Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 16: Willie Nelson’s “The Trouble-Maker” and “God’s Problem Child”
I’ve mentioned before that I am Extremely Not A Country Fan, but there is an exception to every rule, and mine is Willie Nelson. One of my earliest memories is riding with my Dad in his red pickup truck out into the pasture, him softly singing along to a cassette tape of Stardust; he was […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 15: U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and The Police’s “Invisible Sun”
Today, January 30th, marks the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” AKA the Bogside Massacre, when 26 unarmed, nonviolent civilians were killed by police in Derry, Northern Ireland. The murdered were participating in a peaceful civil rights march against the Protestant majority’s marginalization and mistreatment of Irish Catholics who had been left behind in the north […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 14: Sufjan Steven’s “Casimir Pulaski Day” and Regina Spektor’s “Laughing With”
Another reason why the Sunday sabbath can be the hardest is because religion, which is supposed to be a consolation in our anxieties, can also be their source. The same God who saved Abraham from the Egyptians also asked him to sacrifice his son; the same Moses who led his people to the promised land […]
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” Abraham, and Kierkegaard’s Paradox of Faith
When I first began teaching Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” over a decade ago, it was primarily because I was a last minute adjunct hire with an MA scrambling to slap together a college syllabus for the first time during the Great Recession; I was just throwing every famous essay […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 13: Patti Smith’s “Gloria” and Chrissie Hynde’s “Spiritual High (State of Independence)”
Back during that summer after high school, I decided to not believe in God anymore. Not because of anything the Church did, mind you. Polygamy, racism pre-1978, uber-conservatism in Anglo-Mormon discourse—I could not have cared less, frankly. Against my Bishop or parents or youth leaders I had no complaint. No drugs or sex lured me away, […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 12: Talking Head’s “Heaven” and Arcade Fire’s “(Antichrist Television Blues)”
Ever since I wrote last week’s Beatles post, I’ve been reflecting more and more lately about that empty, motivation-less Summer after High School–when I didn’t want to go to college, get a job, serve a mission, or do anything, really–when I would just listen to “Across the Universe” on repeat for an hour at a […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Part 11: With The Beatles—Paul McCartney’s “Let It Be,” John Lennon’s “Across the Universe,” and George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”
This is the Big Kahuna–not only the first day of the week that leaves you in a mood, but the first Sunday of Year. As such, we will have to bust out the big guns: the Fab Four.
Music for a Sunday Morning, Day After Christmas Edition: Low’s “Taking Down the Tree” and John Prine’s “Souvenirs”
I served my mission in Latin America, wherein December 25th is but the first day of Christmas, kicking off 12 straight days of parties and festivities, ultimately culminating on Three Kings Day on January 6th. I much prefer it this way–you feel much more satiated with your Holiday celebrations, and it prevents Christmas day from […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Christmas Edition: Harvey Danger’s “Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas”
Several years ago, as part of my continuing quest to find Christmas music I don’t hate, I stumbled upon this hidden gem: Harvey Danger’s “Sometimes You Have To Work On Christmas” just nails the feeling of abject melancholy that comes from, well, having to work on Christmas–a severely under-represented element of the whole Holiday experience […]
Music for a Sunday Morning, Christmas Edition: Sufjan Stevens’ “Silver and Gold”
Once upon a time, when I was on the verge of the impossible age of 30, I set out on a quest to find Christmas music I didn’t hate, and succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. I sought music that at once captured that seasonal sense of wonder and awe as only children seem to be […]