Now that Easter has come and gone I thought I'd ask the question; what is your favorite song of faith. I don't mean Gospel, that has its own thread. As does Christian music. I'm talking about mainstream artists who occasionally (or more than that in some cases) threw out an inspirational song of faith. Could be the lyrics that grabbed you. Or maybe it was just the tune.
As of late mine has been; I Told Jesus...by Stanley Turrentine.
What's yours?

Interesting question, Ed. I'm not too sure how to go at it though. What about say...Randy Travis? A mainstream country guy that turned gospel (or more correctly finally started making the music he wanted instead of what paid the bills). Before he went completely gospel he did "Three Wooden Crosses" which is a great song. After the musical conversion, his version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" quickly became one of my favorites but it's a traditional gospel song.

I would say Keb' Mo's tune, "Hand It Over" is a fantastic song of faith but I don't know if you could call him mainstream.

How about "Spirit in the Sky"? Nobody heard of Norman Greenbaum before or since. Great song, but does it fit?

Ray

The entire Marty Stewart "Souls Chapel" record...:thmbsp:
http://www.martystuart.com/Zlyrics-SoulsChapel.htm

Easy choice.. Bethany Dillon - All I Need (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000THC11K/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk6)

Where I Stand by Maire Brennan (now known phonetically as Moya Brennan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisper_to_the_Wild_Water

I would say Keb' Mo's tune, "Hand It Over" is a fantastic song of faith but I don't know if you could call him mainstream.

How about "Spirit in the Sky"? Nobody heard of Norman Greenbaum before or since. Great song, but does it fit?

Ray

Keb Mo is mainstream enough. What I probably should have said is, artists who normally wouldn't have done a song of faith.
George Harrison did lots. But I bet most people probably would consider him a Beatle first and an inspirational songwriter second.
And yes, Spirit in the Sky fits. Gets all kinds of play on mainstream radio. I guess I'm stretching the parameters here, but that's ok too.

Vince Gill - Tell Me One More Time About Jesus (from the excellent 4 CD set "These Days")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E-Y00ousV4

OOPS Sorry Ed; saw this too late:

What I probably should have said is, artists who normally wouldn't have done a song of faith.

Here's one I've told Mrs. Manning to have played at my funeral...
I Saw the Light...Hank Williams Sr.


I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin;
I wouldn't ask my dear Saviour in.
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

Chorus
I saw the light, I saw the light.
No more darkness; no more night.
Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight.
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!
Just like a blind man I wandered alone,
Worries and fears I claimed for my own.
Then like the blind man that Jesus gave back his sight;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!


Chorus
I saw the light, I saw the light.
No more darkness; no more night.
Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight.
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!
I was a fool to wander astray,
For straight is the gate and narrow is the way.
Now I have traded the wrong for the right;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!


Chorus
I saw the light, I saw the light.
No more darkness; no more night.
Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight.
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

Vince Gill - Tell Me One More Time About Jesus (from the excellent 4 CD set "These Days")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E-Y00ousV4

OOPS Sorry Ed; saw this too late:

Nope Walker, include them all. If they have meaning for you, they have meaning for me. :thmbsp:

There's a really nice version of the song Jordan on Emmylou Harris's fine bluegrass album Roses in the Snow. Johnny Cash sings harmony.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fjftxqq5ldae

"By The Mark" -- Gillian Welch

"The Criminal Under My Hat" -- T Bone Burnett

"A Love Supreme" -- John Coltrane

"Born" -- Over The Rhine

"Hard To Know" -- Mindy Smith

"Spiritual" -- Spain

"Jesus" -- The Velvet Underground

"Two Hands" -- Townes Van Zandt

"When The Man Comes Around" -- Johnny Cash

Here's one I've told Mrs. Manning to have played at my funeral...
I Saw the Light...Hank Williams Sr.

I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin;
I wouldn't ask my dear Saviour in.
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!


That gets played a lot in the "Cowboy Church (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-cowboychurch_12met.ART.State.Edition2.4a752c1.html/)" movement. :thmbsp:

For me, the artist is easy - David LaMotte. The song, however, is hard. He has so many deeply faith-based, heart expanding songs. "Hope", "In The Light", "Butler Street"...his are the sweetest folk-type songs I've ever heard. David has retired from music touring to follow another calling, but his music is still readily available.

