Monday, October 31, 2011

The Season of All Saints and All Souls

"Come have breakfast ... in the rain."
I love the rhythm and flow of the church calendar. At this time of year, I always feel like we're moving into a new season. I know it's still "the Sundays after Pentecost," but there's a chill in the air, and I can't believe it's still the same season it was in June. So when the Feasts of All Saints (November 1) and All Souls (November 2) come, at least in my mind, we're moving into a brown season, a season of harvest, a season of burning leaves. This season will carry us into late November when the season of Advent begins.

This is a season in which we both honor death for its power over us mortals, and also mock it for its impotence in the face of Christ's Resurrection. The lectionary readings during this season turn grim and judgmental. I muse a lot about death in the month between All Saints and Advent.


At the same time, though, I'm beginning new classes this week. While I continue Church History and Hebrew, I'm adding two new ones: Revisioning Parish Ministry and Old Testament. So while All Hallows' Eve is about death, it is also about rebirth and renewal.


I began to create suites of music for each church season several years ago. Each year, I refine (and inevitably expand) each suite of music based on new theological reflections. Here's my music for this brown season of All Saints. The songs compiled here are mixed into suites by theme.

Having just finished a stint as a hospice volunteer, I am listening to these songs with fresh ears. And while I understand that Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of dying have been scientifically discredited in recent years, I have found them to be an excellent organizing principle for this collection of songs. Enjoy ... and please, if you like something you discover here, go buy it!


(Right-click on a brown link to download it.)


Ya Kid K – Life
Yael Naïm – New Soul
Simon & Garfunkel – Blessed
Sufjan Stevens – The Vivian Girls Are Visited in the Night by Saint Dargarius and His Squadron of Benevolent Butterflies
U2 & Green Day – The Saints Are Coming
XTC – In Loving Memory of a Name
Sarah McLachlan – Prayer of St. Francis

Suite 2: Denial

Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch – I’ll Fly Away
Tori Amos – Happy Phantom
They Might Be Giants – Turn Around
Fastball – The Way
Radiohead – Airbag
Coldplay – 42
XTC – Dying
Howard Jones – Hunger for the Flesh
They Might Be Giants – Road Movie to Berlin


The Police – Spirits in the Material World
Modest Mouse – Ocean Breathes Salty
Squirrel Nut Zippers – Hell
XTC – No Language in Our Lungs
Metallica – Fade to Black
Oasis – Don’t Look Back in Anger
Queen – The Show Must Go On


Ralph Stanley – O Death
Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) the Reaper
Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons
They Might Be Giants – Dead
XTC – Rook
Postal Service – We Will Become Silhouettes
Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Follow You into the Dark


Bob Dylan – Knocking on Heaven’s Door
R.E.M. – Daysleeper
Toad the Wet Sprocket – Begin
Queen – Who Wants to Live Forever
XTC – The Last Balloon
Howard Jones – Elegy

 
Indigo Girls – History of Us
Flaming Lips – Do You Realize?
Sufjan Stevens – We Won’t Need Legs to Stand
Seal – Prayer for the Dying
Semisonic – Closing Time
Pink Floyd – The Great Gig in the Sky
Byron Hawkins & J.L. Hosler – Crossing the Bar
Beatles – Let It Be

Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Top 100 Hits of My Lifetime - 39 years and counting.

Tomorrow morning I will take my midterm Hebrew exam, and sometime before Tuesday is over I will take my church history exam. I'm ready to be done with these and move on into next quarter!

Tomorrow is also my 39th birthday. Last year on my birthday I published a list of the 1,000 biggest pop hits of my lifetime (based on my own impartial rating system, painstakingly developed over the past 20 years or so, based on each song's performance on the Billboard chart). I've updated that list and present here the top 100. (I won't burden you with all 1,000 unless you really want a copy -- email me directly for that!)

So here's the list, and now I'm going back to studying. Enjoy!

