Pop songs that mention God/Jesus
October 4, 2011 8:23 AM   Subscribe

"Religious" pop songs of the 90's and 2000's?

Hello!

I'm writing an essay about religion in pop music, and I'm trying to compile a list of pop songs, good or bad, (preferably radio-played singles) that mention God or discuss Christianity or its trappings (salvation, angels, etc.) in some way. I'm really struggling with the 2000's since I don't listen to pop radio much anymore. If the song isn't specifically religious or anti-religious but still has anti-establishment content (like the Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine") that still works for me.

Here's what I have so far:
One of Us by Joan Osbourne
Losing My Religion by REM
Counting Blue Cars by Dishwalla
God by Tori Amos (I could use a number of her songs, but I'm sticking with "God")
Flood by Jars of Clay
Angel by Sarah McLachlan
Building a Mystery by Sarah McLachlan
Closer to Fine by Indigo Girls
Everything Falls Apart by Dog's Eye View (for the one God verse)

...and the pathetic list of the 2000's:

Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood
Calling All Angels by Train
posted by mermaidcafe to Media & Arts (53 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Jesus Walks by Kanye West
posted by GatorX3 at 8:24 AM on October 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Breathe - Amy Lee/David Hodges
posted by Defying Gravity at 8:29 AM on October 4, 2011


There was this one-hit-wonder wunderkind from 2000, a twelve-year-old country singer who did a song called One Voice -- I think it there was some religious content involving a kid praying to stop school violence or something.

In The Sun is from 2000, and is kind of lovely.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:34 AM on October 4, 2011


Oh, duh -- Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" and "City of Ruins". "The Rising" is about a fireman who gets killed in the Twin Towers, but at that moment he has a vision of St. Mary and is thus comforted (no, I'm not kidding), and "City of Ruins" has a prayer right in it.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:36 AM on October 4, 2011


Switchfoot probably fits the bill, and they got played a lot on non-Christian radio. Dare You to Move got pretty famous.
posted by kingfishers catch fire at 8:37 AM on October 4, 2011




Are you writing about "religion in pop music" or "religious pop music"? Because, there's an entire flipping subculture.

And who can forget the theological dry-hump that is Creed? And this has sort of been U2's whole schtick sense, like, forever.

And, I mean, Lifehouse, Evanescence, etc. play around with this stuff a lot. The former are basically a CCM band that's decided not to be, and Evanescence was mistaken for one often enough that they got kind of annoyed about it. Sufjan Stevens is a Christian, and you can tell that in his music, but he's pretty subtle about it.

But I have to say that The Mountain Goats and The Hold Steady have to be some of the most interesting players in this game, both of them having taken extended, fairly insightful looks at Christianity and their relationship to it (metaphorical or otherwise). TMG actually have an album entitled The Life of the World to Come, which is a fairly religious meditation on death and dying. The track titles are all Bible citations, e.g. "Deuteronomy 2:10". The Hold Steady have a large number of songs that imply a former relationship with the church which is been colored by disillusionment.
posted by valkyryn at 8:40 AM on October 4, 2011 [2 favorites]


Terrible Lie by Nine Inch Nails
Judith by A Perfect Circle
posted by bfranklin at 8:41 AM on October 4, 2011


Come to Jesus - Mindy Smith
posted by fuse theorem at 8:42 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


"Tourniquet" by Evanescence.

Also, "Losing My Religion" wasn't meant to be about losing your actual religion. The phrase "losing my religion" is an idiomatic phrase meaning "at the end of my rope."
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:42 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Delirious? would also work, as would Reliant K. They're both Christian bands that tried to cross over.

The Fray and Lifehouse are probably exactly what you're looking for, actually.
posted by kingfishers catch fire at 8:43 AM on October 4, 2011


The band Owl City receives a lot of airplay on Christian radio.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:44 AM on October 4, 2011


Oh jeez, also Dear God by XTC
posted by Jinkeez at 8:45 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Also, "Losing My Religion" wasn't meant to be about losing your actual religion. The phrase "losing my religion" is an idiomatic phrase meaning "at the end of my rope."