One of my favorites is 'Little Mountain Church' by Ricky Skaggs on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands- 'Will the Circle be Unbroken' CD. I guess because I live across Big Sandy River from where he grew up and used to go to the same kind of "little mountain churches" he sings about, I really relate to the sentiments he sings about. Some of the quartet music that granpaw recorded on his reel to reel would move your soul and sounded like it was inspired by a higher power.

The Doobie Brothers: "Jesus is just alright"
I wonder about this one though..Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin"..I think it IS about having faith.
Then there's my favorite...Spinal Tap's Christmas with the Devil!

lots of good ones...I like Al Green "God Is Standing By"
Hot Tuna "True Religion"
Dylan "Serve Somebody"
Roy Buchanan has a few good ones too.

...and don't forget: Supper's Ready by you-know-who

Here's one I've told Mrs. Manning to have played at my funeral...
I Saw the Light...Hank Williams Sr.


I play in a Christian band and we played that one at our last gig. :D

Pushing things in a slightly different direction, how about "Pray" by Hammer?

Ray

How about "Spirit in the Sky"? Nobody heard of Norman Greenbaum before or since. Great song, but does it fit?


Sadly, probably not, because there was nothing intended (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Greenbaum) beyond making a quick buck. Not the first time, not the last.

...and don't forget: Supper's Ready by you-know-who

Time for a listen.

Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand" (and Emmylou Harris' take on the same song). And pretty much anybody's take on Amazing Grace, which I think is one of the best songs about anything, regardless of one's belief or lack of, ever written.

On the other hand, I'd list my favorite song for a lack of faith as John Lennon's "God", which I think contains some of the best singing he ever did (again, regardless of one's personal beliefs on the subject matter...I think it's a beautiful song).

I have lots of Gospel/spiritual favorites, but one of my favorite pieces that I find a very deep spiritual meaning in, is Elton John's Take me to The Pilot. Taupin's lyrics coupled with Elton's obviously Gospel influenced piano is extraordinarily meaningful to me.

Alabama-Angels Among Us

Pushing things in a slightly different direction, how about "Pray" by Hammer?

Tupac - Hail Mary? :)

"When The Man Comes Around" -- Johnny Cash

Love that one. Great song for the opening credits of Dawn of the Dead, too :D

Other than that, I don't really know...agnostics don't seem to make good song topics...

Prince's The Cross is a favorite. Lots more, I'll have to do some thinking on this one.

...I would imagine a bunch of stuff by Ben Harper (& co.)??? There always seems to be an extra leaning in his stuff; "make you think" type lyrics... yet CCM won't touch him (whatever), mainstream flirts with him, those who dig him don't care either way... ...maybe he fits, I dunno

I'm sure I can think of more later, but my favorite would be "Jesus Christ" by Big Star. Kristin Hersh also did a nice cover.

;2672092']Other than that, I don't really know...agnostics don't seem to make good song topics...

"Dear God" by XTC is a pretty strong statement of athiesm, if you consider that a faith.

"Dear God" by XTC is a pretty strong statement of athiesm, if you consider that a faith.
I always thought 'Imagine" said took a similar path.

If you guys haven't heard 'Daily Planet', you should.

Questioning the Notion*
Flying Blind

http://www.christianrocklyrics.com/dailyplanet.php

Two exceptional songs that are also decent Rock music. Also, very helpful when my friends 21 year old son died early Maundy Thursday in an auto accident.


Questioning the notion that God is full of love
Is a tempting road to take when you forget about His blood
But I choose to still believe Him, His heart is kind and just
I'm only seeing half the picture, for the other half I'll trust

One that got a lot of air time on WLS radio when I was a kid...
Oh Happy Day, the Edwin Hawkins Singers.
I still drag that out from time to time.

Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready"
Jeff Back and Rod Stewart had a hit single with a cover version back in the 1980s.

Longtime fan of Margaret Becker, especially the album "Simple House".

"Be Thou My Vision"... When I was in the choir in the Rogersville Presbyterian Church as a "youth", we sang a particularly "take no prisoners" version w/the adult choir. That has stayed w/me all these years. There is one line, "Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise" well, in the late '80s we got new PC hymnals, & the line was changed to "Riches I need not, nor vain, empty praise"...Grrrr...Can't they leave ANYTHING alone ?!?

