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April 29, 2005
Guilty Pleasures
(Inspired by the last few comments in the What It Means thread below.)
In which we share the titles of liturgical music we're not supposed to like....but do.
(And if Mark Shea comes on here and admits his fondness for Ashes....I'll be looking for the Second Coming, because it probably will be happening soon.)
(And it doesn't have to be contemporary, either. If some sappy sentimental Mary our Dear, Sweet, Flower-Draped Mama makes your heart beat faster...spill)
(Oh, and you're not allowed to condescendingly critique others' guilty pleasures. Unless yours is worse)
Me first:
My name is Amy and I like...Blest Be the Lord.
I think it's not a great song, and the peppiness is definitely forced, but I'll always associate it with my freshman year in college, the year I got involved in campus ministry, made great friends and got psyched about faith. (And kind of psycho, too, probably, but that's another story). I still dig the descant, and when I hear the song, I still hear the bass fiddle in our folk group, with fondness, too.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
I have fond memories of a liturgical experiment I was part of in the late-70s. As a Grade 4(ish) schoolboy my class was permitted to choose a hymn to recite for our penance. Prior to my leaving the confessional the priest asked which hymn I had chosen. For I long time I couldn't figure out why he visibly flinched when I replied "Lord of the Dance."
Posted by: fidens at Apr 29, 2005 11:45:48 PM
While I do believe that God only hears prayers in Latin, I must admit that everytime I'm with my catholic school friends back in LA, we start humming and singing "And he will take you up on Eagle's wing..."
I feel quite guilty, but its a really fun song that has alot of great memories!
Posted by: radtrad at Apr 30, 2005 12:02:54 AM
I love 'Blest be the Lord' for personal reasons. It's actually my first religious memory, sitting on my mother's bed, supplying the words in a piping child's voice.
Mom: Blest be the..
Me: Lord!
Mom: Blest be the...
Me: Lord!
Mom: The God of
Me: Mercy!
Mom: The God who
Me: Saves!
And so on.
Posted by: Eileen R at Apr 30, 2005 12:11:53 AM
Growing up in the Christian Family Movement, it was hard not to become attached to the songs of Carey Landry and Carol Jean Kinghorn.
While I'm not thrilled with "His Banner Over Me Is Love" or "Peace is flowing" these days, I still really like "Only a Shadow" and "The Spirit is A-Movin."
I think I'll get my mother "Hi God!" on CD for Mother's Day. One consequence of a high turnover in church music is that you lose the songs that you lived your life to.
No guilt, but then, I also sang Mozart, Bach, and Palestrina with the cathedral choir growing up.
Posted by: Fred K at Apr 30, 2005 12:20:05 AM
I like Anthem and always have. I'm sure it has more to do with where I was in my life when it was first popular than anything else (as many people seem to note.) But if I were told I would never again hear Anthem, I'd be sad.
Posted by: Radactrice at Apr 30, 2005 12:37:25 AM
All of the songs just named really don't sound al that bad when they are sung a-capella by a good Gospel choir, like you might hear in a Black Protestant church. They do sound tacky when sung by a bunch of crackers, accompanied by a piano or keyboard, trying to pretend they're Black.
Just my opinion.
When done tastefully, I do believe that Gospel music/negro spirituals, and even some charismatic music, can be incorporated into a solemn, traditional liturgy.
Posted by: Eric Giunta at Apr 30, 2005 12:47:53 AM
It's not a guilty pleasure, but it's a rare one: "Be Thou My Vision." And you're supposed to like it.
Last heard by me at my father's funeral 14 years ago:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High king of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High king of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
Posted by: Whitcomb at Apr 30, 2005 1:11:52 AM
I remember being incredibly moved by "I am the Bread of Life" ("and I will ray-haze you up!") at my grandfather's funeral. I also like "Hosea."
Don't worry, though! "Ashes," "Anthem," and "Lord of the Dance" are never intoned by these lips!
Posted by: RDS at Apr 30, 2005 1:16:56 AM
Context may be everything in this discussion.
"I Am the Bread of Life" is actually not so bad because it seems to rouse the populace at Mass. Not a bad modern tune for a funeral, either.
