I love this so much, Evan. I myself subscribe to no religion, I abandoned my Episcopalian church before I was confirmed (and I *was* confirmed, but that's a whole other story about my mother and her religious journey which ended years later in atheism), and the best I have to say is I believe in "something else" "something bigger" but I personally think it is so out of the realm of human understanding that even the concept of "God" falls short. But that's not my point, just a self-indulgent aside. What I love about this post is the power of music to remind us both of shared humanity AND that something bigger. One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to attend a gospel choir. IMHO, black churches do it right: the get the joy, the gratitude, the solace, the hope inherent in this shared human condition and the connection we all share under this giant umbrella of "where the heck did this all come from????" As the great transvestite Eddie Izzard put it best, albeit too hyperbolically since, as you point, there IS a lot of gorgeous white Christian music out there):
"There's something weird, something phenomenally dreary about Christian singing. The Gospel singers are the only singers that just go crazy, joyous and it's fucking amazing! And it's born out of kidnapping, imprisonment, slavery, murder, all of that - and this joyous singing! And the Church of England, well, all those sort of Christian religions, which is mainly Caucasian white people, with all the power and money - enough power and money to make Solomon blush, and they're all singing, ( dirge-like ) "Oh, God, our hope in ages past, our hope for years..." They're the only groups of people that could sing, "Hallelujah" without feeling like it's a "Hallelujah!" thing. ( drearily ) "Hallelujah, hallelujah, joyfully we lark about."
"IMHO, black churches do it right: the get the joy, the gratitude, the solace"
Girl, YES. I've been saying this my entire life. My mom, 86 year old little white lady that she is, is a fulltime member of two Black churches. When I lived in SC I wanted to join one, but was working too many hours to do anything else.
...and now I have Lyle Lovett's "Church" stuck in my head, which is a good thing.
I'm chuckling because the music you don't like is my favorite church music. I used to say, "You can always tell if it's an Episcopal Church - we don't move about." LOL But even with my limited tastes, I enjoy music at the National Cathedral and look forward to whatever they've come up with for each Sunday.
Yes, my mother loves that music too. Always listens to the lessons and carols from Oxford I think it is every Xmas Eve. To me it always sounds funereal not celebratory! :)
Fortunately church music, like every other kind, is varied enough for all of us. I'm happy about that.
I will say that one church organist used to play "I want to walk as a child of the light" in a way that reminded me of the monks in Python's Holy Grail - chanting and hitting themselves in the head. The friend I was with glared at me and said, "Don't you DARE."
My first concert was Amy Grant’s Heart in Motion tour! Not in the front row though. Guess my church youth group did not have the hookup yours did, Evan.
SO...here's where worlds collide, and that's a good thing. Outside of Wonkette, the rest of my time is spent doing various work in what is loosely termed the folk music world. (Christ, genres suck).
What a fantastic series - just the list of past shows is killin'.
NOW...while it's still far into the future, you shouldn't miss the show by my friend/colleague/whatever Jonatha Brooke. Not only is she an amazing songwriter, but she is waaaaay high on my short list of favorite humans on the planet. (https://folkallyall.com/events/jonathan-brooke-memphis).
I have been listening to Jonatha Brooke for ages! Didn't know she was on the Folk All Y'all calendar. I would love to meet her. I think I still have her album "Steady Pull" on CD.
Oh, shit...I'mma squeeee all over your post now. Lol.
She is incredible, and while she really knows me probably in passing, one of her BFFs, Vance Gilbert, is also MY BFF and brother. JB is on at least one of Vance's albums, if not two. It's been a good long while, so I'm lobbying to bring her back in on the next one.
I was NOT expecting to hear that you even knew of her. This makes me deeply happy.
Thanks for this fun and joyful post for Christmas! Yes, we need more gaiety in our lives. Maybe that's what's wrong with right wing Americans - they ain't gay enough.
So your first pastor thinks that people aren't supposed to acknowledge and act on how God made them? Fun fact, Jesus, God's son, never mentioned homosexuality, so he didn't give a shit about that. He was more concerned that people treated others with compassion and love, and helping those in need.
