Religion, Politics, and Church Music

Way back in the beginning of July, HolyFamoley tagged me for my favorite church songs: Five in Latin, five in English, and five contemporary songs.

As a California resident, and someone who was raised exclusively in the Post-Vatican-II-West-Coast-Catholic-Church, I would like to extend the "Latin" field to "all non-English church music." And of course, for me "contemporary" means not Christian bands per se, but contemporary music that has Christian themes.

Alright, here goes!

Favorite Latin/Non-English Hymns:

1. Siyahamba/We Are Marching (South African)

2. Dong Co Tu o i/Fields of Fresh Grass (Vietnamese) I am afraid you can only find this beauty from OCP, but a trip to the website is certainly in order. You can hear both this song in English, and Amazing Grace in Vietnamese. It's rad. Click on "Contents" to hear particular songs.

3. Misa del Mundo by Jesse Manibusan (Multi-lingual Mass Parts)

4. Pan De Vida by Jaime Cortez (which, I have to admit, I like better than the more traditional stuff like Alabare and Pescador de Hombres)

5. The traditional Latin Kyrie & Agnus Dei are actually my favorite settings of those Mass parts.

Five Favorite English Hymns:

1. My Soul is Thirsting (a Psalm 63 setting by Bob Hurd)

2. Here at this Table by Janet Sullivan Whitaker (uhm, and "Day of Peace" and "In Ev'ry Age," too.)

3. What Wondrous Love Is This (trad.) Fernando Ortega has a nice setting of it.

4. All Are Welcome (Yes, it's a  Marty Haugen but holy crap, verse 5 sung with gusto "Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter, All are welcome in this place!" Makes me cry like a friggin' baby every time.)

5. A really obscure version of "Here I Am" by Micheal Becker? or Bobby Fisher? Not sure who wrote it, but here it is:

Five Favorite Contemporary Songs:

1. Orange Sky by Alexi Murdoch

2. And A God Descended by Dar Williams

3. Better Days by Goo Goo Dolls

4. Shimmer by Shawn Mullins

5. Both Hands by Ani DiFranco

Finally, in a new addition to the game, I would like to include:

Five Songs I Never Want to Hear Ever Again:

1. On Eagles Wings

2. Lord of the Dance (This song is played on eternal repeat in my own personal hell.)

3. Awesome God (Especially when the hand movements are used)

4. Canticle of the Sun (This was a favorite as a child and now it makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon...)

5. God Bless America or the National Anthem sung at Mass.

Okay- I would like to hear the answers to this music meme from...anyone who is interested in sharing! Leave them in the comments!

Comments

[Othemts]

Love the title of this post. Religion, Politics, and Church Music are three things you just shouldn't talk about. I'm going to keep silent on my favorite liturgical music because I suspect you wouldn't like it. Not one bit.

[Vito]

Great list! It gave me a great idea for my next blog.

Pax.

P.S. I vote that we remove "Awesome God" and replace it with "Bring Me To Life" by Evanesence.

[Ironic Catholic]

Hmmm.

*For non-English, I really like "Resuscito," when it's done well. We did it at Easter Vigil a couple of years ago and it was incredibly moving.
*I also like Donna Pena's (sorry, I can't do the accents or other alphabetical characters) "Pongo Mi Vida En Tus Manos".
* Tantum Ergo Sacramentum is hard to beat.

English: um, a lot. Here's five--
*I love "Be Thou My Vision."
*John Foley's "Keep Me Safe, O God"
*I think Foley wrote this one too: "A Song of Hope" ("I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord; plans of fullness, not of harm; to give you a future and a hope...")
*I love, but am begin to get a little tired of, John Bell's "The Summons".
*John Becker's "Litany of the Saints" makes me absolutely swoon. ("Lead Me, Lord" is great too)
*Roc O'Connor's Lift Up Your Hearts, once again, when it is done right. (Honestly, I used to play guitar with him, so I know how he means to play it! It rocks -- no pun intended.)

Ones I hope I never hear again:
*"Great Things Happen When God Mixes With Us"... actually, anything by Carey Landry, I'm afraid
*"Gather Us In" (which ain't that bad, but give it a rest, people!)
*"No Greater Love" (I'm a fan of Michael Joncas, but I really dislike this song intensely)
*There is one I have blessedly forgotten, but I call it the We Create God song...augh, this will drive me nuts. It's pretty popular and the music is nice, the verses are lovely, and the refrain drives me theologically *up a wall*. God Beyond All Names! There we go!

Anyway. Thanks for the musical trip done memory lane!

[Holy Famoley]

Aaaagh! Yes, I, too, HATE 'Lord of the Dance' WITH A PASSION!!! No doubt someone will tell me that 'Actually, a tap-dancing Jesus is biblical' but I DON'T CARE!!! Anyway most people think it is 'I am the lord of the damp settee'. By association, I can't stand celebrity Irish dancing troops. I also have serious problems with 'Bind us Together' (I'm assuming this one has international notoriety but I may be wrong) In my head it is always sung in that Irish-Catholic accent - "Boind us togedder Lord..." Still, the average British Catholic music group consists of 2 feeble accoustic guitarists and a 9 year-old flautist so we like to play safe...

[Flaviu Preda]

Pls...I'm looking for the lyrics for Resuscito and I can't find them anywere. It is a childhood song for me and it means a lot. Pls help me if you can!

[Air Jordans]

Compete, only for good, only against time.

[Brotherskeeper1]

Hello :) You wrote "Ones I hope I never hear again:
*"Great Things Happen When God Mixes With Us"... actually, anything by Carey Landry, I'm afraid."

What is that makes you afraid of Carey Landry songs, please tell? Do you not understand the meaning of the lyrics or dislike the melody ... whatever the case may be. I am not here to judge.

Peace to you.

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