This is a good point -- are you focusing more on just the symbolism, or actual religious subject matter? Because for that matter, Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" is about heroin, rather than an actual angel. So it would help to know whether you're dealing mainly with the symbology, or actual subject matter.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:45 AM on October 4, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks for the Kanye tip!

I forgot about Heresy by NIN and also the "crucify the insincere tonight" line from Smashing Pumpkins' Tonight Tonight.
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:46 AM on October 4, 2011


She Talks To Angels -- Black Crowes (though the song is really about opiate addction)

Angels and Fuselage -- Drive-By Truckers (the song is intended to be the thoughts running through Ronnie Van Zandt's head as Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crashes and he confronts his imminent death)

And how about some thoughtful country music?

God Isn't Real -- Robbie Fulks
posted by BitterOldPunk at 8:48 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks all. I'm not writing about CCM, just about the way depictions of religion have changed between 90's and 2000's pop music. And I haven't decided how I feel about metaphorical religious things (like in "Angel" and "Losing My Religion.")
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:48 AM on October 4, 2011


"Flood" by Jars of Clay
posted by floweredfish at 8:48 AM on October 4, 2011


I don't know how much flexibility you have on the direction of the paper, but the use of religious symbols to refer to non-religious issues in pop music might be one hell of an interesting angle to take.
posted by COD at 8:50 AM on October 4, 2011


Creed - Higher
posted by unreasonable at 8:55 AM on October 4, 2011


It actually kinda bothers me ('cause I'm an atheist, and get weirded out when music I like gets all jebusy. ), but several of Mike Doughty's songs have overt (i.e. actual mentions of "god" or "jesus") religious references in them.

Sorry I can't be more help w/ specific song titles, I'd have to go back and give 'em a listen.

I don't remember any of that stuff in any Soul Coughing (his former band) lyrics, but maybe I just wasn't paying attention.
posted by zen_spider at 8:57 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


What you want is the WOW cds, which run from about 1996 onward, for -Christian- music specifically.

This may also be helpful.
posted by DisreputableDog at 8:58 AM on October 4, 2011


God Shuffled His Feet by the Crash Test Dummies
posted by carmicha at 9:03 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Religious references in Coldplay's Viva La Vida
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:05 AM on October 4, 2011


Some of the artists who have been mentioned use it in a lot of their songs: Smashing Pumpkins, Tori Amos, Nine Inch Nails. Examples:

Smashing Pumpkins - Zero - "Cleanliness is godliness, and God is empty, just like me."

Zwan (Billy Corgan's short-lived band) only put out one album, and it has a lot of religion in it. The first line of the album is "Here comes my faith to carry my on." Titles of other songs include "Declarations of Faith" and "Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea." Based on interviews, I get the impression that Corgan is earnestly religious.

Tori Amos - "Precious Things" - references to Christianity and Jesus

And speaking of the lyrics to that song, Nine Inch Nails has a lot of these: "Head Like a Hole" ("God money..."), "Suck" (hidden track on Broken EP), "The Only Time" (lines about Heaven and the Devil), "Sanctified," etc.

Alice in Chains - "Heaven Beside You"

In the 2000s, Jenny Lewis uses religion all over the place -- in her song "Born Secular," for instance. Also, her band Rilo Kiley has a great song called "The Absence of God." "The absence of God will bring you comfort."
posted by John Cohen at 9:06 AM on October 4, 2011


I don't know how much flexibility you have on the direction of the paper, but the use of religious symbols to refer to non-religious issues in pop music might be one hell of an interesting angle to take.

Agreed. And yes, U2 is CHOCK-FULL of both kinds of "religion in music" songs -- they mean for it to be ambiguous so non-Christians can still enjoy it. From "Beautiful Day," you have "See the bird with the leaf in her mouth/After the flood all the colors came out," which is a reference to the story of the dove with the olive branch coming back to Noah's Ark. But the song's not really about Noah or the flood myth. (Incidentally, "Beautiful Day" is from 2001.)

