Are these the 10 worst songs of all time?

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I am under-impressed with the list. There are so many songs out there with questionable to horrible lyrics, I would bet a paycheck that the list reflects overuse of these songs more than anything. The problems with some of the subsequent songs mentioned on this thread deal more with substance. I can see a group of people sitting around discussing what they are sick and tired of, more than anything else. This would make this list more of an issue of taste than actual theological inappropriateness.

Oh well. That is what blogs are for.

PS - There is already a lengthy thread on musical styles: secular vs. sacred. I think little came of that thread, but it is there for anyone who wants another brick wall.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=467470

Oh, and I still appreciate everyone keeping it nice on the Music Leaders list thread. I guess if anyone wants pot shots at me I’ll take them here. Seems only fair.
 
While I don’t necessarily agree or disagree with the list completely, I do think there are far worse examples of “liturgical” music in the hymnals. For example:

Look Beyond
Take the Word of God With You
Gather Your People
Song of the Body of Christ
God has Chosen Me
90% of GIA’s “Gather” Hymnal

At a parish where I used to live, the keyboardist/cantor would play an atrocious sampled drum beat (on the digital piano she was using) along with “Take the Word of God With You.” Aside from being completely obnoxious & unnecessary (the song is horrible of it’s own accord) the drum beat was in 6/8 & the song has a measure of 3/8 thrown in for good measure so every other verse the back beat was off & very distracting.
 
pnewton said:
I am under-impressed with the list. There are so many songs out there with questionable to horrible lyrics, I would bet a paycheck that the list reflects overuse of these songs more than anything.
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My thoughts exactly!
 
If we go out and replace all our OCP Breaking Bread books with the St. Michael’s Hymnal, 75% of our musicians will walk out in protest.

I suppose it would be polite to warn the music director down at the Episcopal church to brace for an onslaught of volunteer guitarists.
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
If we go out and replace all our OCP Breaking Bread books with the St. Michael’s Hymnal, 75% of our musicians will walk out in protest.

I suppose it would be polite to warn the music director down at the Episcopal church to brace for an onslaught of volunteer guitarists.
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Promise? 🙂
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
If we go out and replace all our OCP Breaking Bread books with the St. Michael’s Hymnal, 75% of our musicians will walk out in protest.

I suppose it would be polite to warn the music director down at the Episcopal church to brace for an onslaught of volunteer guitarists.
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He wouldn’t take them. Episcopalians make up for their liberal theology with beautiful classical organ music.
 
Holy God We Praise Thy Name wasn’t on the list?

That one gets SO overused. All the time. Everytime I go to my hometown parish they play it because I guess they don’t know of anything else. They play it exceedingly slow with an overbearing electric organ that has no life to it.

And every time they get to “innnnnnfiiiiniiiite thy vaaaaaaaast do-ohhhh-maaaaain”…, I can’t help but think of the Seinfeld episode asking if you are “master of your domain.”
 
So, because someone is not Catholic, they can’t write Catholic theological songs?
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This reminds me:

When I first became Catholic I remember being shocked out of my socks because the opening hymn at a Mass one Sunday was “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” A hymn penned by Martin Luther at a Catholic Mass!?! Knock me over with a feather!!! I guess no one can accuse the Catholic Church of holding grudges…

😃
 
ChemicalBean said:
Holy God We Praise Thy Name wasn’t on the list?
That one gets SO overused. All the time. Everytime I go to my hometown parish they play it because I guess they don’t know of anything else. /QUOTE]

It’s amazing how different things are all over the country. I haven’t heard that hymn in many, many years! I love it. Maybe we should have a parish exchange program.
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I find it funny, that most of the music that everyone is complaining about is music that has been written in the last, what, 40 years. I do think that some of these songs presented here as being so bad can be done, and done well during mass, but you have to have the right circumstances.

But I’m curious, those of you who have eliminated all of these songs from your “good music at mass list” could you provide a list of songs, separated into categories (processional, preperation, communion, communion meditation if needed, recessional) that you would prefer as ideal at mass.
 
ChemicalBean said:
That one gets SO overused. All the time. Everytime I go to my hometown parish they play it because I guess they don’t know of anything else. They play it exceedingly slow with an overbearing electric organ that has no life to it.
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So sing one verse of it once a month without the organ. 🙂
And every time they get to “innnnnnfiiiiniiiite thy vaaaaaaaast do-ohhhh-maaaaain”…, I can’t help but think of the Seinfeld episode asking if you are “master of your domain.”
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The song was written two hundred years ago (Grosser Gott, wir loben dich.) and translated around 1900. I doubt if Seinfeld was around then. Why aren’t you like me and think of domain like in @domain.com? 🙂
 
ChemicalBean said:
Holy God We Praise Thy Name wasn’t on the list?

That one gets SO overused. All the time. Everytime I go to my hometown parish they play it because I guess they don’t know of anything else. They play it exceedingly slow with an overbearing electric organ that has no life to it.

And every time they get to “innnnnnfiiiiniiiite thy vaaaaaaaast do-ohhhh-maaaaain”…, I can’t help but think of the Seinfeld episode asking if you are “master of your domain.”
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The theology being the hymn is very solid though. It’s a perfect pick for Trinity Sunday.
 
CatholicZ09 said:
The theology being the hymn is very solid though. It’s a perfect pick for Trinity Sunday.
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Catholics need to think beyond the 15 songs they are familiar with. “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name” is fine for some occasions, but the bottom line is to connect to the readings of the day! EXPAND your horizons. Look to other sources, including Protestant hymnody congruent with Catholic theology–which includes a wide array of very singable hymns at your fingertips. Hire an organist who leads with conviction. Invest in a hymnal that is solid, sing all of the verses, and things will turn around. I have worked in both Catholic and Protestant congregations and I can attest it does work.
 
ProVobis said:
So sing one verse of it once a month without the organ. 🙂

The song was written two hundred years ago (Grosser Gott, wir loben dich.) and translated around 1900. I doubt if Seinfeld was around then. Why aren’t you like me and think of domain like in @domain.com? 🙂
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It’s actually the TeDeum in the vernacular.
 
But what standards are being used to evaluate “worse”? Bad tune? Bad theology? Just plain bad phrasing and choice of words?:confused:
 
BVM_1221 said:
But what standards are being used to evaluate “worse”? Bad tune? Bad theology? Just plain bad phrasing and choice of words?:confused:
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Unsingable tunes, combined with bad theology, I should think.

I have heard these pieces done beautifully - but never in Church. They aren’t designed for the normal vocal range of untrained singers. Yes, they sound good when sung by people who’ve been trained professionally since childhood - but put them in the hands of an ordinary congregation, and they become ear-splitting. Add to that the marshmallow fluff that is the lyrics, and who needs 'em?

For Church music, you need to have songs that are easy for people to sing, and where the lyrics actually tell us what we believe in.
 
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