"Lord of the Dance" is a great song for kids. My son loved it when he was small.
"Blest Be the Lord" to me is the classic guitar Mass tune. It grabs you sometimes, against your will, even though the lyrics aren't that great.
Another song that is often ridiculed--"Gift of Finest Wheat"--took on a strange poignance for me at the funeral several years ago of Archbishop Daniel Sheehan of Omaha. It was reportedly his favorite song. Maybe that had something to do with it.
Then there is the tune that reminds me of the "Charlie the Tuna" TV commercials. Is it "Every Valley"?
But the champ-een worst modern church song has to be, "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love." I hated it when I first heard it in 1970, and I hate it still.
Posted by: Whitcomb at Apr 30, 2005 1:42:33 AM
I mentioned in the thread below that I can't really dislike "Gather Us In." It makes me think of my grandmother for some reason - don't know why, because she never sang anything in her life. I think it might have been sung at the church she took me to when I was about four - anyway, the association is there. I also have a soft spot for "Gift of Finest Wheat."
Whitcomb - I too completely lack love for "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love." Skin-crawling. I can be very unloving (working on fixing this, not boasting about it) and this song sets me back about a year every time I hear it. Similarly for a song whose title I don't know but which the musicians at the local Newman Center sang during the Christmas season; I've blotted out most of it, but the chorus started "The angel said Maaaaary, you're gonna have a baaaaaby" and went on for about eight verses. I wanted to go Bluto on their guitars. I wonder how many sins-in-the-heart are prompted by awful music?
Posted by: Sonetka at Apr 30, 2005 2:39:39 AM
Sorry to double-post, but I just remembered a story my dad told me about, this would have happened when I was very young and the USSR was still a viable entity. Apparently the priest at Mass had preached a fiery anti-nuke homily, the gist of which was that if the US would just give up its nuclear weapons unilaterally, the USSR would be so overcome by our moral rectitude that they would give theirs up as well, and all would be joy and harmony forevermore. Good topic, but not in that particular context and with a captive audience. After it was over and the gifts were being brought up, my dad noticed that the music the organist was playing sounded vaguely familiar, but couldn't really place it.
After a minute, a friend leaned over and whispered "Isn't that `Somewhere Over The Rainbow'?" And it was. Played lentissimo.
Posted by: Sonetka at Apr 30, 2005 2:44:50 AM
Immaculate Mary, Salve Regina and that one that used to get played often when I was a kid, but I have no idea what it is (it was old Church because it sounded like the sound track from the movie The Omen). ;)
Posted by: Rick Lugari at Apr 30, 2005 4:52:37 AM
Though it's more like a chant than a hymn, I particularly like the praises that are sometimes sung at Benediction: "Blessed be God, blessed be his holy name, etc."
The words (supposed to have been written in the late 18th century, with later additions) appeal to me very much, and the tune (no idea who composed it) is very simple and complements the words perfectly.
Posted by: Lance Eccles at Apr 30, 2005 5:42:23 AM
I am definitely a traditionalist when it comes to liturgical music, BUT . . . I really don't mind these:
"I Am the Bread of Life"
"Lord, When You Came to the Seashore"
"Hosea"
(Notice how none are by Marty Haugen!)
Posted by: Robin at Apr 30, 2005 5:51:31 AM
As I said below I like Earthen Vessels, although that is the only one of the hymns dragged in during the past 35 years that I have any fondness for. In my defense I should note that I cannot carry a key to save my life when I sing and I suspect I am tone deaf.
Posted by: Donald R. McClarey at Apr 30, 2005 5:54:49 AM
I'll always have a wretched fondness for "On Eagle's Wings". The first parish I joined would sing it every week, and blessedly ignorant of Liturigical wars, I enjoyed it every week.
Posted by: Jason at Apr 30, 2005 6:40:51 AM
For me, the height of the 70's nonsense was singing "One Tin Soldier" and "Let it Be" during Mass. I still remember the overhead-projector lyrics on the wall of the Church and the folk guitarists strumming away like a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young performance. Funny, that was also the same time period we kept losing parish priests to married life!
Posted by: frank sales at Apr 30, 2005 6:43:41 AM
I absolutely love "Be Not Afraid."
