Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jkk@.uucp (John Kingston) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Help Wanted: Scripture References in Music Message-ID: Date: 24 Dec 90 09:30:49 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: AI Applications Institute, University of Edinburgh Lines: 51 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I missed the original article so I'm not sure if you're looking for Scripture in music as sung by Christians (or Jews), or Scriptural references in other songs. I'm sure there's a great deal of material in the first category, much of which is sung as hymns or choruses. If I had to recommend something, I'd recommend a guy called Ian White. He's probably unknown outside the U.K., but his music is worth listening to. To cut his testimony very short, the Lord led him to set the Psalms to modern music -- by modern, I'm thinking of Amy Grant / Cliff Richard style, although Ian has his own style. The words are lifted almost directly from the New International Version of the Bible. He's released four albums so far (Psalms set to music vol. 1, Psalms set to music vol. 2, Many Will See (vol. 3) and He is My Rock (vol. 4)). Some of the tracks are excellent, and none of them are dreadful. The best bit is that, when you go through the day, if a song comes to mind then you're singing the word of God. It also makes the Psalms much easier to learn. The favourite album from a number of opinions is probably volume 3, although volume 1 is pretty good too. I love the restfulness of Ps. 131 ("Not a proud heart, not a proud mind"), the haunting melody of Ps. 126 ("When the Lord brought back captives to Zion"), the emotive saxophone on Ps. 49 ("No man can redeem the life of another") and the upbeat jazz of Ps. 47 ("Clap your hands, all you nations"). Ian's record label is Little Misty Music, based in Perth, Scotland. For a full address, mail me. For scriptural references in other music, there are a number of oblique references, mostly (I suspect) because Biblical metaphor and story has become rooted in the English language and associated culture. Direct references are few, though. U2's "40" is indeed taken from the first verses of Psalm 40 - I believe some members of U2 are Christians, but there was so much speculation over whether they'd become a "Christian" band that they're fed up and won't talk about that any more. Then there were Boney M, who took "Rivers of Babylon" (Ps. 137) to number 1 in the UK charts about 12 years ago. Is that helpful? John K. "Open my lips O my Lord and I will give praise to you, my mouth will sing it, Burnt offerings and sacrifice are not your desire, or surely I would bring it A broken spirit is a sacrifice A broken and a contrite heart you will not despise" John Kingston, AI Applications Institute, University of Edinburgh, 80 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1HN, Scotland E-mail jkk@uk.ac.ed.aiai, phone 031-225 4464 ext. 229 FAX: 031 226 2730 Arpanet: J.Kingston%uk.ac.ed@nfsnet-relay.ac.uk TELEX: 727442 UNIVED G