8.The Temptation of Adam, Josh Ritter
Okay, so this songs only real reference is in the title but it's a clever enough title that it shines a beautiful poignant light on an already sensitive transcendent song, and furthermore it's also a clever pun Adam=Atom. I could try to explain the lyrics but Ritter does a better job so here they are:
If this was the Cold War we could keep each other warm
I said on the first occasion that I met Marie
We were crawling through the hatch that was the missile silo door
And I don't think that she really thought that much of me
I never had to learn to love her like I learned to love the Bomb
She just came along and started to ignore me
But as we waited for the Big One
I started singing her my songs
And I think she started feeling something for me
We passed the time with crosswords that she thought to bring inside
What five letters spell "apocalypse" she asked me
I won her over singin "W.W.I.I.I."
She smiled and we both knew that she'd misjudged me
Oh Marie it was so easy to fall in love with you
It felt almost like a home of sorts or something
And you would keep the warhead missile silo good as new
And I'd watch you with my thumb above the button
Then one night you found me in my army issue cot
And you told me of your flash of inspiration
You said fusion was the broken heart that's lonely's only thought
And all night long you drove me wild with your equations
Oh Marie do you remember all the time we used to take
We'd make our love and then ransack the rations
I think about you leaving now and the avalanche cascades
And my eyes get washed away in chain reactions
Oh Marie if you would stay then we could stick pins in the map
Of all the places where you thought that love would be found
But I would only need one pin to show where my love's at
In a top secret location three hundred feet under the ground
We could hold each other close and stay up every night
Looking up into the dark like it's the night sky
And pretend this giant missile is an old oak tree instead
And carve our name in hearts into the warhead
Oh Marie there's something tells me things just won't work out above
That our love would live a half-life on the surface
So at night while you are sleeping
I hold you closer just because
As our time grows short I get a little nervous
I think about the Big One, W.W.I.I.I.
Would we ever really care the world had ended
You could hold me here forever like you're holding me tonight
I think about that great big button and I'm tempted
So it's this beautiful story about the possible last man and first man on earth. Clever heartbreaking and gorgeous. Amen to that.
7.Pride (In the Name of Love) U2
U2 is one of those bands that definitely have a spiritual core. Although not entirely historically acurate, (MLK was assassinated at 6:01 PM not early morning on April 4th.) this is probably one of the most spiritual. It makes comparisons between Jesus and Martin Luther King. One man come to Justify, One man to Overthrow etc. It's a powerful anthem to love and sacrifice and hopefully reminds us of the struggles and sacrifices of others in the name of Love and Freedom.
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6.Monkey Gone to Heaven, The Pixies
No list of songs with biblical analogies would be complete without something written by Frank Black. Monkey Gone to Heaven is one of my favorite Pixies songs and it's bridge is all about Hebrew Numerology, not to mention it's strong environmental message and the obvious references to Humanity and it's relation to Heaven and what were doing to the earth. Musically it's a revelation, classic QUIET loud QUIET Pixies interesting mix listen close for the underlying pizzicato strings and piano. It makes you want to shout out glory er actually scream Then GOD IS SEVEN!
5. Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones
Most of the songs on this list reference hopeful parts of the good book. This one not so much yet it's still "damned" good time. Yes, I know there are hundreds of metal songs with similar themes, but this song was probably one the first songs told from the perspective of the Evil Underlord, and it 's just a great rock song. Oh and contrary to popular belief the song playing when Hell's Angels killed a man while acting as security at a Stones show was "Under my Thumb" not Sympathy.
4.Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley (written by Leonard Cohen)
This song is like a prayer to human love as a religious experience, without ever being cheap or tawdry. The King David analogies work so well. As well as the great lines about the "Holy Dove" and maybe there's a God above etc. There are so many great versions Rufus Wainwright and John Cale do some terrific renditions as well as The original by Leonard Cohen, but my favorite is definitely The Jeff Buckley version from an amazing album that also has many other religious analogies and spiritual songs, Grace. Also posted here are the extra verses Leonard Cohen wrote but nobody sings:
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
3. Exodus, Bob Marley
Another essential artist when it comes to music with spiritual or religious analogies. Many Rastafarian fans consider him almost a prophet of sorts. There are a hundred Marley songs that could go here. This one is kind of a Gimme I'll admit but it's great song on a great album and it's pretty hard to ignore the Moses/Exodus references. Also if you are a Rastafarian this song probably is a hymn. Marley's music was something unique it always fostered hope peace and freedom. If you don't like Bob Marley you've probably never smiled a day in your life or you might kick puppies.
2.Casimir Pulaski Day, Sufjan Stevens
I'm only putting one Sufjan song on this list although there are several, check out the whole album Seven Swans for a complete album of religiously inspired work or any Sufjan Album for other songs. Sufjan Steven's doesn't so much write religious analogies as much as he uses religion as realistic settings to add depth. This is a simple and beautiful song about coping with illness and loss and God. It really illustrates a feeling of abandonment from the almighty and yet somehow an enduring faith in God, The sparse lilting arrangement is never typical, and adds more depth and character to this already beautiful song.
1.Samson, Regina Spektor
This song is such a gorgeous song about ill fated romance that mirrors the story of Samson. Spektor's clever heart felt lyrics about her long haired lover are sweet and sincere as well as displaying her signature quirks that make her work so unique and memorable. Her voice is sensitive and feminine in a very Joni Mitchellesque style yet her own personality shines through. Here are the Lyrics:
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the sheets of paper lies my truth
I have to go, I have to go
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
He ate a slice of wonder bread and went right back to bed
And history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first, I loved you first
Beneath the stars came fallin' on our heads
But they're just old light, they're just old light
Your hair was long when we first met
Samson came to my bed
Told me that my hair was red
Told me I was beautiful and came into my bed
Oh I cut his hair myself one night
A pair of dull scissors in the yellow light
And he told me that I'd done alright
And kissed me 'til the mornin' light, the mornin' light
And he kissed me 'til the mornin' light
Samson went back to bed
Not much hair left on his head
Ate a slice of wonderbread and went right back to bed
Oh, we couldn't bring the columns down
Yeah we couldn't destroy a single one
And history books forgot about us
And the bible didn't mention us, not even once
You are my sweetest downfall
I loved you first
Well there's my list. Amen.
Top 5 Political Songs (originally posted Oct. 13, 2006)
1.Take the Power Back, Rage Against the Machine
2.Won't Get fooled Again, The Who
3.Celebration Guns, Stars
4.Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival
5.Seconds, u2
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