Are there songs that have distinct religious messages or even religious overtones that you like anyway? I think many songs i heard in church were beautiful. Even songs on the radio such as Spirit in the Sky.
"You Say" by Lauren Daigle. I had to hear it sung several times to catch on it was a religious song even though the last verse addresses God.
I adore "Hallelujah", which if you actually read the words (Youtube!) Is actually one of the least religious songs out there yet sounds musically like a hymn.
In Your Eyes, by Peter Gabriel. It's supposed to have a double religious/romantic meaning. I love it.
My favourite would have to be Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen sung by Jeff Beck: beautiful
Such a shame him and his dad died young Leonard had a better run
This is a pretty version. Thanks.
I miss LC
@Davesnothere never seen that before, love the line,
βI had my demons, but they were middle class and lameβ
BOBBY BARE "Drop Kick Me Jesus"
Wow. Just wow.
@Tinocca He had a number of hits on the country charts during country's real peak in the 70s and 80s. If I was going to pick a real religious song it would be Amazing Grace only because we used to do a kick ass version of it in the 70s. We were nonbelievers , but it was a fun song to play and the country/country rock audiences we played to really liked it. We just kind of pulled it out of our ass one night after touring with Willie and hearing it every night, and we liked the way it came out. It kind of built all through the song until be the end of the song it was big.
I'm a total atheist but I like Ave Maria. Once when I was in the Cologne Cathedral in Germany i listened to Ave Maria while taking it all in. The history and environment was intense. Don't know what it means but the experience was intense.
Which one? I have sung a few different Ave Mariaβs...my own favourite is the Schubert one.
@Marionville Schubert. The history and cathedrals of Europe are an overwhelming experience for someone coming from a recent culture.
@rogueflyer Yes...I can understand that...Cologne Cathedral is a massive gothic structure! I suppose we Europeans are more used to seeing medieval structures such as cathedrals than those of you from the New World, but they still inspire awe in me too.
Last century, I was driving at night and was passing a big restaurant called "Dante's Inferno" At the exact same time they were playing "Light My Fire" on the radio. Not exactly religious but whenever I hear it I make this connection.
Despite the fact that it tells a story that I absolutely do not believe, "O Holy Night" is probably my favorite Christmas carol. It's just a very beautiful piece of music. The instrumental version by Mannheim Steamroller moves me to tears.
I sing this with my choir almost every year.
Stevie brings up god all the time in his lyrics and I donβt mind at all.
I havenβt heard this song before. I like it. Nice groove to it. Thanks for this one!
@Tinocca Second track on Songs in the Key of Life. I like all of his stuff of course. A national treasure.
@indirect76 Stevie is a genius.
I used to listen to a group call The Second Chapter of Acts when I was younger. I still occasionally listen to them because I love their harmonies. At the moment I'm obsessed with a group called The Hu. It's more spirituality then religion (they're a Mongolian Heavy Metal band), but their music is awesome.
Enjoy! I love good harmonies, as well.
Same way with me as far as The Second Chapter and also Barry McGuire during his Christian rock days.
One of my faves is Led Zeppelin's In My Time of Dying:
I owned that vinal once . . .
@Davesnothere my brother had every Zeppelin record. He listened to them all the time.
@Tinocca I had them all too, only most now digitized.
One more song that I love is " My sweet lord " by George Harrison. Actually anything by him is awesome
Yes, great song and artist. Thank you. One of my favorites as well.
I can listen to music and enjoy it without having to believe in the message.Norman Greenbaum is just one of many who wrote some great stuff that I can enjoy without having to buy into the words
The Coronation Mass by Mozart is very beautiful and uplifting.
I love quite a few hymns and Christmas Carols just because. Handels Messiah is a masterpiece a with a lot of church music of the baroque period as the church had the money to pay the top guys.
Power of Love by Frankie is pretty remarkable. Music is not restricted to the culture it was born into. It transcends all that nonsense.
Absolutely. I didnβt even start with all the Christmas songs I love. That is too big a list. O Holy Night is exquisite to me. I agree about Handelβs Messiah as well. So moving! Thanks for the input.
Around here several churches have "Messiah" sings where they hand out music & everybody partakes, usually followed by cookies & coffee. Tons of fun!
@AnneWimsey My sister sang in those for several years.
Least religious "religious-sounding" song on the planet, actually about the bItter side of human love , betrayal, loss.
@AnneWimsey Lots of Christians mistake this song as religious...obviously havenβt really listened to it properly.