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"Jesus: Bigger Than the Beatles" or "Pop Go Songs of Faith" 1963-2016
Jesus: Bigger than the Beatles 5.0 - YouTube
Thought you might be interested in my eclectic YouTube playlist of songs of faith, written and/or recorded by artists who appeal primarily to secular audiences. These songs comprise the spiritual soundtrack of my own faith journey during the past half century or so, and my choices undoubtedly betray my age (61 white male) as well as my musical tastes.
in 1966, Beatle John Lennon caused quite a stir when he opined, in article for the London Evening Standard, that Christianity was in decline and that it might be outlived by rock music.
"We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first – rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me," Lennon said. Well, as it turned out, the Beatles as a band went first, Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in December 1980, but Jesus is still very much alive ... and rockin' the secular music world.
""And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' And Jesus answered them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'” Luke 5:30-32
The culture and social consciousness of my generation--the tail end of the Baby Boom, was profoundedly influenced by popular songs of faith. In my youth, Jesus was cool: I just assumed at the time that would always be the case.
But times and attitudes were a-changin. For example, socially influential Beatle John Lennon would morph, from the activist who implored people of faith and goodwill to "give peace a chance," into a "dreamer" who wished us to "imagine" a world with "no religion."
Thus, when his hero, Bob Dylan, embraced Christianity and declared his faith on his 1979 album "Slow Train Running," Lennon was horrified, and indignant. How could Dylan be so "stupid" as to declare each of us has a choice to "serve somebody ... whether that be the Devil or the Lord." Lennon's response: "Serve Yourself!"
Dylan's song won a Grammy and would be widely covered by other artists (including the great Etta James on this playlist). Lennon's record stiffed, but his admonition to "Serve Yourself" would become THE pop culture ethos of 80s, and beyond.
Dylan's "Slow Train Running" was, in retrospect, something of a high-water mark for faith-based popular music. During the '80s, pop radio stations ceased to add any "religious" songs to their playlists. Likewise, insular "Contemporary Christian Radio" programmers would only play songs from thoroughly vetted artists on approved "Christian" recording labels. Obviously faith-based songs by otherwise "worldly" pop artists were thus scorned by all radio formats.
That's a shame, because some of the most compelling songs of faith have been those written and recorded by prodigal sons and daughters from the rock and pop world. Folks who had once blindly embraced Lennon's ethic, and found their way back home, to the Truth.
"Jesus: Bigger Than the Beatles" or "Pop Go Songs of Faith" 1963-2016
Jesus: Bigger than the Beatles 5.0 - YouTube
Thought you might be interested in my eclectic YouTube playlist of songs of faith, written and/or recorded by artists who appeal primarily to secular audiences. These songs comprise the spiritual soundtrack of my own faith journey during the past half century or so, and my choices undoubtedly betray my age (61 white male) as well as my musical tastes.
in 1966, Beatle John Lennon caused quite a stir when he opined, in article for the London Evening Standard, that Christianity was in decline and that it might be outlived by rock music.
"We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first – rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me," Lennon said. Well, as it turned out, the Beatles as a band went first, Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in December 1980, but Jesus is still very much alive ... and rockin' the secular music world.
""And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' And Jesus answered them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'” Luke 5:30-32
The culture and social consciousness of my generation--the tail end of the Baby Boom, was profoundedly influenced by popular songs of faith. In my youth, Jesus was cool: I just assumed at the time that would always be the case.
But times and attitudes were a-changin. For example, socially influential Beatle John Lennon would morph, from the activist who implored people of faith and goodwill to "give peace a chance," into a "dreamer" who wished us to "imagine" a world with "no religion."
Thus, when his hero, Bob Dylan, embraced Christianity and declared his faith on his 1979 album "Slow Train Running," Lennon was horrified, and indignant. How could Dylan be so "stupid" as to declare each of us has a choice to "serve somebody ... whether that be the Devil or the Lord." Lennon's response: "Serve Yourself!"
Dylan's song won a Grammy and would be widely covered by other artists (including the great Etta James on this playlist). Lennon's record stiffed, but his admonition to "Serve Yourself" would become THE pop culture ethos of 80s, and beyond.
Dylan's "Slow Train Running" was, in retrospect, something of a high-water mark for faith-based popular music. During the '80s, pop radio stations ceased to add any "religious" songs to their playlists. Likewise, insular "Contemporary Christian Radio" programmers would only play songs from thoroughly vetted artists on approved "Christian" recording labels. Obviously faith-based songs by otherwise "worldly" pop artists were thus scorned by all radio formats.
That's a shame, because some of the most compelling songs of faith have been those written and recorded by prodigal sons and daughters from the rock and pop world. Folks who had once blindly embraced Lennon's ethic, and found their way back home, to the Truth.
