Are these the 10 worst songs of all time?

[ProVobis]

Ignaz Franz is perhaps the German writer. The English Holy God… translated in rhyme the German adaptation of Te Duem. Holy God… however is very close to the Latin Te Deum.

Translating songs is extremely tricky, trying to keep the poetic attributes and theological concepts in careful and uncompromising balance. I would guess it’s virtually impossible to translate the lyrics without changing the theology and/or rhyme, although I have to give credit to those who have made brilliant attempts, such as our Christmas music and some of the songs in the missal (Easter Sequence, Dies Irae, O Salutaris Hostia, etc.)

 

[centurionguard]

From our friends at First Things, here is a list of the 10 worst songs of all time. Given the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus’ penchant for truly sacred music, it’s no surprise that the magazine that he founded is carrying the standard.

firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/07/06/are-these-the-ten-worst-hymns-of-all-time/

Incidentally, Pescador de Hombres is number 10. I won’t spoil the rest for y’all.

Well I don’t have to be reminded just how deliberately Protestantnized our new so called Catholic Music is becoming. After all our Catholic Church today seems to no longer carry the distinction of being exclusively Catholic due to the strong adoption of ** Ecummunism** in the Catholic Church.

In Canada all one has to to do is look at the Catholic Book of Worship Song books One and Two to see the song lists lyrics. And now the CBW 3 which is even worse than the former 2. I find the music being played at Mass time largely has an influence on just where and what seminary the Catholic priest comes from. Older priests seem more strict and more involved in the music song choices being aired during Mass.

Personally I most enjoy the beautiful Latin music arrangements which are often obsolete in many newer Catholic Churches. Go figure in our New Age Church today.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I have a feeling that our worship materials are going to get worse within the years, unless we get some sort of divine intervention to bring back more of the good 'ole stuff.

 

[revert_jen]

Back to the topic, my most dispised song is the Catholic national anthem, “On Eagle’s Wings.” It seems to be sung almost EVERY Sunday and EVERY funeral. If one has a liturgical bone in one’s body, there is no way that text fits in that often. Other than the refrain, the verses are very hard to sing by a congregation due mainly to the clunky rhythm --see my above comment.

Amen, brother/sister (whichever)!

Even if you have the choir sing it, it’s still a dreadful song. I’m not a theologian, but I have been a musician. Yech. Also, I know it is supposed to be based on Ps. 91, but that psalm does not appear ever to say that God is going to “raise you up on eagles’ wings,” which always sounds to me like we’re all going to actually be given wings.

The problem is, that most songs will be liked by any group of people that hears them somewhat frequently over a period of 10 years or so. “The congregation likes it” is not the reason they get played so often, it is a result of it.

But just from a musical standpoint, “We are many parts” is my absolute least favorite. I can practically hear the clip-clop of horses’ hooves; it sounds so much like the theme song from a 1960s cowboy TV show. Except, unlike “We are many parts,” the theme song from a TV show would at least rhyme at the ends of the lines instead of in the middles. Seriously, is it possible that anyone over the age of about 7 doesn’t feel like an idiot singing, “So my pain is pain for you, in your joy is my joy, too…” or even “we would be your servants true” to that horrible trite melody? shudder I wrote better poetry in high school, and I am a terrible poet.

So here is something I wish people could understand. Just because someone takes a piece of scripture, and changes it around so that he or she likes it better than the way God had it, and puts it to music, it doesn’t mean that it is necessarily a liturgical song. It is possible for even very good music to be inappropriate for the Mass. It is even possible for music to be theologically sound and good music, and still be inapprioriate for Mass, depending on style. But such music would have at least one, and usually two, advantages over most of the stuff mentioned in this thread.

And to the person who wondered what is gained by a thread like this, well, I feel better anyway.

–Jen

 

[revert_jen]

I have a feeling that our worship materials are going to get worse within the years, unless we get some sort of divine intervention to bring back more of the good 'ole stuff.

That would be nice, but if we’re praying for divine intervention, why not go whole hog and ask Him to give us composers who could give us good new stuff as well.

–Jen

 

[MarkThompson]

That would be nice, but if we’re praying for divine intervention, why not go whole hog and ask Him to give us composers who could give us good new stuff as well.

–Jen

Here’s one.

