God in Rock N Roll

Hi Guys!
This is going to be a little different. I do like rock n roll and I love God, so I'm writing about both. If you like both, or at least one, you might enjoy this. If not, check my next post. It will be different!
HERE GOES!
Ever since I was a teenager, I have been interested in Christian phrases, or God in rock and roll. I‘m not saying that all or any of the writers or performers of this music are or are not Christians. I’m just saying, if you look for it, it is there. Keep in mind, a lot of rock n rollers got their musical roots singing in church choirs. Strange, but true. Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) claimed to write the first rock n roll song with God in the title, “God Only Knows“.
I may not always love you,
But long as there are stars above you,
You never need to doubt it,
I’ll make you so sure about it.
God only knows what I’d be without you

Great song-great album. It was from the album, Pet Sounds. Not deep in theology, but very cool! Brian said it was to be a teenage symphony to God. Paul McCartney loved this album so much he would cry while listening to it. He bought a copy for each of his children and said their music education would not be complete without it.

How about “Jesus Is Just Alright With Me“. I don’t know who wrote this. I am more familiar with the Byrds version, but it seems the Doobie Brothers may have been first. Also it seems like The Flock and probably others covered this song.

Jesus is just alright with me,
Jesus is just alright with me,
Jesus is just alright with me
Jesus is just alright, oh yeah!

I don’t care what they may say,
I don’t care what they may do,
I don’t care what they may say,
Jesus is just alright, oh yeah!

Not heavy lyrics, but I was glad they were willing to identify with Jesus. Now I’m not completely green! I know some of these guys were into drugs and who knows what else. I not taking in their lifestyle, just some of their words.

Then there’s a strange one from Norman Greenbaum. How much more obviously Jewish of a name can you have. I’ve heard this one played by the band in our church. “Spirit in the Sky”. Yep, written and performed by Norman Greenbaum. I read that he did it as a lark. He should have had more larks. It was a 'one hit wonder', written in the early seventies and it’s still played today.

Spirit In The Sky

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best

Prepare yourself you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die
When you die and they lay you to rest
You're gonna go to the place that's the best

Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
Go to the place that's the best

That part about not being a sinner. Maybe not exactly right, but when we trust in Jesus, he takes on our sins, so Gods sees us as if we had never sinned. You decide.

“Last Kiss“ aka “Oh Where Oh Where Can My Baby Be”

Oh where oh where can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me.
She’s gone to heaven so I’ve got to be good,
So I can see my baby, when I leave this world.

Original hit by Frankie Wilson and the Cavaliers, later covered by Pearl Jam. Go figure! Very far afield. It was another lost my baby in a car wreck thing. Like “Leader of the Pack” and “I Want my Baby Back”. That was my favorite. The young man loses his girl in a car accident. You hear the screeching tires and busting glass. And then he says, “Over there was my baby, and over there was my baby, and wa-ay over there was my baby”. He ends up digging her grave (baby I dig you so much!) and reassembles her and takes her home. No religious influence that I can remember, just weird!

Then there’s George Harrison‘s “All Things Must Pass“ I listened to that as a teenager during the time when I had real questions and fears. It made me think deeper, which was scary. I later accepted Christ as my savior. Not because of the record, but because Jesus died in my place and I finally understood that because He died and arose, I could live forever in heaven one day. I credit Buford Adams, with making that clear to me. Oh Happy Day” I don’t know who first sang that, but the first I heard and still my favorite was Glen Campbell. That’s as close to country as I get.

O happy day,
Oh happy day,
When Jesus washed.
Oh, when He washed,
He washed my sins away!

Also, I saw the Rascals, formerly Young Rascals on u-tube singing a medley of “People Gotta Be Free” and “Oh Happy Day”. The Rascals are still one of my all time favorites. They sang mostly about peace and love. But some songs were churchy sounding with religious themes. Like “Heaven“

Heaven

Sometimes baby when you're really down

It just doesn't seem to be a ray of hope around

And everybody that you meet

Kinda wears a frown

It's cold and lonely in the heart of town

Got to tell you all

There, there's a place that's called heaven

Don't you ever forget

Now once youve heard about heaven, yeah

I'm gonna get there yet

Other songs the Rascals did were “Glory, Glory” and “I Believe”.

Then there’s the Chambers Brothers, “People Get Ready”.

People get ready, there’s a train a comin’
Picking up passengers from coast to coast.
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin,
You don’t need no ticket, you just get on board.

I like that. All you need is faith. Jesus bought your ticket!

Okay, back to George Harrison. He sang “My Sweet Lord” to the tune of “One Fine Day” and was sued for plagiarism. He also did “Isn’t It a Pity” and “All Things Must Pass” which are deep and really make you think. And he did one, I thought a little humorous,
I’ll put the disclaimer up front. You don’t get saved by chanting! You get saved by putting your faith in Jesus, who died on the cross to pay for your sins! I hope George got that straight before he left us! Nevertheless, get what you can from this, if only a laugh! I never picked up the line about the pope and GM before.

Awaiting On Us all!

You don't need no love in
You don't need no bed pan
You don't need a horoscope or a microscope
The see the mess that you're in
If you open up your heart
You will know what I mean
We've been polluted so long
Now here's a way for you to get clean

By chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
Chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see

You don't need no passport
And you don't need no visas
You don't need to designate or to emigrate
Before you can see Jesus
If you open up your heart
You'll see he's right there
Always was and will be
He'll relieve you of your cares

By chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
Chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see

You don't need no church house
And you don't need no Temple
You don't need no rosary beads or them books to read
To see that you have fallen
If you open up your heart
You will know what I mean
We've been kept down so long
Someone's thinking that we're all green

And while the Pope owns 51% of General Motors
And the stock exchange is the only thing he's qualified to quote us
The Lord is awaiting on you all to awaken and see
By chanting the names of the Lord and you'll be free

Don’t be too quick to judge. I think when we hear chanting and meditating we sort of see a red flag. I know meditation is good, not transcendental meditation. As for chanting, sometimes, seldom, but sometimes in the songs we sing in church, we get quite repetitive, as in chanting, or repeating. Bytheway, I capitalized the "Lords" in that song.

Here’s one by “The Youngbloods”. It’s called “Get Together” and it stands alone

Get Together

Love is but the song we sing,
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Know the dove is on the wing
And you need not know why
C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now
Some will come and some will go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moments sunlight
Fading in the grass
C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now
If you hear the song I sing,
You must understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command
C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now
Right now
Right now!

And I’ll leave you with The Byrds” “Turn, Turn Turn” written by Solomon, not to be confused with Donovan.

Turn Turn Turn

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

A time to build up,a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear its not too late

Pete Seeger adapted this song from Ecclesiastes, which required very little adapting. One far wiser then he, King Solomon, under the direction of God himself, wrote the words. Pete wrote Turn turn turn turn turn turn etc and I swear it’s not too late.

Hope you enjoyed this. I’ll come up with some more another time. If you think of some, please drop a comment.