Blues/Rock Musician

[TheBoss918]

As a fellow songwriter/musician myself (who once discerned the seminary), I was happy to come across this thread.

Since it’s 3:00am and I only got to glance at the discussion, I’ll just reply to the original poster.

Of course it is OK to play rock/blues music! In fact, it’s more than OK: it’s a blessing. Music, specifically rock for me, has been a huge sacrament (lower case “s”) in my life. I always say that The Beatles are a wonderful proof of God’s existence

Of course there are some artists and art that stray from Catholic teaching, but you’ll find that in ANY vocation. Not all fiction books are moral: so should C. S. Lewis not have written Narnia, or Tolkien written LOTR? Not all politicians are incorrupt: so should people stop running for office? Even religion is not always safe. Some religious in the Church have done horrible, evil things: so should men avoid the seminary? People are imperfect.

There is nothing inherently wrong or evil in rock music. The idea that it’s the devil’s music because of the beat is fanatical. If that is someone’s belief, I respect it, but I also believe it is just not in touch with reality.

I encourage you, my friend, to avoid the temptation to judge some artists because they have done drugs or have slept with a lot of women. We all have sinned. The sin of pride is a lot worse than premarital sex, anyhow.

There are many Christian artists out there who are quite vocal about their faith: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Bono to name a few. And by the way, a priest friend of mine last year baptized a child. Guess who the godfather was??? Robert Plant!!!

Good luck to you! Know that you are in my prayers.

 

[Roger_Buck]

There are many Christian artists out there who are quite vocal about their faith: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Bono to name a few. .

Hello Boss! A Springsteen reference I take it …

Anyway this is just to ask a question. I love Bruce Springsteen. Something deeply human and moving about his music. Words fail. But while I am grateful that a number of his songs do invoke God in a reverent way … this is important

I did not know he was “quite vocal about [his] faith”. Perhaps something has changed. I was very conscious of the multiple Catholic invocations in the recent beautiful “I´ll work for your love” …

Yet I am not under the impression that Springsteen has returned to his Catholic roots, let alone is vocal about them.

If you or (anyone else reading this) know different or know an internet link regarding this, please let me know.

 

[TheBoss918]

Hello Boss! A Springsteen reference I take it …

Anyway this is just to ask a question. I love Bruce Springsteen. Something deeply human and moving about his music. Words fail. But while I am grateful that a number of his songs do invoke God in a reverent way … this is important

I did not know he was “quite vocal about [his] faith”. Perhaps something has changed. I was very conscious of the multiple Catholic invocations in the recent beautiful “I´ll work for your love” …

Yet I am not under the impression that Springsteen has returned to his Catholic roots, let alone is vocal about them.

If you or (anyone else reading this) know different or know an internet link regarding this, please let me know.

Always good to meet a fellow Catholic Springsteen fan!

True story: while at dinner with my priest friend (see Robert Plant story above), we also dined with another priest who was visiting New York City from the Vatican. After telling him how huge of a Springsteen fan I am, he told me that last year he was giving morning Mass, and most of the E Street Band were present. He said most of the band members go to daily Mass. Anyhow, they invited him to the concert in Rome. While Father was sitting in his seat before the show, Bruce’s people came up to him and escorted him backstage. Springsteen specifically asked Father to give a blessing for him and the band before the show. Cool, huh? Later, during the show, Bruce went up to Father’s seat, pointed at him, and thanked him.

Catholic/religous imagery has always been a huge focus of Springsteen’s work. “I’ll Work For Your Love,” as you mentioned, has great Catholic imagery. Check out “Adam Raised a Cain,” “Across the Border,” and “Jesus Was An Only Son” for more great examples. And, of course, Bruce’s fascination with the name Mary (from “Thunder Road” to “The Rising”) always beautifully reminds me of our Blessed Mother.

Springsteen also loves visual images from the Church. In “The Ghost of Tom Joad” music video, for example, the Sacred Heart of Jesus image flashes before our eyes. During the Seeger Sessions tour, Bruce used a beautiful acoustic guitar with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe painted on. It is stunning.

While not “hit-you-over-the-head-specifically-CATHOLIC,” Bruce often speaks of God. Live in concert, Springsteen always does a PSA for a local food bank. After announcing the charity, he asks the audience to support them, as “they do God’s work.” Bruce is also big into prayer. “My City of Ruins” is a great song to reflect on, and Bruce often offers songs up specifically as prayers live (“MCOR” for the 9/11 telecast, “We Shall Overcome” for the Haiti telecast, “Born in the USA,” as seen on Live in Barecelona). Springsteen also said he is very interested in doing a gospel album and tour in the future, similar to the Seeger Session project. Performances on tha tour of “This Little Light of Mine,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Eyes on the Prize,” and “O Mary Don’t You Weep” already show his interest in this direction.

