Difference between revisions of "Popular songs based on the Bible"
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| − | Handel's Messiah consists exclusively of Bible quotations, such as, "For unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon shoulder." (Isaiah 9:6) | + | Handel's ''[[Messiah]]'' consists exclusively of [[Bible]] quotations, such as, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." ([[Isaiah]] 9:6) |
| − | The Lord's Prayer has been set to music by a number of artists and composers. A 1935 setting by Albert Hay Malotte is a familiar and popular staple of the church choir repertoire. It has been recorded in a pop music context by [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]]<ref>http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fixqu5ld6e</ref> | + | The [[Lord's Prayer]] has been set to music by a number of artists and composers. A 1935 setting by Albert Hay Malotte is a familiar and popular staple of the church choir repertoire. It has been recorded in a pop music context by [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]].<ref>http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fixqu5ld6e</ref> |
| − | Turn, Turn, Turn - Pete Seeger (popularized by | + | "Turn, Turn, Turn" - [[Pete Seeger]] (popularized by The Byrds, for whom it was their second #1 hit, was adapted from [[Ecclesiastes]]) [http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Turn_Turn_Turn_or_to_Everything_There_is_a_Season.htm]. |
| − | Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen (refers to [[King David]])[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/hallelujah.html] | + | [["Hallelujah"]] - Leonard Cohen (refers to [[King David]])[http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/hallelujah.html] |
| − | Hair - PJ Harvey (relates the story of [[Samson]] and Delilah) [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pjharvey/hair.html] | + | "Hair" - PJ Harvey (relates the story of [[Samson]] and Delilah) [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pjharvey/hair.html] |
| − | Dead - The Pixies (tells of [[King David]]'s love for [[Bathsheba]] and murder of [[Uriah the Hittite]]) [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pixies/dead.html] | + | "Dead" - The Pixies (tells of [[King David]]'s love for [[Bathsheba]] and murder of [[Uriah the Hittite]]) [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pixies/dead.html] |
| − | The Unicorn - (words: Shel Silverstein) tells the story of the [[Great Flood]] and explains the absence of unicorns from the [[Ark]] see: http://www.unicorncollector.com/music.htm | + | "The Unicorn" - (words: Shel Silverstein) tells the story of the [[Great Flood]] and explains the absence of unicorns from the [[Ark]] see: http://www.unicorncollector.com/music.htm |
| − | Deck of Cards - (T.Texas Tyler) sung by Tex Ritter (1948)<ref> See http://www.albertarose.org/Remember/deck_of_cards.htm. The 1959 Wink Martindale version | + | "[[Deck of Cards]]" - (T. Texas Tyler) sung by Tex Ritter (1948).<ref>See http://www.albertarose.org/Remember/deck_of_cards.htm. The 1959 [[Wink Martindale]] version has been listed as one of the worst songs ever to appear in the charts in the early 60's; Martindale would go on to become a popular game show host.</ref> This tells the (supposedly true) story of a soldier using a deck of cards, which he claims helps him to remember the Bible. |
| − | <ref> The following website: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/cards.asp cites this as an example of an Urban Legend, which occurs any time the US is at war; particular examples relate to WWII, and the current Afghanistan Conflict; however, the website claims that references to this have been around since 1788</ref> | + | <ref>The following website: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/cards.asp cites this as an example of an Urban Legend, which occurs any time the US is at war; particular examples relate to WWII, and the current Afghanistan Conflict; however, the website claims that references to this have been around since 1788</ref> |
| − | + | "It Ain't Necessarily So," from ''[[Porgy and Bess]]'', by [[George Gershwin|George and Ira Gershwin]], is a perennial hit and has had numerous recordings. In the opera, it is sung by the villain, Sportin' Life, a character patterned after [[Cab Calloway]]'s stage persona. The song is sung with sly insinuation: Sportin' Life opines that "The things that you're li'ble to read in the Bible, it ain't necessarily so," and says that he "just takes that gospel whenever it's poss'ble—but with a grain of salt." | |
| − | + | "All you Zombies" by The Hooters. The first lines say it all: "Holy Moses met the Pharaoh / Yeah, he tried to set him straight / Looked him in the eye / ''Let my people go''" | |
| + | "[[Big Bad John (song)|Big Bad John]] by Jimmy Dean: tells of a man who sacrifices his own life to save his fellow miners from a mine collapse; indirectly references Jesus' saying that "no man hath greater love than this, than he lay down his life for his friends". | ||
| + | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Popular Songs]] |
| + | [[Category:Bible]] | ||
Latest revision as of 01:36, June 16, 2025
Handel's Messiah consists exclusively of Bible quotations, such as, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
The Lord's Prayer has been set to music by a number of artists and composers. A 1935 setting by Albert Hay Malotte is a familiar and popular staple of the church choir repertoire. It has been recorded in a pop music context by Siouxsie and the Banshees.[1]
"Turn, Turn, Turn" - Pete Seeger (popularized by The Byrds, for whom it was their second #1 hit, was adapted from Ecclesiastes) [1].
"Hallelujah" - Leonard Cohen (refers to King David)[2]
"Hair" - PJ Harvey (relates the story of Samson and Delilah) [3]
"Dead" - The Pixies (tells of King David's love for Bathsheba and murder of Uriah the Hittite) [4]
"The Unicorn" - (words: Shel Silverstein) tells the story of the Great Flood and explains the absence of unicorns from the Ark see: http://www.unicorncollector.com/music.htm
"Deck of Cards" - (T. Texas Tyler) sung by Tex Ritter (1948).[2] This tells the (supposedly true) story of a soldier using a deck of cards, which he claims helps him to remember the Bible. [3]
"It Ain't Necessarily So," from Porgy and Bess, by George and Ira Gershwin, is a perennial hit and has had numerous recordings. In the opera, it is sung by the villain, Sportin' Life, a character patterned after Cab Calloway's stage persona. The song is sung with sly insinuation: Sportin' Life opines that "The things that you're li'ble to read in the Bible, it ain't necessarily so," and says that he "just takes that gospel whenever it's poss'ble—but with a grain of salt."
"All you Zombies" by The Hooters. The first lines say it all: "Holy Moses met the Pharaoh / Yeah, he tried to set him straight / Looked him in the eye / Let my people go"
"Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean: tells of a man who sacrifices his own life to save his fellow miners from a mine collapse; indirectly references Jesus' saying that "no man hath greater love than this, than he lay down his life for his friends".
References
- ↑ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fixqu5ld6e
- ↑ See http://www.albertarose.org/Remember/deck_of_cards.htm. The 1959 Wink Martindale version has been listed as one of the worst songs ever to appear in the charts in the early 60's; Martindale would go on to become a popular game show host.
- ↑ The following website: http://www.snopes.com/glurge/cards.asp cites this as an example of an Urban Legend, which occurs any time the US is at war; particular examples relate to WWII, and the current Afghanistan Conflict; however, the website claims that references to this have been around since 1788