Difference between revisions of "Popular songs based on the Bible"
(Albert Hay Malotte's setting of the Lord's Prayer) |
("It Ain't Necessarily So") |
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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 was probably one of the worst songs ever to appear in the charts in the early 60's </ref>. This tells the (supposedly true) story of a soldier using a deck of cards, which he claims, helps him to remember the bible. | 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 was probably one of the worst songs ever to appear in the charts in the early 60's </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> | ||
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| + | The blasphemous ''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. The character is patterned [[Cab Calloway]]'s stage persona, and 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." | ||
===references=== | ===references=== | ||
Revision as of 15:46, May 29, 2007
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)
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]
The blasphemous 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. The character is patterned Cab Calloway's stage persona, and 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."
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 was probably one of the worst songs ever to appear in the charts in the early 60's
- ↑ 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