100 .  Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland 2006
99 .  My Sharona - The Knack 1979
98 .  Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon 2000
97 .  Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock 2011
96 .  Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio featuring L.V. 1995
95 .  Just Dance - Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis 2009
94 .  Where My Girls At? - 702 1999
93 .  I'm Real - Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule 2001
92 .  Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees 1978
91 .  In Da Club - 50 Cent 2003
90 .  Roll With It - Steve Winwood 1988
89 .  Unwell - matchbox twenty 2003
88 .  Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins 1990
87 .  Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart 1977
86 .  Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden 1998
85 .  Bennie And The Jets - Elton John 1974
84 .  Out Of Touch - Daryl Hall  John Oates 1985
83 .  Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson 2005
82 .  Family Affair - Mary J. Blige 2002
81 .  Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down 2000
80 .  The Way I Are - Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E. 2007
79 .  Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor 1982
78 .  Rolling In The Deep - Adele 2011
77 .  Alone - Heart 1987
76 .  Love Takes Time - Mariah Carey 1990
75 .  Fallin' - Alicia Keys 2001
74 .  Irreplaceable - Beyoncé 2007
73 .  Straight Up - Paula Abdul 1989
72 .  Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor 1990
71 .  Call Me - Blondie 1980
70 .  Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison 1989
69 .  Look Away - Chicago 1988
68 .  Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi 1987
67 .  Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb 1978
66 .  Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks 1974
65 .  Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry 1976
64 .  Careless Whisper - Wham! featuring George Michael 1985
63 .  Flashdance...What A Feeling - Irene Cara 1983
62 .  Candle In The Wind 1997 - Elton John 1998
61 .  Night Fever - Bee Gees 1978
60 .  Another One Bites The Dust - Queen 1980
59 .  Too Close - Next 1998
58 .  Baby Boy - Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul 2003
57 .  A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band 1976
56 .  Miss You Much - Janet Jackson 1989
55 .  Run It! - Chris Brown 2006
54 .  Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennille 1975
53 .  Independent Women Part I - Destiny's Child 2001
52 .  Rush Rush - Paula Abdul 1991
51 .  December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)  -  Four Seasons 1976
50 .  Because I Love You (The Postman Song) - Stevie B 1991
49 .  Dilemma - Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland 2002
48 .  Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree - Dawn 1973
47 .  I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb 1977
46 .  Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John 1975
45 .  Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye 1973
44 .  Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis 2008
43 .  Every Breath You Take - The Police 1983
42 .  How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees 1978
41 .  Iris - Goo Goo Dolls 1998
40 .  Lose Yourself - Eminem 2003
39 .  Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas 2009
38 .  Faith - George Michael 1988
37 .  Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 1981
36 .  Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie 2007
35 .  TiK ToK - Ke$ha 2010
34 .  Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes 1981
33 .  I Swear - All-4-One 1994
32 .  Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie 1986
31 .  Hey Ya! - OutKast 2004
30 .  Gold Digger - Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx 2005
29 .  Apologize - Timbaland featuring OneRepublic 2008
28 .  Silly Love Songs - Wings 1976
27 .  That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends 1986
26 .  Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles 1987
25 .  Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell 1975
24 .  The Sign - Ace Of Base 1994
23 .  Don't Speak - No Doubt 1997
22 .  Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson 1984
21 .  We Belong Together - Mariah Carey 2005
20 .  Like A Virgin - Madonna 1985
19 .  The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand 1974
18 .  Le Freak - Chic 1979
17 .  Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team 1993
16 .  Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton 1997
15 .  One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men 1996
14 .  Physical - Olivia Newton-John 1982
13 .  How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes 1998
12 .  I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas 2009
11 .  I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston 1993
10 .  Hanging By A Moment - Lifehouse 2001
9 .  (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams 1991
8 .  Low - Flo Rida featuring T-Pain 2008
7 .  You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone 1977
6 .  How You Remind Me - Nickelback 2002
5 .  Yeah! - Usher featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon 2004
4 .  I'll Make Love To You - Boyz II Men 1994
3 .  End Of The Road - Boyz II Men 1992
2 .  Macarena (bayside boys mix) - Los Del Rio 1996
1 .  Smooth - Santana featuring Rob Thomas 2000