As promised, here’s my stab at a playlist of legitimately great Christian rock songs, in response to the one Daniel Radosh posted on the NY Times blog. The criteria I used were:
1. The song had to be something that could honestly be called Christian Rock. Clearly, tons of “secular” music references Jesus, and huge amounts of it deal with Christian themes, sometimes very explicitly. But we wouldn’t call those songs Christian Rock (that’s a playlist for another day). At the same time, by Christian Rock I don’t necessarily mean CCM (Christian Contemporary Music), which is what you hear on the radio mostly. Instead, these songs all come from outspokenly Christian artists, who, even if they wouldn’t be comfortable with the term “Christian Rock”, wouldn’t be surprised by it either. I know I’m stretching things with Pedro and Sufjan (and Elvis!) but I couldn’t resist.
2. I took seriously the word “rock”. I love gospel, but there’s none here. Same goes for country and worship music.
3. They had to be songs I hadn’t already included on a Mockingbird playlist. Or songs on Radosh’s mix.
4. Finally, each song had to be something I’d listen to/recommend regardless of lyrical content (that is, unless the lyrics were bad).
Here goes:
1. I’m Coming Home – Tommy James
2. I’ve Got Confidence – Elvis Presley
3. (He’s Got) The Whole World In His Hands – Dion
4. To Guard And To Guide You – Lift To Experience
5. Of Minor Prophets And Their Prostitute Wives – Pedro The Lion
6. A New Law – Derek Webb
7. Dead Man (Carry Me) – Jars Of Clay
8. All I Need Is Everything – Over The Rhine
9. Less Than Love – The Normals
10. Jesus Loves You, Brian Wilson – The Lost Dogs
11. Life On Other Planets – Vigilantes Of Love
12. Jesus Gonna Build Me A Home – John Davis
13. I Believe In You – Bob Dylan
14. Jesus Never Leaves Me – Duvall
15. The Transfiguration – Sufjan Stevens
16. Ten Thousand Angels – Caedmon’s Call
To listen/borrow, click here.
Looking at the list, I realize a lot of it comes from artists who’ve had dramatic mid-career conversions (Tommy James, Dion, John Davis, Dylan, Duvall). Interesting. I also realize there’s a Waterdeep-sized hole, which hopefully Sean can help us out with.
So… What did I miss? What should I have missed?
COMMENTS
7 responses to “Mbird-Approved Christian Rock”
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That’s an interesting compilation. Another song that you might consider is Tommy James’ “Sweet Cherry Wine.” Most people consider the anti Viet Nam vibrations of the song, which are certainly there (but not overstated). But almost everyone misses the answer the song has, and that is the Sweet Cherry Wine (aka: Blood of Jesus). “To save us, He gave us, Sweet Cherry Wine… drink it right down, pass it all around, people don’t you know the cup in runnin’ over.” Very subtle, and beautiful expression. Dale Smith, Lebanon, IN
Dale-
Glad to know I have a fellow Tommy James fan out there! “Sweet Cherry Wine” is such a great song, definitely the best piece of anti-Vietnam/pro-Communion bubblegum pop ever recorded.
Actually, Tommy James is a current obsession of mine. As far as I can tell, he was one of the first if not THE first high-profile (white) rock star to go through a public conversion. And the music didn’t suffer! In fact, quite to the contrary: his album “Christian Of The World”(1971) is a true rock n roll masterpiece, Christian or otherwise.
Draggin the line,
DZ
dz:
good stuff. i’d add a few. i mean, i don’t know what i’d “add” but you should check these out.
“Film at 11” – The 77s
or
“The Rain Kept Falling In Love” – The 77s
“Paul and Virginia” – Over the Rhine
“You Are Loved” – Altar Boys
(i could list many more Altar boys tracks)
“About Love” – The Choir
“Dry Bones Dance” – Mark Heard
“Deaf and Dumb” – Mike Knott
“The Man Comes Around” – Johnny Cash
that’s it for now. call me and lets rock.
-c.
Some additions:
U2 – Love Rescue Me
U2 – The First Time
David Crowder Band – Come Awake
Allison Krauss – Jesus Help Me To Stand
Cash – The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago
Cash – The Man Comes Around
Also:
Over the Rhine – Changes Come
caleb-
i need you to make me a 77s mix asap. isn’t michael roe of the 77s the same michael roe who wrote and sang “jesus loves you, brian wilson”? so at least he’s got some representation. i think dusty is friends with him, btw…
nathan-
great suggestions, i’ve definitely got to check out the allison krauss and over the rhine songs. i had thought about including u2 but then wondered if they might not fit that first criterion. of course, sufjan and pedro don’t really fit it either… mainly i just didn’t want to have to pick only one of their songs (in addition to the ones you mentioned, how about “the wanderer” or “mysterious ways” or “yahweh”?!).
as for johnny cash, he had also very much crossed my mind, but a strict reading of criterion#2 probably prohibits country… then again, “the man comes around” pretty much counts as rock anyway.
this is fun – keep the suggestions coming!