Ahhh, you asked for specific articles. I read the following on backstreets.com in 2006, but the site crashed and the article was not restored when they put BTX back up. I wish I could find the scan, bu you’ll have to trust me. There was a big article from an Italian Catholic magazine in 2006 you would’ve loved. In it, Bruce visited a Franciscan friary with the Seeger Sessions band. When the friars asked what they could do for Bruce while he was leaving, he asked them to continually pray that he and his band can continue to spread the Good News.

You should check Fr. Andrew Greeley’s article from 1988 here: americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=11047 Although I have not read it yet, the book The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen is very good amazon.com/Gospel-according-Bruce-Springsteen/dp/0664231691/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264710848&sr=8-1 You may like that! Also, Dave Marsh’s book Two Hearts relates how Bruce wanted, and had, a Catholic wedding in 1984.

Does Bruce go to Mass weekly? He has never said, and that is really none of my business anyhow. But there seems to be a lot of envidence of Bruce’s Catholicism!

 

[Roger_Buck]

Always good to meet a fellow Catholic Springsteen fan!

True story: while at dinner with my priest friend (see Robert Plant story above), we also dined with another priest who was visiting New York City from the Vatican. After telling him how huge of a Springsteen fan I am, he told me that last year he was giving morning Mass, and most of the E Street Band were present. He said most of the band members go to daily Mass. Anyhow, they invited him to the concert in Rome. While Father was sitting in his seat before the show, Bruce’s people came up to him and escorted him backstage. Springsteen specifically asked Father to give a blessing for him and the band before the show. Cool, huh? Later, during the show, Bruce went up to Father’s seat, pointed at him, and thanked him.

Catholic/religous imagery has always been a huge focus of Springsteen’s work. “I’ll Work For Your Love,” as you mentioned, has great Catholic imagery. Check out “Adam Raised a Cain,” “Across the Border,” and “Jesus Was An Only Son” for more great examples. And, of course, Bruce’s fascination with the name Mary (from “Thunder Road” to “The Rising”) always beautifully reminds me of our Blessed Mother.

Springsteen also loves visual images from the Church. In “The Ghost of Tom Joad” music video, for example, the Sacred Heart of Jesus image flashes before our eyes. During the Seeger Sessions tour, Bruce used a beautiful acoustic guitar with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe painted on. It is stunning.

While not “hit-you-over-the-head-specifically-CATHOLIC,” Bruce often speaks of God. Live in concert, Springsteen always does a PSA for a local food bank. After announcing the charity, he asks the audience to support them, as “they do God’s work.” Bruce is also big into prayer. “My City of Ruins” is a great song to reflect on, and Bruce often offers songs up specifically as prayers live (“MCOR” for the 9/11 telecast, “We Shall Overcome” for the Haiti telecast, “Born in the USA,” as seen on Live in Barecelona). Springsteen also said he is very interested in doing a gospel album and tour in the future, similar to the Seeger Session project. Performances on tha tour of “This Little Light of Mine,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Eyes on the Prize,” and “O Mary Don’t You Weep” already show his interest in this direction.

Ahhh, you asked for specific articles. I read the following on backstreets.com in 2006, but the site crashed and the article was not restored when they put BTX back up. I wish I could find the scan, bu you’ll have to trust me. There was a big article from an Italian Catholic magazine in 2006 you would’ve loved. In it, Bruce visited a Franciscan friary with the Seeger Sessions band. When the friars asked what they could do for Bruce while he was leaving, he asked them to continually pray that he and his band can continue to spread the Good News.

You should check Fr. Andrew Greeley’s article from 1988 here: americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=11047 Although I have not read it yet, the book The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen is very good amazon.com/Gospel-according-Bruce-Springsteen/dp/0664231691/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264710848&sr=8-1 You may like that! Also, Dave Marsh’s book Two Hearts relates how Bruce wanted, and had, a Catholic wedding in 1984.

Does Bruce go to Mass weekly? He has never said, and that is really none of my business anyhow. But there seems to be a lot of envidence of Bruce’s Catholicism!

Whoa!

I REALLY thank you Boss for taking time and effort to share this!

I had no idea anything like this would come back …

Let me speak more passionately. I am a 46 year old geezer who listened like most in my generation to a fair amount of rock in my youth.

These days all that really remains is a love of Springsteen. I mean now and then I´ll listen to something else, but Bruce is what towers above everything 25 years on …

Words completely fail to express what I see as the depth of his music …

I am really very grateful to you. The story with the priest is amazing. Much else is very very stirring. I already knew the Greeley article, song references etc but thank you … I have been wondering about Bruce in this context for years … what a completely unexpected treat.

Good to know of the book too …

Wow … !