Although I usually despise "Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore," I heard a soloist sing it at a funeral of a teenaged boy named Michael, and there wasn't a dry eye in the church, including mine.
Posted by: noe at Apr 30, 2005 6:53:09 AM
Bless me for I have sinned. I like Lord of the Dance (I think it's that Shaker melody). I also like City of God and On Eagle's Wings, the latter is especially good on a CD of inspirational music by Michael Crawford (the orginal and best! Broadway Phantom of the Opera).
As another poster said recently, I shall now submit to my ritual stoning.
Posted by: Cheryl at Apr 30, 2005 6:56:27 AM
Guilty.
"I am the Bread of Life" was sung during communion at a Cursillo 12 years ago. I was on the way back from culture-Catholic agnosticism. 50, out-of-tune guys belting it out (everyone knows the chorus) in a packed chapel, still gives me shivers. The weekend was on a Passion Sunday so "The King of Glory" still gets me going.
Posted by: jerry at Apr 30, 2005 7:02:25 AM
I like "You Are Near" especially the way this group does it.
http://www.hangad.org/audio/streaming/mp3s_you_are_near.ram
Posted by: Art at Apr 30, 2005 7:04:12 AM
+J.M.J+
Though I mostly agree with Thomas Day's book, I really like those "sappy" Marian hymns he decries. I wouldn't mind hearing "Mother Dear O Pray for Me" in Church, and every once in a while I find myself singing "Bring Flowers of the Fairest" - even if it isn't May!
As for the modern stuff, "Blest Be the Lord" is rather nice because it offers praise to God. Though I'd rather hear chant or hymns at Mass, I can tolerate some modern songs that praise God like "Sing A New Song" and "Sing to the Mountains." It's the songs that are all about us, us, US which annoy me the most (Anthem, Gather Us In, etc.).
Ever hear a song called "Sing to God a Brand New Canticle"? The folk group in my parish sang it when I was just a wee lass, and I've always liked it. I think it came from the Charismatic Renewal movement.
"Lord of the Dance" is fun as a campfire song. I sing it to myself every once in a while.
I like "I Am the Bread of Life" because it is taken straight from Scripture and so is a great way to get kids to memorize parts of John 6 and 11. I speak from experience; I was six years old when it first came out; it was my favorite song for a while and I memorized the whole thing.
The album _Earthen Vessels_ has a great song called "Take, Lord, Receive," taken almost word-for-word from the Suscipe prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola. I don't think I've ever heard it sung in church (it's probably not well-suited to congregational singing), but it's another great memorization device - this time for a wonderful prayer.
In Jesu et Maria,
Posted by: Rosemarie at Apr 30, 2005 7:11:28 AM
I Am The Bread Of Life and Be Not Afraid hold up pretty well. Both based on actual Biblical (or as we Catholics say, Scriptural) passages. Gift Of Finest Wheat completely worn out. They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love belongs to a time when Charles Curran was taken seriously. Neither should receive that attention today.
Posted by: Gerard E. at Apr 30, 2005 7:22:48 AM
I absolutely loved "Lord of the Dance" as a non-Catholic child attending Catholic school. "City of God" and "Gather Us In" work for me and to be truthful, I'm not quite clear why I'm not supposed to like them. "I Have Loved You" nearly always gets me in tears, even though, when I look at the lyrics, the song-writing leaves a lot to be desired. I guess it's the utter simplicity of the text.
Posted by: Will at Apr 30, 2005 7:26:40 AM
Though the mountains may fall, and the hills turn to dust, yet the love of the Lord will stand...
As a shelter to all
who will call on his name
Sing the praise and glory of God...
I like almost all the up tempo songs, especially as they're usually used in the recessional, and get you out of Mass tapping your toes.
However, the organist at our church can't ever play any song in its correct tempo. Listening to "City of God" in Lento is excruciating. Oh, and "Lord of the Dance" as a dirge. That was interesting. At least it gets my mind off the off-key singing from the cantor. I hope this is an all-volunteer effort, because I would hate to think these people are getting paid for their poor work.
Posted by: Meep at Apr 30, 2005 7:38:38 AM
