secular songs of praise

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-01-2012, 12:10pm

Originally Posted by Laird

No problem. Based on my last experience trying to get that song out of my head, I should be "Silly Love Songs"-free by about 2038.

i'm still trying to flush out remnants of "si-im-ply-ee ha-a-ving a wonderful christmas time."

**hank** · Aug-01-2012, 12:28pm

I wish I could get the circle of fifths and complete mandolin fretboard stuck in my thick head instead of old obnoxious song lyrics.

**Beanzy** · Aug-01-2012, 12:32pm

From my formative years; The Waterboys.
They were all about positive celebratory anthems

and Mandolin content!

**Dave Hicks** · Aug-01-2012, 1:27pm

I assume the "garden" is metaphorical, but perhaps not secular enough?

D.H.

**Laird** · Aug-01-2012, 7:40pm

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

i'm still trying to flush out remnants of "si-im-ply-ee ha-a-ving a wonderful christmas time."

Gee, thanks. That one is bad enough to dislodge "Silly Love Songs," but no more preferable.

**fatt-dad** · Aug-01-2012, 7:51pm

"Turn, Turn, Turn" whose lyrics are taken from the bible have no direct reference to any deity.

There are quite a few praise songs for the members of the opposite sex - ha!

f-d

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-02-2012, 2:51am

Originally Posted by fatt-dad

"Turn, Turn, Turn" whose lyrics are taken from the bible have no direct reference to any deity. There are quite a few praise songs for the members of the opposite sex - ha! f-d

ha! - yes indeed!

i thought of "turn x 3" but it mentions heaven ... "unto heaven," even. great song but a decidedly theistic notion, me thinks

**jackmalonis** · Aug-02-2012, 10:24am

I think MUSIC in and of itself and more specifically harmony are the most potent secular songs of praise to both nature and human perception.

The fact that all harmony is simply perfectly dividing ratios between tones is amazing. The fact that the human ear finds those rational tones pleasing is even more amazing.

Music in itself is worship. Whether its worship of the God who gave it to us, or worship of the science mind/body connection that allows us to respond emotionally to something.

**jackmalonis** · Aug-02-2012, 10:25am

I think MUSIC in and of itself and more specifically harmony are the most potent secular songs of praise to both nature and human perception.

The fact that all harmony is simply perfectly dividing ratios between tones is amazing. The fact that the human ear finds those rational tones pleasing is even more amazing.

Music in itself is worship. Whether its worship of the God who gave it to us, or worship of the science of the mind/body connection that allows us to respond emotionally to something that is so evolutionarily useless.

**brunello97** · Aug-02-2012, 7:02pm

Hard to leave this guy out of the conversation. Some Jacobs wrestle with angels (or gods), others take on more beneficial struggles: Paolo Conte's "Alle prese con una verde milonga". I've read them, many times. The Psalms have nothing on PC.

Io sono qui, sono venuto a suonare,
sono venuto ad amare e di nascosto a danzare.

Mick

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-02-2012, 7:49pm

translation with foot notes here:

http://www.allthelyrics.com/forum/it...e-milonga.html

**Bill Stokes** · Aug-02-2012, 8:30pm

That Paolo Conte is a soulful guy. Voice and lyrics remind me of Leonard Cohen, a bit.

**Bill Stokes** · Aug-02-2012, 8:51pm

A former student was raving about Snarky Puppy. I have to admit they're amazing. No mandolin content; sorry. They have everything else, except vocals. Pretty sure I saw a kitchen sink in here:

P.S. It's anthemic, innit. Bit of an anthem, tha'.

**fatt-dad** · Aug-02-2012, 9:23pm

"Man gave names to all the animals"
"I believe in you"

Both from the less-than-secular "Slow Train a Coming"

f-d

**redietz** · Aug-02-2012, 10:33pm

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

"unto heaven," e

That's "under heaven" and just sounds better that "under the sky". I don't read any theistic notion into it at all.

**Beanzy** · Aug-02-2012, 11:04pm

Josh Ritter
- The Lark - (His paean to the emotional accepting the rational.)

Change of Time

And a bit of Randy Newman
Friendaship:

Relax Enjoy Yourself

There may be adulation, praise or devotion but there is no worship in the secular; though music is often used as a tool for all of them.

**Andrew DeMarco** · Aug-02-2012, 11:49pm

hey, awesome, a thread on nonreligious songs! i'm so proud of the cafe keeping this thread alive for as long as it has been alive! huzzah!

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-03-2012, 6:35am

here's the dilemma in a nut-shell. it would be wonderful if it were true and very hard to give up:

link to chords - eminently do-able:

http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/f/fr...ver_me_crd.htm

**Johnny60** · Aug-03-2012, 8:09am

"I feel fine today" by Kevin Welch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhwaiPJMuls

**billkilpatrick** · Aug-04-2012, 4:08am

**Bill Stokes** · Aug-05-2012, 6:24am

Left-handed bouzouki content:

**Dagger Gordon** · Aug-05-2012, 6:39am

Auld Lang Syne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3sXVxqDbFk

**Mandolin Mick** · Aug-05-2012, 6:43am

In all seriousness, how do you praise an inanimate object?

**brunello97** · Aug-05-2012, 6:57am

Originally Posted by Mandolin Mick

In all seriousness, how do you praise an inanimate object?

Off the top of my head, there's John Keats: "Ode to a Grecian Urn".

Avoiding comparisons between "inanimate objects" and "imaginary gods" is the kind of rhetorical head-butting that this thread has successfully navigated past. Let's try to keep that going.

Mick