Don't I know. The asshole thought he was showing how he understood being gay. He actually just hated people. He didn't know the bible and paid no attention to Jesus. Needless to say, it was my first exposure to Christianity and I didn't last long there.
“Plowshare Prayer” is one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard in a long time. I cried listening to it. I imagine seeing the song performed live would leave me a blubbering mess. Thank you for highlighting these artists.
Wonderful post, Evan. I did feel a bit of water pooling in my eyes when I listened to Plowshare, but I’m sure it was sure it was allergies, not the fact that this song spoke so directly to my heart. Thanks and Happy Holigays to you!
I am physically unable to attend church, and I miss it. I'm Episcopalian. Our demonization is welcoming - but I say that advisedly, because it is not true of every parish church. However, those that are welcoming are generally safe spaces to be. If there is someone who can't or just doesn't want to attend church in person, but misses going, please consider the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul (National Cathedral in DC). It is diverse, welcome, and abides by the above command. It is also where Matthew Shepard is interred. It is livestreamed on YouTube. Sunday services usually start at 11:15 AM, and there is a Christmas Eve service this year at 10 PM.
I am not any of the initials, but have friends and family members who are and I love them, because as long as we're talking about consenting adult human beings, I don't care what they do - as long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses. I don't believe God does, either.
Don't mean this as a sermon. But for reasons - it's a subject close to my heart.
I love this so much, Evan. I myself subscribe to no religion, I abandoned my Episcopalian church before I was confirmed (and I *was* confirmed, but that's a whole other story about my mother and her religious journey which ended years later in atheism), and the best I have to say is I believe in "something else" "something bigger" but I personally think it is so out of the realm of human understanding that even the concept of "God" falls short. But that's not my point, just a self-indulgent aside. What I love about this post is the power of music to remind us both of shared humanity AND that something bigger. One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to attend a gospel choir. IMHO, black churches do it right: the get the joy, the gratitude, the solace, the hope inherent in this shared human condition and the connection we all share under this giant umbrella of "where the heck did this all come from????" As the great transvestite Eddie Izzard put it best, albeit too hyperbolically since, as you point, there IS a lot of gorgeous white Christian music out there):
"There's something weird, something phenomenally dreary about Christian singing. The Gospel singers are the only singers that just go crazy, joyous and it's fucking amazing! And it's born out of kidnapping, imprisonment, slavery, murder, all of that - and this joyous singing! And the Church of England, well, all those sort of Christian religions, which is mainly Caucasian white people, with all the power and money - enough power and money to make Solomon blush, and they're all singing, ( dirge-like ) "Oh, God, our hope in ages past, our hope for years..." They're the only groups of people that could sing, "Hallelujah" without feeling like it's a "Hallelujah!" thing. ( drearily ) "Hallelujah, hallelujah, joyfully we lark about."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgmnUf6NmWQ
"IMHO, black churches do it right: the get the joy, the gratitude, the solace"
Girl, YES. I've been saying this my entire life. My mom, 86 year old little white lady that she is, is a fulltime member of two Black churches. When I lived in SC I wanted to join one, but was working too many hours to do anything else.
...and now I have Lyle Lovett's "Church" stuck in my head, which is a good thing.
I'm chuckling because the music you don't like is my favorite church music. I used to say, "You can always tell if it's an Episcopal Church - we don't move about." LOL But even with my limited tastes, I enjoy music at the National Cathedral and look forward to whatever they've come up with for each Sunday.
Yes, my mother loves that music too. Always listens to the lessons and carols from Oxford I think it is every Xmas Eve. To me it always sounds funereal not celebratory! :)
Fortunately church music, like every other kind, is varied enough for all of us. I'm happy about that.
I will say that one church organist used to play "I want to walk as a child of the light" in a way that reminded me of the monks in Python's Holy Grail - chanting and hitting themselves in the head. The friend I was with glared at me and said, "Don't you DARE."
My first concert was Amy Grant’s Heart in Motion tour! Not in the front row though. Guess my church youth group did not have the hookup yours did, Evan.
In the paragraph beginning "I said this place is called..." is the word "convinced" missing after "100 percent"?
