busybeeburns
05-08-2008, 09:59 AM
One of the things that I hoped to accomplish with my two books The Rock & Roll Rebellion, Faith, God & Rock 'n' Roll and my next, Rock Gets Religion, was to encourage artists to use their music to grapple with the big issues of life. Theology, the study of our beliefs about God is of course one of those big issues of life that smart people like to sit around and speculate about, and U2 has always done a good job of talking theology, albeit obliquely.
For many U2 fans, Bono's religious lessons were easy to swallow because he always gave them an out. After all, though he didn't have a sex act in mind when he sang "If you want to touch the sky better learn to kneel," some of his fans may have thought so and few likely understood that The Joshua Tree referenced the cross that Christ died on, (Joshua being another name for Jesus). In fact Bono explicitly gave his more secular listeners an alternate reading with his song about the theological notion of "Grace" when he sang "It's the name for a girl, it's also a thought that changed the world."
So when I began to hear Chris Martin at my gym singing about St. Peter not calling his name I was intrigued. What in the world was he singing about? A lot it turns out. It seems that a debate is already raging in cyberspace about his band Coldplay and its song "Viva La Vida"
What Martin isn't doing is playing coy like Bono. At first blush, this appears to be a direct, albeit melodic attack on the Catholic Church. Listen and read for yourself here and here.
I'm not Catholic, and I'm certainly no theologian, but when a song apparently written from the perspective of the Pope or the Catholic church includes the line "For some reason I can't explain, I know St. Peter won't call my name," those sound like fighting words to me.
There's a pretty smart analysis of the song from a guy who's way smarter than I am here, but before poor Chris Martin is crucified for this song, I think it's important to step back, take a deep breath and say that this is exactly what rock and roll should be doing: debating the big issues of life, asking questions, provoking and challenging the status quo and all listeners, even Catholics, should prefer this to meaningless drivel like the number one song in the country this summer, "I Kissed A Girl And I Liked It."
Martin and company recorded the album in various Catholic churches which may alternately horrify the faithful or inspire. Whatever the case, my hat is off to Coldplay for starting a provocative debate and singing about something other than the number of women they bedded.
For half a century rock has been operating with half its brain tied behind its back-seeming to be capable only of talking about sex and drugs. Now, with U2, Switchfoot, Matisyahu and Coldplay leading the way, it's proving to be a venue for thoughtful and challenging discussions about the big issues of life as well.
Now, who will fire back and challenge Coldplay's view of the Catholic Church with a song that I can't stop humming? I can't wait to hear it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-joseph/coldplay-takes-on-the-pop_b_116929.html
For many U2 fans, Bono's religious lessons were easy to swallow because he always gave them an out. After all, though he didn't have a sex act in mind when he sang "If you want to touch the sky better learn to kneel," some of his fans may have thought so and few likely understood that The Joshua Tree referenced the cross that Christ died on, (Joshua being another name for Jesus). In fact Bono explicitly gave his more secular listeners an alternate reading with his song about the theological notion of "Grace" when he sang "It's the name for a girl, it's also a thought that changed the world."
So when I began to hear Chris Martin at my gym singing about St. Peter not calling his name I was intrigued. What in the world was he singing about? A lot it turns out. It seems that a debate is already raging in cyberspace about his band Coldplay and its song "Viva La Vida"
What Martin isn't doing is playing coy like Bono. At first blush, this appears to be a direct, albeit melodic attack on the Catholic Church. Listen and read for yourself here and here.
I'm not Catholic, and I'm certainly no theologian, but when a song apparently written from the perspective of the Pope or the Catholic church includes the line "For some reason I can't explain, I know St. Peter won't call my name," those sound like fighting words to me.
There's a pretty smart analysis of the song from a guy who's way smarter than I am here, but before poor Chris Martin is crucified for this song, I think it's important to step back, take a deep breath and say that this is exactly what rock and roll should be doing: debating the big issues of life, asking questions, provoking and challenging the status quo and all listeners, even Catholics, should prefer this to meaningless drivel like the number one song in the country this summer, "I Kissed A Girl And I Liked It."
Martin and company recorded the album in various Catholic churches which may alternately horrify the faithful or inspire. Whatever the case, my hat is off to Coldplay for starting a provocative debate and singing about something other than the number of women they bedded.
For half a century rock has been operating with half its brain tied behind its back-seeming to be capable only of talking about sex and drugs. Now, with U2, Switchfoot, Matisyahu and Coldplay leading the way, it's proving to be a venue for thoughtful and challenging discussions about the big issues of life as well.
Now, who will fire back and challenge Coldplay's view of the Catholic Church with a song that I can't stop humming? I can't wait to hear it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-joseph/coldplay-takes-on-the-pop_b_116929.html