CHAPTER 5

Religion And Popular Music

Religion has long been one of the most important topics for sociological thinking research and writing.

 

 

Religion serves to teach people the distinction between the sacred and profane, and the proper ways to deal with both.

 

Sociologists of everyday life focus on religion and popular music as two related, sometimes conflicting, but increasingly compatible, sources of meaning.

POP MUSIC SOMETIMES CRITIQUES RELIGION

Pop music that critiques religion would be any song that is considered sacrilegious.

Ex: Show disrespect to god, or insulting a certain faith,

Sometimes the music it self isn’t what critiques religion, but the album cover, or antics shown in the music video.

Ex: Lady Gaga’s single, “Judas”, which has a cover of A red cross, and the video is criticized for mocking religious figures.

EXAMPLES OF SONGS THAT CRITIQUE RELIGION

If God Was One of US, by Joan Osbourne.

Lyric Music Video The lyrics of the song downgrade

the image of god, to that of a regular person. For that reason this song has received a lot of criticism from Christian groups.

Judas, by Lady Gaga.

Judas Music Video

The music video portrays god as a biker, and as a rebel without a cause. Also Lady Gaga is portraying Mary Magdalene, in an inappropriate manner.

The single album cover: The cover is viewed as

disrespectful, and out of place.

POPULAR MUSIC SOMETIMEAPPEARS TO THREATEN RELIGION

(PMRC) Parent Music Resource Center Attacking heavy metal music

Being their concerns to the U.S. congress

Music video “Rock ‘n’ Roll: A search for God.” http://youtu.be/eOMb3TnRSZM

Producer, Eric Holmberg

POPULAR MUSIC SOMETIMES SUPPORTS RELIGION

Popular Music and Religion sometimes coincide.

The songs usually take the popular sound from genres such as Country and Rock and combine it with the religious lyrics.

Very commonly it is a combination of Religion and Patriotism. A classic example of this is Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”

Country music is a common genre to find all forms of religious music.

• Various forms of religious popular music exist.• They can focus purely on religious terms and beliefs such as the song “Nearer my God to thee”

by David Osmond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqGnj3zTHqo

• These kinds of songs exist, but they are not all that common anymore. As time passes songs like these still exist, but generally don’t focus on specific references to God or the scriptures. Despite this they do still hold onto common religious themes. “What Faith Can Do” by Kutless is a good example of a religious popular song that contains these characteristics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NreUhPk9s9Y

POPULAR MUSIC CAN BE SPIRITUAL MUSICIn other words, popular music can be filled with spiritual meanings.

example: U2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBDJCs_wG9Y

THE 1960S AND BEYOND

• Hippies, space cowboys, earth mothers, freaks, draft dodgers, and baby bloomer embarked upon a spiritual journey to find meaningful truth about life and reality.

• The general feeling though was moral concern.

• At times the younger generation would blame organized religion for it being co conspirators in the oppression, discrimination, and hatred being discovered in western societies.

• Spiritual music from the 1969s onward took many forms, begining to influence everyday sociology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhgE5bfcFTU

SEEKING THAT SPIRITUALITY

• People began to seek a stronger sense of spiritual activity, where ever it could be found.

• LSD and peyote trips in the desert were considered a spiritual journey.

• Spirtual expermentation was a growing activity. Religions would join in this experimanal time.

• Scientology, animism, eastern meditation, gnostdism, and philosophy were popular for the baby boomers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKXfqpg-Q-k

EXAMPLES

• Some of the bands that developed from this were Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Cream, Bob Dylan, Byrds, and Leaonard Cohen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLI_he8HMFg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovIw3W-4Aow

MORRISON

• One major rock artists of the 1960s is van Morrison. He began a successful career as the lead singer for the Them in Northern Ireland. He then became a soloist with Astral Weeks, which album Rolling Stones considered to be listed as one of the best of all time.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQ9R2kSFRg

• Morrison borrowed much of his work from Celtic mysticism to make an aural, meditative experience. His music was suggestive, yet also could be interpreted in many ways. This created the freedom to find many feelings and meanings which the baby boomers searched for in their time.

POP MUSIC CAN BE RELIGIOUS

SOME POPULAR TITLES

POP MUSIC CAN BE RELIGIOUS

AVE MARIABLESS THE BROKEN ROADAMAZING GRACETHIS IS YOUR LIFEGIVE ME YOUR EYESCOME THOU FOUNTJESUS TAKE THE WHEEL

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=1CEIFLQ_S6O

AVE MARIA

One of the most cherished songs in the Catholic tradition.

It based upon the 15th –century prayer to Mary, Mother of Jesus.

The Ave Maria continues to be covered by pop music performers.

SOME RELIGIOUS ARTISTS

Click icon to add picture

Rascal Flatts Carrie Underwood Casting Crowns Skillet Celine Dion Mormon Tabernacle Choir

WHAT SONG IS THE MOST CHERISHED AMONG THE CATHOLIC TRADITION?Ave Maria

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC

This style of pop music began in the 1960’s with the advent of Jesus music. Mostly among the hippies and others, who were seeking an alternative in traditional Christian music.

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CONTINUED

The movement included just about all styles of popular music.

heavy metal, alternative rock, to hip-hop and folk singer songwriter.

An interesting contemporary trend is the composition of religious music.

Specifically designed according to popular music styles.

A case point is contemporary Christian music.

A POST MODERN CASE STUDY IN AUTHENTICITY: JOHN MICHAEL TALBOT

An American Roman Catholic singer-songwriter. He is also the founder of monastic community, also known as the brother and sister charity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYecuDlDYM

JOHN MICHAEL TALBOT CONT’D

He is the largest selling Catholic musical artist, with four million albums sold.

He tours through the US in support of his monastic community, in the Ozark mountains in Arkansas.

For four years he explored different religions: Native American Religions, Hinduism, and Judism.

He also joined the Jesus Movement and examined Christians denominations.

He believes sacred music is sacramental and both reflects and guides the faithful.

Music based on faith, can take the listener on a closer walk with God, taking them into the heart of the Lord.