 

[snowlake]

So here is something I wish people could understand. Just because someone takes a piece of scripture, and changes it around so that he or she likes it better than the way God had it, and puts it to music, it doesn’t mean that it is necessarily a liturgical song. It is possible for even very good music to be inappropriate for the Mass. It is even possible for music to be theologically sound and good music, and still be inapprioriate for Mass, depending on style. But such music would have at least one, and usually two, advantages over most of the stuff mentioned in this thread.

And to the person who wondered what is gained by a thread like this, well, I feel better anyway. --Jen

Amen. Alleluia!

 

[snowlake]

I’m a techno-klutz and am completely ignorant of how to list a written or audio/visual reference for others to “click” on in order to be transferred to that site. It might be a helpful tool for clarifying points.
Can anyone help me here?

 

[VetA]

From our friends at First Things, here is a list of the 10 worst songs of all time. Given the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus’ penchant for truly sacred music, it’s no surprise that the magazine that he founded is carrying the standard.

firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/07/06/are-these-the-ten-worst-hymns-of-all-time/

Incidentally, Pescador de Hombres is number 10. I won’t spoil the rest for y’all.

agree with everything except here i am lord and i am the bread of life, i am the bread of life almost made me cry once

 

[CatholicZ09]

I’m a techno-klutz and am completely ignorant of how to list a written or audio/visual reference for others to “click” on in order to be transferred to that site. It might be a helpful tool for clarifying points.
Can anyone help me here?

Hi, snowlake.

All you have to do is copy the URL for the site you want people to be directed to, then post the URL in the reply box. You need to put a braket with the words “URL” in between it at the beginning of the URL, and at the end, you but a bracket and then a slash (/) with URL after that.

 

[snowlake]

Hi, snowlake.

All you have to do is copy the URL for the site you want people to be directed to, then post the URL in the reply box. You need to put a braket with the words “URL” in between it at the beginning of the URL, and at the end, you but a bracket and then a slash (/) with URL after that.

Thanks!

 

[ProVobis]

i am the bread of life almost made me cry once

The day after my cat died, everything they sang made me cry. Proves nothing.

 

[Kennywood]

Ha Ha! I DID have to sing “The Spirit is A-Movin’” for 9 years of grade school! I can remember thinking as a child that it so did not work!

Thanks for the laugh- I totally agree it must be on the list!!

 

[pnewton]

The day after my cat died, everything they sang made me cry. Proves nothing.

Emotional memories can affect our opinions about what is good and bad music. This “worst song” list is little more than opinion from the start.

 

[CatholicZ09]

As I said before, “I Am the Bread of Life” comes directly from Sacred Scripture. However, posters are saying the reason it is on the list because of its “pop culture resemblence” of the time it was written. That and it’s hard for congregational singing.

IMO, I have no problem with it.

 

[benedictgal]

As I said before, “I Am the Bread of Life” comes directly from Sacred Scripture. However, posters are saying the reason it is on the list because of its “pop culture resemblence” of the time it was written. That and it’s hard for congregational singing.

IMO, I have no problem with it.

The slight problem (among a host of others) with “I Am the Bread of Life” is that when the lyrics were revised, it was for gender-neutral purposes, which is a bad thing because at that point, even the Scripture could be compromised.

Now, do you mean that you have no problem with the song itself or no problem understanding the problems that come wtih it?

 

[CatholicZ09]

The slight problem (among a host of others) with “I Am the Bread of Life” is that when the lyrics were revised, it was for gender-neutral purposes, which is a bad thing because at that point, even the Scripture could be compromised.

Now, do you mean that you have no problem with the song itself or no problem understanding the problems that come wtih it?

No problem with the song itself.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

pnewton says,
“Emotional memories can affect our opinions about what is good and bad music. This “worst song” list is little more than opinion from the start.”
Could not agree with you more!!

I guess the thing that bothers me about discussions like this is the "either/or" attitude.
I love music! I have some knowledge of music theory, can read music, and have dabbled a little in playing guitar & piano and singing, albeit, a very long time ago!
I appreciate all kinds of music. If anyone every found my mp3- they would think that I am nut:takeoff:
I have everything from The Priests (the ones from Ireland)
singing the Ave Maria & Panis Angelicus to Metallica’s Unforgiven,
to some great zydeco!
I love it all (except for rap and most country/western, but that’s another thread!)