Oh, and then there's "Vertigo" from 2006, I think: "I can't stand the beats, I'm asking for the check/Girl with crimson nails has Jesus 'round her neck". And "City of Blinding Lights" may also suit -- "Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel, Luckily..." And more recently, their song "Get On Your Boots" mentions Satan at one point.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:06 AM on October 4, 2011


Mase left music in 1999 due to a "calling from God." He retuned to music some years later, and his 2006 mixtape Crucified 4 Tha Hood has on its cover Mase in a crown of thorns.

NIN's "Hurt," which was of course covered by Johnny Cash, both feature invocations of the crown of thorns - the "crown of shit" for NIN, the "crown of thorns" for Johnny Cash.

It's not Christian, but Wu-Tang's Wu-Tang Forever is heavily influenced by the teachings of the Five Percent Nation.
posted by Sticherbeast at 9:06 AM on October 4, 2011


zen_spider, I can offer a VERY specific Mike Doughty song of the type you're thinking: "His Truth Is Marching On," from Haughty Melodic. That's by FAR the most overtly Christian of his songs. He also has "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and "Lord Lord Help Me Just to Rock Rock On" on Sad Man Happy Man, but those are nowhere near as religiously based.

(I loves me some Doughty but "His Truth" does skeeve my atheist self out. FWIW, Doughty became a Christian when he kicked heroin. Soul Coughing doesn't have that kind of outright referencing because he wasn't a Christian at that point.)

mermaidcafe, just thinking off the top of my head here, but the fact that a couple folks have mentioned songs that are seemingly about religion but are really about substance abuse is a real trigger for me. Given that many folks shift from substance use to religion (it's key in AA/NA), the usage of that metaphor might have some really interesting potential for your paper.
posted by dlugoczaj at 9:11 AM on October 4, 2011


Jason Mraz has described himself as sort of a religious dabbler, and some of his songs have a spiritual overtones. When We Die is probably the clearest example, but also Life is Wonderful and Remedy (I Won't Worry)

I asked a previous question about songs with Buddhist themes.
posted by desjardins at 9:11 AM on October 4, 2011


Doughty became a Christian when he kicked heroin. Soul Coughing doesn't have that kind of outright referencing because he wasn't a Christian at that point.

Actually, if I remember correctly Doughty describes himself as something of a "lapsed Lutheran," who sort of "un-lapsed" after he hit rock bottom. It was more a rediscovery than a conversion. Same general effect though.

posted by valkyryn at 9:16 AM on October 4, 2011


Ben Harper has a number of religious songs and even did an entire gospel/soul album with the Blind Boys of Alabama called "There will be a Light." It's quite good.
posted by Kevtaro at 9:16 AM on October 4, 2011


Oh -- George Harrison's last album didn't get much radio play, but he's also good for religious themes. (Granted, he's talking about Lord Krishna and it's not always obvious that that's the case.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:18 AM on October 4, 2011


You Got The Love

When food is gone you are my daily need
When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real
You know it's real


It's actually a gospel song about dieting (not joking, it was written for a diet video in the 80s).
posted by empath at 9:25 AM on October 4, 2011


I don't think you can talk about religion in pop music in the 90s without mentioning Marilyn Manson.
posted by empath at 9:29 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


This might be cheating, but Sarah McLachlan did a cover of XTC's Dear God. It received airplay here in Canada but I don't know if it was actually a single.

Tori Amos has been mentioned but there's also Crucify.

Crowded House's There Goes God is from early 90s, but it wasn't a single.

Longview's Further mentions God.

Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus is from '89, if you think you can squeak that through.
posted by methroach at 9:32 AM on October 4, 2011


Vertical Horizon seemed to me to have a total Jesus vibe. This hilarious 2002-vintage FAQ -- hosted on tripod with white-on-black text and everything! -- has some insight on the subject.