Yes! Or certain or sure.
The perils of being your own editor.
I have some availabilty for this. No, really.
Maybe not *every* story, but still...
Crys Matthews!
SO...here's where worlds collide, and that's a good thing. Outside of Wonkette, the rest of my time is spent doing various work in what is loosely termed the folk music world. (Christ, genres suck).
What a fantastic series - just the list of past shows is killin'.
NOW...while it's still far into the future, you shouldn't miss the show by my friend/colleague/whatever Jonatha Brooke. Not only is she an amazing songwriter, but she is waaaaay high on my short list of favorite humans on the planet. (https://folkallyall.com/events/jonathan-brooke-memphis).
I have been listening to Jonatha Brooke for ages! Didn't know she was on the Folk All Y'all calendar. I would love to meet her. I think I still have her album "Steady Pull" on CD.
Oh, shit...I'mma squeeee all over your post now. Lol.
She is incredible, and while she really knows me probably in passing, one of her BFFs, Vance Gilbert, is also MY BFF and brother. JB is on at least one of Vance's albums, if not two. It's been a good long while, so I'm lobbying to bring her back in on the next one.
I was NOT expecting to hear that you even knew of her. This makes me deeply happy.
Thanks for this fun and joyful post for Christmas! Yes, we need more gaiety in our lives. Maybe that's what's wrong with right wing Americans - they ain't gay enough.
My first church had a really mean pastor. He said people are born gay, but they are not to act on it. His words.
My next church flew the pride flag. They also served the poor and homeless in the community. They were nice people.
Now I have no church at all. That magical thinking is too much for me.
So your first pastor thinks that people aren't supposed to acknowledge and act on how God made them? Fun fact, Jesus, God's son, never mentioned homosexuality, so he didn't give a shit about that. He was more concerned that people treated others with compassion and love, and helping those in need.
Don't I know. The asshole thought he was showing how he understood being gay. He actually just hated people. He didn't know the bible and paid no attention to Jesus. Needless to say, it was my first exposure to Christianity and I didn't last long there.
“Plowshare Prayer” is one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard in a long time. I cried listening to it. I imagine seeing the song performed live would leave me a blubbering mess. Thank you for highlighting these artists.
Holy Hypocrisy: The Blasphemous Gospel of Christian Nationalism
How Power, Politics, and Prejudice Have Hijacked the Faith of the Carpenter of Nazareth
https://open.substack.com/pub/patricemersault/p/holy-hypocrisy-the-blasphemous-gospel?r=4d7sow&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
moar baddass ladies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJc0_-QvJtU
Wonderful post, Evan. I did feel a bit of water pooling in my eyes when I listened to Plowshare, but I’m sure it was sure it was allergies, not the fact that this song spoke so directly to my heart. Thanks and Happy Holigays to you!
Why Are So Many Christians So Cruel?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/opinion/christmas-jesus-power-humility.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk4.E9a-.o7Y6zTclIjM5&smid=url-share
Why Are So Many Christians So Cruel?: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/opinion/christmas-jesus-power-humility.html?searchResultPosition=1
That last GIF! Yer killin' me, Evan! Merry Solstice and keep writing.
Wonderful!
‘Freedom 90’ became a Christmas tune for our fam when George Michael left us Dec 25th 2015. Looking forward to this year’s singalong!
Love your neighbor, no exceptions.
I am physically unable to attend church, and I miss it. I'm Episcopalian. Our demonization is welcoming - but I say that advisedly, because it is not true of every parish church. However, those that are welcoming are generally safe spaces to be. If there is someone who can't or just doesn't want to attend church in person, but misses going, please consider the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul (National Cathedral in DC). It is diverse, welcome, and abides by the above command. It is also where Matthew Shepard is interred. It is livestreamed on YouTube. Sunday services usually start at 11:15 AM, and there is a Christmas Eve service this year at 10 PM.
I am not any of the initials, but have friends and family members who are and I love them, because as long as we're talking about consenting adult human beings, I don't care what they do - as long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses. I don't believe God does, either.
Don't mean this as a sermon. But for reasons - it's a subject close to my heart.