While attending a wedding this past weekend, I started flipping through the hymnal in front of me. I have always been fascinated by the way churches use music to represent their views of God and how much of the greatest classical music was written specifically for church services.
That got me to thinking about our culture. How is God characterized in our music today? What would it be like if future historians look back on our society and try to characterize our religious ideas based only on our pop culture? I can just see some future college professor lecturing on our belief that God was actually Alanis Morisette, as evidenced by the wildly popular documentary,"" ""Dogma."" Then, in my mid-wedding daydream, I started making a list of songs I would preserve for the future professor.
""I Will Follow You Into the Dark,"" Death Cab for Cutie
Basically, this song says, ""Damn every known system of theology, let's commit suicide together and skip off into the void."" I'm a sucker for songs about communal suicide.
""God Only Knows,"" the Beach Boys
At one point, this song questions, ""What good would living do me?"" More suicide. But really, the only thing this song brings to my mind is the opening credits to ""Big Love.""
""Bukowski,"" Modest Mouse
Ok, so Alanis is getting some rough breaks so far. Two songs about suicide and now a song that calls God a ""control freak,"" an ""Indian giver"" and an ""asshole.""
""God Part II,"" U2
At least one U2 song is required in any playlist about God. Or AIDS. Or pretentious lead singers with god complexes. This songs positive message - ""I believe in love"" - though, is somewhat offset by another - ""I don't believe in cocaine / But a speedball is in my hand.""
""I Think God Can Explain,"" Splender
Splender is putting a lot of pressure on the omnipotent Alanis to answer some tough questions in this song. Questions like ""Is this actually a song about a breakup,"" and ""Isn't the word spelled ""'Splendor?'""
""Jah Didn't Kill Johnny,"" Sage Francis
""God would never kill Johnny Cash."" Well, maybe after some of his masturbatory greatest hits albums, but not after he started working with Rick Rubin.
""Counting Blue Cars,"" Dishwalla
""Tell me all your thoughts on God / 'cause I'd really like to meet her. / And ask her why we're who we are."" Finally, some validation for Alanis and her genitalia.
""What God Wants (Part 1),"" Roger Waters
This is actually a three-part song from his album, Amused to Death. His lyrics claim that God must want ""famine, war and chain stores."" Sounds more like, ""What Sam Walton wants.""
""God Must Hate Me,"" Simple Plan
I actually strongly believe this song. If we live in a world where bubble gum-punk crap could be as popular as Simple Plan, some omniscient being must really, really hate us.
""One of Us,"" Joan Osborne
If Alanis Morissette was God, then what would Joan Osborne be? I mean, if one mid-90s vagina rocker is a deity, why can't they all be? Could Sarah McLaughlin be Vishnu? Is Tori Amos really Zarathustra? Who is Ani DiFranco?
I'm pretty sure these songs do not reflect the current theology of our nation. Actually, I dare you to come up with a worse list.
Wondering how Dale forgot Neil Diamond's ""Thank the Lord for the Nighttime?"" E-mail the songs he missed to dpmundt@wisc.edu.
