Worst Hymn/Song Lyric Heard at Mass

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Re: the Star Wars reference being uncalled for…I meant in the same post as talking about not liking the song “Amazing Grace.”

I agree, a Star Wars Mass would be right up there with a clown mass. In fact, as a new Catholic, I find it unbelievable that you all actually had clown masses. When I first heard this I thought it was a joke (lol!!! ha ha)–no, really–what exactly was the intended purpose of the Catholic church deciding to have clown masses? I suppose it’s the idea of being childlike, a fool for Christ, “Godspell” and all that? Sure looks silly after all these years.
 
You know, thinking back on it (dating myself here)–being a child of the 70s–back then, not knowing what was to come–all the confusion and corruption–I remember loving all that stuff–Kumbaya, Simon and Garfunkel, even making the connection with My Sweet Lord (thinking this could be Christian if you overlooked the Krishna stuff). Remember, this is with the perspective of time. And Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar were current–and instrumental in getting youth to think about Christ and actually used to convert many–including me, actually–I was part of that whole “Jesus movement” in my Presbyterian youth. It was a very exciting time to be a Christian teenager. I wasn’t Catholic, so I can’t speak to putting this stuff into the Holy Mass; I have no familiarity at all with pre-or post-Vatican II–I knew nothing about Catholics at all back then.

So…I guess I’d better be a little bit humble when I speak about these things. It’s easy to be a “Monday morning quarterback” when I don’t know what I’m talking about, especially! People for the most part were truly well-intentioned–most weren’t out to destroy the Church–we were doing all for love of Christ–I suspect that most people were simply naive and giddy, sort of like St. Peter on a bad day! We need to forgive…very hard sometimes…

I do still love Kumbaya–sorry! As teenagers we thought it was so cool. It’s become a cliche though. Can never be used again in the Mass…hope it isn’t still being used–tell me it’s not!
 
I know, I love “Come Sail Away” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” (not for Mass or in Church, though!)–in fact, I figure that on my deathbed I’d like to go out with the former being played on my personal headphones. At least, that was my fantasy before I converted. Now, I’m not sure…I want to be thinking about our Lord and the Eucharist–but I still want that song around somewhere…🙂 But, “Come Sail Away” has been displaced in favor of “Panis Angelicus” for my final song request of this life.
 
"I Love You Just The Way You Are’ ’ by Billy Joel. We didn’t sing this at Mass but during a women’s prayer service once. I guess we were supposed to think Billy was God talking to us. Some women were moved to tears so maybe it served its purpose and I need to open my mind more, but I just kept thinking - of all the beautiful hyms we have in our Catholic tradition we’re relying on Billy Joel to help us move closer to God? *sigh. *
 
I need to forward this thread to our parish’s music director. For several years he was great about using the traditional hymns regulary, but he’s put most of the abovementioned “drivel” songs on the music schedule at least once each this summer. I know because I am a cantor who receives the schedule for each season, and because I have to lead the congregation in many of these groaners. 😦

I actually refused to sing a couple of the hymns last Sunday (fortunately I was not the cantor). I just couldn’t do it- “Song of the Body of Christ”, “On Eagles’ Wings”, “Bread to Share”. If this keeps up I might have to start exclusively attending the 7 am “low” Mass on Sundays. Unfortunate, because I love to pray through song.
 
Songs that I have noticed lately in Mass are songs from the WYDs - “We Are One Body” and “I Will Choose Christ”. These songs move me everytime!

I’d have to agree, tho, as a singer at my church’s Masses for many years, even I cringe to “Sing To The Mountains” and “Though The Mountains May Fall.” Not even good songs for us song-leaders to sing!! :eek:
 
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SeekerJen:
II just couldn’t do it- “Song of the Body of Christ”,
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I almost chose this song as an entrance (I would never do it as a communion hymn) this past Sunday, because of the lyrics and the way they fit into the gospel. When I started to practice it I realize why I haven’t used it in years. I is more monotonous and droning than a laundry jingle. In fact, I think I just insulted laundry jingles.
 
“Ride on Jesus Ride” will throw my family into convulsions of laughter every time. We refuse to sing it.
 
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Elzee:
aaaagh! I had forgotten about Sons of God! Now the memory is back. I can’t believe I remeber the words after all these years…now i have it in my head. ugh. I’ll share the pain… 😃
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!
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Here’s an oldie you may also remember. It’s pretty awful. Be prepared. I often get this one stuck in my mind, even though I haven’t heard it in about 35 years.

“This is my body,
Given for your freedom,
This is my blood,
that was shed for all of mankind.
Take all and eat,
'Til the day of my return”

The main reason it was so bad was because (at least at our church) it was sung in a dance-y, hyped-up way, almost like a polka or folk dance or something. My sisters and I would laugh afterwards and do a Rockettes kick line while singing it.
 
oh now you are really taking me back

Sons of God - imagine how the radfems hate that exclusive language, way retro, but it was so in during the 70s, our most recent Dark Ages.
Allelu allelu, everybody sing allelu, and of course, Michael Row the Boat Ashore for the recessional, who could forget that, actually had it for a funeral in our Detroit suburban parish when I was in HS.

