My Ten Favorite Songs about God
10. World Without End (Five Iron Frenzy)—had to put at least one song by an actual Christian band on here, and FIF was always my favorite Christian band…goofy yet serious, smart yet sophomoric. This is one of the tracks where the world’s coolest ska band actually talked about their faith, but while being incredibly catchy.
9. In the Sun (Joseph Arthur)—Prominently displayed in just about every movie ever made and covered by Peter Gabriel, Coldplay and R.E.M. (among others), a simple, pure song about blessings. May God’s love be with you.
8. George Harrison—My Sweet Lord—From the best post-Beatles solo album (you can’t deny that), not all these songs have to be about Jesus…here’s one about the Hare Krishna!
7. Intervention (Arcade Fire)—They are the best band in the world right now, and the entire Neon Bible album talked about the ills of religion. I could have gone with several songs here, but this one is the hardest to read the exact meaning (which makes it more ‘indie’).
6. God (John Lennon)—For a song that’s really just a list of things he doesn’t believe in, this is a song that really has stood the test of time. The line “God is a concept by which we measure our pain” is so brilliant only about four people who have ever lived could have written it.
5. Lord, I Know We Don’t Talk (Kevin Devine). I know as a songwriter Kevin Devine doesn’t really match up with the people below him. But I love this song. What starts as a confessional about not talking to God becomes a “you show me something first before I believe in you” moment we all feel. “’til then, it’s one more skeptical song. And I’ll be glad as hell. If you can prove me wrong.”
4. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Elton John). Not really a song about religion, but any song with “I thank the Lord for the people I have found,” spoken by one of the best singers ever to live, is good enough for me.
3. With God on Our Side (Bob Dylan). Written in his early twenties (which just makes the rest of us feel like we’ve never accomplished anything), this epic ballad talks about the dangers of blind faith and a predisposition to accepting violence as a way of life that some religious people adhere to.
2. That’s the Way God Planned It (Billy Preston). Even if God didn’t plan for Billy to die after decades of drug abuse, the song is an inspirational tale about love and the beauty that surrounds us every day. Amazing performance of this song at the Concert for Bangladesh, including a bizarre, random dance Billy does near the end.
1. Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison). Possibly the greatest love song ever written, directed towards God or directed towards anyone, really. Van the Man has written some pretty amazing songs in his forty-plus years of recording, but this is the pinnacle.
Honorable Mention:
He Never Said A Mumbling Word (The Welcome Wagon)
God’s Love (Bad Religion)
God Gave Me a Gun (Roger Clyne)
I Think God Can Explain (Splender)
Bliss Tearing Eyes (Dead Poetic)
Forgiven (Denison Witmer)
Faith (Violent Femmes)
Evangeline (Matthew Sweet)
January 1979 (MewithoutYou)
Do It Again (Nada Surf)
King of Carrot Flowers 2 (Neutral Milk Hotel)
Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (Muse)
Clark Gable (The Postal Service)
Gospel Plow (Screaming Trees)
Casimir Pulaski Day (Sufjan Stevens)
Life and Love and Why (Switchfoot)
When God Made Me (Neil Young)
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