Question about one the least favorite hymns from another thread

[Laura_B]

Hello:
I discovered (and got many giggles from) the thread on least favorite hymns. Unfortunately the thread was already closed so I didn’t get a chance to ask about one of the songs listed: ie, “Sons of God”.

Sons of God
Hear His holy word
Gather 'round
The Table of the Lord
Eat His body
Drink His blood
And we’ll sing a song of love
Allelu
Allelu
Allelu
Alleluia

I remember learning the song as a second-grader preparing for First Communion. Whenever I read comments criticizing this song, it always seems to come down to the “Eat His body, Drink His Blood” lines, but no one ever says any more about it (except in the most recent thread they referred to this song as “the happy Cannibal”).
What is the objection? The theology is correct, isn’t it? Or, is it just that the tune at that point is rather sing-songy? Or is there something else?
Thanks in advance for your responses. It’s just something I’ve always wondered about.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I saw this one in a collection of pop-evangelical ditties:

Ain’t it a shame to work on Sunday, ain’t it a shame? (a workin’ shame)
Ain’t it a shame to work on Sunday, ain’t it a shame? (a workin’ shame)
Ain’t it a shame to work on Sunday, when you got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and you got Thursday, Friday, Saturday?
Aint it a shame?

Succeeding verses went to it being a shame to drink on Sunday, joy-ride on Sunday–and concluded about how it’s a shame to lie on Sunday “when you got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and you got Thursday, Friday, Saturday?
Aint it a shame?”

 

[benedictgal]

Hello:
I discovered (and got many giggles from) the thread on least favorite hymns. Unfortunately the thread was already closed so I didn’t get a chance to ask about one of the songs listed: ie, “Sons of God”.

Sons of God
Hear His holy word
Gather 'round
The Table of the Lord
Eat His body
Drink His blood
And we’ll sing a song of love
Allelu
Allelu
Allelu
Alleluia

I remember learning the song as a second-grader preparing for First Communion. Whenever I read comments criticizing this song, it always seems to come down to the “Eat His body, Drink His Blood” lines, but no one ever says any more about it (except in the most recent thread they referred to this song as “the happy Cannibal”).
What is the objection? The theology is correct, isn’t it? Or, is it just that the tune at that point is rather sing-songy? Or is there something else?
Thanks in advance for your responses. It’s just something I’ve always wondered about.

I think one might also have to look at the music attached to this partcular song. The words are somewhat elementary and overly simplistic. However, the real caveat might lie with the actual score.

 

[LilyM]

Hello:
I discovered (and got many giggles from) the thread on least favorite hymns. Unfortunately the thread was already closed so I didn’t get a chance to ask about one of the songs listed: ie, “Sons of God”.

Sons of God
Hear His holy word
Gather 'round
The Table of the Lord
Eat His body
Drink His blood
And we’ll sing a song of love
Allelu
Allelu
Allelu
Alleluia

I remember learning the song as a second-grader preparing for First Communion. Whenever I read comments criticizing this song, it always seems to come down to the “Eat His body, Drink His Blood” lines, but no one ever says any more about it (except in the most recent thread they referred to this song as “the happy Cannibal”).
What is the objection? The theology is correct, isn’t it? Or, is it just that the tune at that point is rather sing-songy? Or is there something else?
Thanks in advance for your responses. It’s just something I’ve always wondered about.

I’d imagine the objection is a bit like my peeve with ‘Lord of the Dance’ - singing those words about ‘they whipped and they stripped and they hung me high’ to such a jolly-sounding tune - just ain’t right :nope:

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Sons OF God,
HEAR His Holy WORD,
GATH-er round the TABLE of the LORD.
EAT His BO-dy, DRINK His BLOOD
AND we’ll SING a SONG of LOVE
Al le LU, Al le LU, Al le LU OO OO OO OO YA!

We always used to finish up the song with this ‘trailer’ from a popular commericial of the times–I think for an antacid or else for Schwepps gingerale, my mind is going. . .

doo doo doo doo DOO! doo doo doo doo DOO! Doo-doo doo doo doo doo doo doo–DOOT DOOT!

Of course, with the words “Sons” of God, it’s not surprising we don’t see this song. . .blatantly antifeminist, you know. (Remember, I’m a woman, so don’t flame me!)

Don’t mind my carping. . .I have surgery tomorrow, I’m on clear liquids all day, working a full shift, and cranky.

 

[kage_ar]

I remember this song (or a very similar song) from my childhood - non-Catholic Christian childhood at that…

Sons of God
Hear your Father’s word
Gather 'round the table of the Lord
Eat His Body
Drink His Blood
And we’ll live forever

It was sung in a round. Seems rather Catholic to me

A nice song for children to learn I’d think.

 

[thann]

Regarding “Sons of God”: Although theologically correct, the banal lyrics are compounded by trite and insipid music. That’s why it’s a poor choice of music for liturgies.

'thann

 

[SMHW]

Hello:
I discovered (and got many giggles from) the thread on least favorite hymns. Unfortunately the thread was already closed so I didn’t get a chance to ask about one of the songs listed: ie, “Sons of God”.

Sons of God
Hear His holy word
Gather 'round
The Table of the Lord
Eat His body
Drink His blood
And we’ll sing a song of love
Allelu
Allelu
Allelu
Alleluia

I remember learning the song as a second-grader preparing for First Communion. Whenever I read comments criticizing this song, it always seems to come down to the “Eat His body, Drink His Blood” lines, but no one ever says any more about it (except in the most recent thread they referred to this song as “the happy Cannibal”).
What is the objection? The theology is correct, isn’t it? Or, is it just that the tune at that point is rather sing-songy? Or is there something else?
Thanks in advance for your responses. It’s just something I’ve always wondered about.

I think most people are complaining about the tune. It’s typical of those liturgical folk songs that many of us sang at Mass in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Most of those songs had kind of a campfire feel to them.