:35 (ten years ago)


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