I personally do not feel comfortable singing song that put the words, real or imagined, of the Deity in my mouth:
I the Lord of see and sky, I have heard my people cry etc.
Be not afraid, I go before you always . . .

Anybody have most favorite (or least favorite) Spanish hymns?
 
As a twenty-something Catholic, I would think that many of my peers would disagree with my point, but any ‘Hymn’ that is arranged for electric guitar and drums makes me cringe. At one Mass I attended, the recessional hymn featured both a guitar solo and a few acappella lines where clapping kept time like some ‘Journey’ concert. I half-expected the folks still in their seats to hold cigarette lighters over their heads.

The other one I always felt strange about was ‘America the Beautiful’, frequently sung around July 4th & other ‘patriotic’ days. While nominally mentioning ‘God’, the song itself appears to be more a tribute to the United States as opposed to a song of thanksgiving for God’s ample blessings upon the republic.
 
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bgovern:
The other one I always felt strange about was ‘America the Beautiful’, frequently sung around July 4th & other ‘patriotic’ days. While nominally mentioning ‘God’, the song itself appears to be more a tribute to the United States as opposed to a song of thanksgiving for God’s ample blessings upon the republic.
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So true! There was a major controversy at our parish once when our liturgy director said it was not an appropriate song for worship. The Knights of Columbus were livid! It’s a shame they did not bother to read the lyrics–or perhaps they did! :eek:
 
Has to be White Christmas at Christmas morning Mass after a brief snow fall.
 
When we were at the Newman Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the late 70’s early 80’s they used to sing a song called Dominus Non Sum Dignus which had a line in it that went “when fear and pain cut through me like a rusty razor knife” - nice image. I’m sorry that I can’t find a smiley of someone vomiting, because every time I heard the song that is what I wanted to do.
 
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AuntMartha:
Here’s an oldie you may also remember. It’s pretty awful. Be prepared. I often get this one stuck in my mind, even though I haven’t heard it in about 35 years.

“This is my body,
Given for your freedom,
This is my blood,
that was shed for all of mankind.
Take all and eat,
'Til the day of my return”

The main reason it was so bad was because (at least at our church) it was sung in a dance-y, hyped-up way, almost like a polka or folk dance or something. My sisters and I would laugh afterwards and do a Rockettes kick line while singing it.
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Oh my gosh - I remember that one too. I can barely remember the tune though, but it’s starting to come back I \ do remember that after the word ‘mankind’ our organist played this extra ‘folksy sounding note’ (I’m sure there’s an official musical term for that) ’ that just made you feel like you were singing along to one of those dancing balls on tv when they have the lyrics displayed for kids to sing along with.
 
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pnewton:
Me and my son also work hard not to snicker when we sing “We Come to Your Feast” (a song I like). One line “the weaving of our stories, the fabric of our lives” which of course asks the question, “Cotton?”

Next?
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I agree I love that song but it reminds me of that!!

then there’s the edmond fitzgarald song Gather us in.
Terri
oops guess I should have read these posts first seems we all don’t like this one. (I do though) guess I’m weard.
 
I’m a cantor with a personal list of “don’t wanna sing” songs. Gather Us In tops the list, along with I Am the Bread of Life, *On Eagles’ Wings * and Be Not Afraid. We have another hideous one called When Broken Is Normal, which I also don’t sing if I have a choice. When I’m in the congregation, I simply boycott these songs - when I’m cantor, I sometimes have a quiet but obvious coughing fit during the most objectionable verses.

We’re fairly lucky in that we don’t do many of the really bad ones. Our music director, an extremely talented organist, is using a lot of social justice type stuff now instead of some of the beautiful hymns that are out there now. I recently gave him a pile of old Magnificats, which, if you haven’t noticed, have wonderful hymns in the daily prayer sections. I was hoping he would be inspired to use some of those great lyrics - they even have all the copyright information so it’s easy to get the necessary permissions - but so far it hasn’t happened.

Betsy
 
Ok, this thread is giving me a great laugh. For one reason, some of these phrases are just hillarious. But I will confess the other reason too - I have some really fond memories of some of the songs that made the list (Wade in the Water, “Olly olly olly lu-u-ia”) Ok, I can see how this could really make you cringe, especially during mass, but oh the memories…! And I have to admit I still really like a lot of the “glory and praise” songs (at least that’s the book I learned them from), like Sing to the Mountains, Though the Mountains May Fall, Eagles Wings, and Here I am Lord. Now in fairness to all of your preferences, I will say that I enjoy the more traditional sounding hymns we sing at the Church I usually go to now. But I guess when you’re brought up in a hippie throwback Church, it’s hard not to like the music that was the (as was earlier quoted) “fabric of our lives” 😃
 
ONE MORE - NOBODY’S MENTIONED It:

“HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING”!

I will never be able to keep from thinking about all the songs mentioned here - never knew they annoyed others as much as myself.
 
I hate to be a stick in the mud, but I like “On Eagles Wings” and “Amazing Grace”. I do think a lot of the above mentioned songs are nothing but feel good dribble. Give me our good old standard hymns (pre vatican two) anytime.
 
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