While I was googling around to confirm my vague memory that David Bazan/Pedro the Lion have some heavy Christian influences, I found this, which might be helpful.

And if you want to go there, the Insane Clown Posse angle might be a rich vein.
posted by clavicle at 9:36 AM on October 4, 2011


Gospel House might be an interesting side topic. There are a lot of earnest, pro-god gospel house records that came out in the 90s, as well as decidedly less earnest ones like God Is a DJ (faithless and pink both did songs with that title which are otherwise unrelated).
posted by empath at 9:42 AM on October 4, 2011


Like A Prayer came out in 1989
posted by empath at 10:10 AM on October 4, 2011


Forgot to mention Sinead O'Connor's No Man's Woman from early 2000s. The reference to God/Christianity is subtle.
posted by methroach at 10:12 AM on October 4, 2011


Lifehouse -- Breathing (2000)
Youth of the Nation(2001) is by a Christian band called POD, but it made it to 28 on Billboard's Hot 100 list and was widely, widely played on normal rock/pop stations.
posted by Night_owl at 11:12 AM on October 4, 2011


Sixpence None The Richer - Breathe Your Name
posted by Knappster at 11:31 AM on October 4, 2011


Lauryn Hill - Tell Him
Also, this previous question casts a wider net, but there are quite a few examples that fit.
posted by Lorin at 12:04 PM on October 4, 2011


Further by Longview (a Christian band that broke through to the mainstream, at least in the UK, during the 2000s).
posted by greycap at 12:22 PM on October 4, 2011


Religion and U2.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:23 PM on October 4, 2011


I have a friend who was absolutely OBSESSED with "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. It's religious, and it was played on mainstream radio in CT, on the easy listening/light pop/doctors office stations (definitely Star 99.9 and WEBE 108, and probably others). Something so very religious was kind of an odd thing for that area on mainstream radio. I heard it a lot, and I wasn't listening to the radio all day. It was recorded in 2001, became popular in 2003/2004.

The song kind of freaked me out, to be honest. It's a guy wondering how he'll react to meeting Jesus after he dies.
posted by AlisonM at 12:28 PM on October 4, 2011


Look at R&B balads
posted by radioamy at 12:30 PM on October 4, 2011


How has nobody mentioned I saw the Sign by Ace of Base!?!
posted by radioamy at 12:31 PM on October 4, 2011


If you consider Tool "pop", Eulogy (1996) is robust.

Death Cab's I Will Follow You Into the Dark (2006) is a lovely contemporary tune about death and the afterlife.

I remember DC Talk getting some airplay back in the late 90s with Jesus Freak, although more rare than even Jars of Clay, as I recall.
posted by lantius at 12:43 PM on October 4, 2011


Arrested Development had a lot of religious references
MC Hammer -- Pray
posted by cross_impact at 1:41 PM on October 4, 2011


Response by poster: You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for your help. :)
posted by mermaidcafe at 5:18 PM on October 4, 2011


dude check out Lee "Scratch" Perry - Pum Pum — just loads of sexy women dancing and Lee going "Jesus Christ, gimme more", it is awesome
posted by Tom-B at 5:27 PM on October 4, 2011


But I have to say that The Mountain Goats and The Hold Steady have to be some of the most interesting players in this game, both of them having taken extended, fairly insightful looks at Christianity and their relationship to it (metaphorical or otherwise). TMG actually have an album entitled The Life of the World to Come, which is a fairly religious meditation on death and dying. The track titles are all Bible citations, e.g. "Deuteronomy 2:10". The Hold Steady have a large number of songs that imply a former relationship with the church which is been colored by disillusionment.

You know I'd say this, but I agree with this.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 6:19 PM on October 4, 2011


Probably too late, but I'm kicking myself for not remembering Regina Spektor's "Laughing With"--which is wonderful.
posted by dlugoczaj at 11:48 AM on October 14, 2011


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