Musical appreciation is part of who I am as a person. Music can envoke all sorts of emotion for me, all kinds of music. While totally not appropriate for Mass, I believe that the Rolling Stones hit the proverbial nail on the head with the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. I heard this song one day, right after I left a very spirited and very difficult session with my spiritual director. As I was driving home, listening to this song, what my spiritual director had just said to me (and something that, at the time, I really resented) made perfect sense to me. I was asking God for the things I thought I wanted, not the things that I really needed, and it was this song that helped me to realize that and that helped to put me on the path to learning more about my faith and deepening my relationship with God through prayer.

God works in very mysterious ways.

Believe me, I never thought He would use the Rolling Stones, but He did. And that is when another realization hit me. God Himself, is the one who creates people with the ability and desire to share of themselves through music. And of those who choose to use this God-given talent to compose music for worship, I believe that we need to remember that, in many cases, what they have written comes from where they are on their journey, at the time it was written. So maybe the theology is not perfect. Maybe the musical setting is cumbersome. Maybe there are many better songs out there. But, in my opinion, anyone who composes a song of praise to God is giving glory to God, because they using the talents God gave.
Who am I , or anyone else for that matter, to say that any songs are the “worst”?

And music should not be the “be all to end all” of the liturgical practice. Everything, the homily, the readings, the choice of music, Eucharistic prayers, etc., everything should flow together, to make every Mass “perfect”, all parts need not to be equal though,- it will all balance out in the end, God will make sure of it!

 

[jilly4ski]

I too appreciate all sorts of music and God is the source of musical talent but that doesn’t mean that all music should be in church or used in the context of the mass.

Let me add a few more hymns that I dislike. Their theology is so so but their musical settings are terrible.

The Summons

1. Will you come and follow me
   If I but call your name?
   Will you go where you don’t know
   And never be the same?
   Will you let my love be shown,
   Will you let my name be known,
   Will you let my life be grown
   In you and you in me?

1. Will you leave yourself behind
   If I but call your name?
   Will you care for cruel and kind
   And never be the same?
   Will you risk the hostile stare
   Should your life attract or scare?
   Will you let me answer prayer
   In you and you in me?

1. Will you let the blinded see
   If I but call your name?
   Will you set the pris’ners free
   And never be the same?
   Will you kiss the leper clean,
   And do such as this unseen,
   And admit to what I mean
   In you and you in me?

1. Will you love the ‘you’ you hide
   If I but call your name?
   Will you quell the fear inside
   And never be the same?
   Will you use the faith you’ve found
   To reshape the world around,
   Through my sight and touch and sound
   In you and you in me?

1. Lord, your summons echoes true
   When you but call my name.
   Let me turn and follow you
   And never be the same.
   In your company I’ll go
   Where your love and footsteps show.
   Thus I’ll move and live and grow
   In you and you in me.

Terrible, terrible sing-songy tune. If you slowed it down and sang it staccato you could use it to teach students intervals. Luckily I haven’t had to listen to this one since I graduated college.

We are Called

1. Come! live in the light!
   Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
   We are called to be light for the kingdom,
   to live in the freedom of the city of God!

Refrain: We are called to act with justice.
We are called to love tenderly.
We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.

1. Come! Open your heart!
   Show your mercy to all those in fear!
   We are called to be hope for the hopeless,
   so all hatred and blindness will be no more!

1. Sing! Sing a new song!
   Sing of that great day when all will be one!
   God will reign and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love

I don’t know how Haas passed composition 101. Really, who places large jump (I think it is a perfect 5th) to a high E on the first two notes of a song for a congregational song?

 

[CatholicZ09]

I too appreciate all sorts of music and God is the source of musical talent but that doesn’t mean that all music should be in church or used in the context of the mass.

Let me add a few more hymns that I dislike. Their theology is so so but their musical settings are terrible.

The Summons

Terrible, terrible sing-songy tune. If you slowed it down and sang it staccato you could use it to teach students intervals. Luckily I haven’t had to listen to this one since I graduated college.

We are Called

I don’t know how Haas passed composition 101. Really, who places large jump (I think it is a perfect 5th) to a high E on the first two notes of a song for a congregational song?

David Haas does that with a lot of his songs. He’s other composition, “We Will Rise Again” starts off with a G and then shoots up to a high D. Not friendly with congregational singing.

Bob Dufford’s songs do this as well, they don’t shoot up from low to high, but they go too high, for example, his composition of “Every Valley” goes from high C sharp to E natural. E’s aren’t usually congregation-friendly.