Make Your Peace With God
Free absolution -- right here on the Pop Life blog!
What's your FAVORITE God/prayer/faith-based song?
The Dalys aren't overtly religious people, but our 3-year-old daughter goes to a Christian school, and her fiery dinner sermons about "Jesus and the Bad Man" are starting to make us feel bad. So in honor of the late Jerry Falwell (or Larry Flynt for that matter), let's all worship our favorite tunes about the Almighty.
Here are a few hosannas to get us started...
1) God's Gonna Cut You Down -- Johnny Cash
2) Did Ye Get Healed? -- Van Morrison
3) With God on Our Side -- Bob Dylan
4) God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) -- Randy Newman
5) Hallelujah -- Jeff Buckley
6) Jesus Walks -- Kanye West
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
Spirit in the Sky- Doctor and the Medics version "You gotta have a friend named Jesus....."
Sherrie
Posted by: Sherrie | May 16, 2007 at 01:06 PM
A few faves from my iGod...
"God Only Knows" -- the Beach Boys
"God Don't Make Lonely Girls" -- the Wallflowers
"God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" -- Coldplay
Posted by: Sean Daly | May 16, 2007 at 01:28 PM
There are plenty. These 2 immediately came to mind.
1)Jesus, Etc.>Wilco>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot beautiful!
2)Cry Of A Tiny Babe>Bruce Cockburn>Nothing But A Burning Light always makes me cry (though the version with Bruce, Lou Reed, Roseanne Cash and Rob Wasserman from the Columbia Records Radio Hour, Vol. 1 is stellar).
Posted by: Doug Carter | May 16, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Jesus on TV - Die Kruzen (I Think)
Jesus at McDonalds - Mojo Nixon
Jesus in Vegas - Chumbawumba
Jesus loves me (but he can't stand you) - Austin Lounge Lizards (I think)
And how could you forget Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode?
Posted by: LockBull | May 16, 2007 at 03:09 PM
OOPS, "Jesus on TV" is by the Celibate Rifles, my bad. I was right about the Austin Lounge Lizards, though..
Posted by: LockBull | May 16, 2007 at 03:14 PM
God Makes the Rain by Cowboy Mouth. An excellent song about the singer's brother and also about an ex-girlfriend. it started as two songs and merged into one.
Here on Earth by Fred LeBlanc. "Up in heaven, I can see my brother's smile..."
Posted by: brett | May 16, 2007 at 03:37 PM
"Personal Jesus" - Depeche Mode
"Religious Vomit" and "Hellnation" -- the Dead Kennedys
"God Save the Queen" -- Sex Pistols
and of course...
"Big Lizard in my Backyard" by the Dead Milkmen, who must be singing about God. (But then again, it might just be a song about a really big lizard.)
Posted by: Steve Spears is Stuck in the 80s | May 16, 2007 at 03:40 PM
"Mercedes Benz," Janis Joplin & Full Tilt Boogie Band: "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz/My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends..."
Posted by: Uncle Crappy | May 16, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Please remove my previous post from this thread due to it's descent into asininity, unless that isn't a word. Actually... remove it "Either Way".
Posted by: Doug Carter | May 16, 2007 at 03:51 PM
What about all the great U2 songs about God??
God Part II
In God's Country
What if God Would Send His Angels
Gloria (maybe?)
OK that's all that I can come up with off the top of my head, unless you can include "Until the End of the World" being sort of about Judas and Jesus. I'll stop now before I sound too much like a complete U2 dork....
Posted by: erin | May 16, 2007 at 05:47 PM
Jesus Is Just Alright - Doobie Brothers
Jesus He Knows Me - Genesis
God Shuffled His Feet - Crash Test Dummies
Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode
Posted by: bassnote | May 16, 2007 at 11:09 PM
Mr. Mister: Kyrie
Love my 80's.
KC
Posted by: | May 17, 2007 at 08:38 AM
this is going to sound odd, but i think michael Mcdonald and his frequest bassist-witing partner Tommy Sims are doing some of the coolest pop/religious stuff out there.
With that in mind:
100 - Tommy Sims
Build upon It - Michael Mcdonald
Jesus Freak - D.C. Talk
Posted by: Eric Deggans | May 17, 2007 at 09:31 AM
The Rising - Springsteen
Imagine - John Lennon
Could You Believe - Al Jarreau
Posted by: Kevin | May 17, 2007 at 09:44 AM
"Jesus was way cool" by King missle
Posted by: brett | May 17, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Dear God - Midge Ure
Jesus is For Losers - Steve Taylor
My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
One Of Us - Joan Osbourne
The God Song & Pray - Underworld
Posted by: bassnote | May 17, 2007 at 10:16 AM
"My God is Real" by Al Green
"Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder
"I've Always Loved You" by Third Day
Posted by: Walter Cox | May 17, 2007 at 10:17 AM
What kind of '80s fan would I be if I didn't offer up "God Gave Rock and Roll To You 2", by Steve Vai and Kiss, from the end of Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.
Posted by: David Pagano | May 17, 2007 at 10:26 AM
I actually have a Jesus mix on my iTunes. It is as follows:
American Jesus - Bad Religion
Jesus built my Hotrod - Ministry
Jesus Saves - Slayer
Chocolate Jesus - Tom Waits
Jesus (Don't touch my baby) - Ryan Adams
Jesus Gave me Water - Sam Cooke
Jesus is on the Mainline - Mississippi Fred McDowell
King of Carrot Flowers pt 2and3 - Neutral Milk Hotel
Jesus and I Love You - April March
Jesus Christ was an only Child - Modest Mouse
Jesus Gonna Be Here - Tom Waits
...and I've been trying to find a version of Plastic Jesus as sung by Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke, but so far have only found a version by the Flaming Lips and Mojo Nixon.
As far as songs that actually make me feel religious, because none of those do, it would have to be I'll Fly Away from the O Brother soundtrack or Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.
Posted by: Sarah | May 17, 2007 at 01:35 PM
Jesus Was an Only Son - Springsteen
Posted by: Guy | May 17, 2007 at 04:02 PM
"Redemption Song", "Dear Lord", and "Creation or a Stain" by Joseph Arthur.
Posted by: Assless (but not Nippleless) Chaps | May 21, 2007 at 08:20 AM
"What kind of '80s fan would I be if I didn't offer up 'God Gave Rock and Roll To You 2'..."
Oops. Bogus Journey came out in 1991. Oh well.
Posted by: David Pagano | May 21, 2007 at 10:56 AM