There were a number of Christian/gospel-based pop hits in the 70s. Here are a few:
Put Your Hand In the Hand - Ocean
Oh Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins Singers
The Lord's Prayer - Sister Janet Mead
Oh How Happy - Shades of Blue
One Toke Over The Line - Brewer and Shipley
Day By Day - Godspell
Jesus Christ Superstar - Murray Head
Jesus Is A Soul Man - Lawrence Reynolds
You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone

I like the version of "Amen" that was done by the Impressions in the 60s.

But my all-time favorite religious/song of faith is Schubert's "Ave Maria". Nice performance by Renata Tebaldi:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiMnBUtqWpA

How about Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" and Keb' Mo's "God Trying To Get Your Attention". Not only a wonderful version and song respectively but great sounding albums to push the sound system! CRANK IT!!

Lenny Kravitz - "Empty Hands"

ZZ Top - "Jesus Just Left Chicago"

Johnny Cash - "Personal Jesus" (covering Depeche Mode)

Spaceman 3 - "Walking with Jesus" and "Hey Man" (actually singing "amen")

Tom Waits - "Jesus Gonna Be Here"

Rolling Stones - "I Just Want to See His Face"


Oh, and anything by Fanny Crosby...

Grrrr...Can't they leave ANYTHING alone ?!?
Don't get me started on those that would change the words to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

we used to sing the arrangement of the Battle Hymn that was made famous by the Mormon Tabernacle choir (I am spacing on the name of the arranger; it'll come to me).
The harmony on that verse used to give me chills (I was singing the bass part).

EDIT: Peter Wilhousky
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic

... what is your favorite song of faith ?

Go Cubs Go.

:D

Go Cubs Go.

:D

:lmao:

Go Cubs Go.

:D

Yes, I guess that qualifies. :tears:

Yes, I guess that qualifies. :tears:

I don't know. Faith usually implies some kind of hope for the future. ;)

[QUOTE=KeninDC;2673066
Tom Waits - "Jesus Gonna Be Here"
[/QUOTE]

I love that song, and it's on one of my favorite albums. :thmbsp:

Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready"
Jeff Back and Rod Stewart had a hit single with a cover version back in the 1980s.

Have you heard Eva Cassidy`s version ? Incredible !

Anything by Seldom Scene. But Tremble is my fav.

...Johnny Cash sings harmony...



Speaking of a performer who could spin out a song or two about faith and do it with conviction.

Al Green!

Jesus Is Waiting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CslaDEc2PS8

Everything's Gonna Be Alright
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AezyNohMiRI&feature=PlayList&p=B189702954B3264A&index=16


Yolanda Adams - Through The Storm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv0aPy3rQYo

"Will The Circle be Unbroken"

I don't care who sings it, it's a wonderful song.

Also really like the version of "Down to the River to Pray" that Allison Krauss does on the O brother Where Art Thou soundtrack...

...and darn near anything by The Blind Boys of Alabama

The Master's Call - Marty Robbins

I'm too lazy to read all the posts so I don't know if anyone mentioned...
"That's the Way God Planned It" by Billy Preston from the Bangladesh Concert box set.

'Heaven will be near me' Michelle Tumes
'We Fall Down' Rich Mullins
'My Deliverer' Bob Carlyle
'Agnus Dei' Michael W. Smith
'Shout to the Lord' Hillsongs
'Do You Hear the Mountains Tremble' Delirious
"open up the doors; let the music play..."

When I die, Mrs. H (who will doubtless outlive me!) knows that the music for the memorial service/funeral thingie should include these two hymns:

Crown Him with Many Crowns (tune, Diademata, George J. Elvey)
For All the Saints (tune Sine Nomine (now there's a clever title, eh?), Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Now, I told you that story to tell you this one :-)

There was a very (very) cool musical effort some time back called The Wayfaring Strangers, overseen by a fellow called Matt Glaser. Their music was roughly at the precise intersection of a Venn diagram of jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and klezmer music!

The title track on their first album, The Shifting Sands of Time, was described by Glaser thus:
I've often talked with my friend Mark Simos about writing some nondenominational spirituals. It turns out that he and Lisa Aschmann had already written one of the great ones. The lyrics of this song mean a lot to me -- I think often of the imagery of water and sand...

http://www.johnmcgann.com/wayfaring.html

EDIT: I cannot find the lyrics online, but it looks like you can (still?) hear the song courtesy of Rounder Records:
http://muzetunes.com/playback.asx?c=I3hMRK3hXezhtppyhnVafuWSGUMe5uCFGY6 zcmEZTUI=&f=b