CROSSOVER CHR/INSPIRATIONAL SONGS YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH ON A RELIGOUS STATION!

[andreajesus]

early 70s Jesus Movement gave us
That's the Way God Planned it - by Billy Preston (great version on Concert for Bagladesh)
Put Your Hand in the Hand - pop hit for OCean
Day By Day - Godspell soundtrack
O Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins
I'll Take You THere - Staples Singers

also:
"one Love" - Bob Marley
"people get ready" the Impressions

AGREE on the top 5 - however....

the two on the bottom (Marley and the Impressions) - an interesting pair of opposites, if there ever was...

I've listened to "One Love", I mean, I know Marley's talking about "praising the Lord" in one of the lyrics, BUT...you gotta remember, this is the dude who was preaching the benefits, iirc, of ganja...would you want that kind of song playing on a religious station? Not me...

While on "People Get Ready" by The Impressions - now THAT is a PERFECT song for a station like this - as well as their song "Amen" (LOVE IT!! )

Andrea

 

[andreajesus]

listening to Mariah's version, what it sounded like she did was to blend BOTH songs together - AND IT WORKED!! LOVE IT!!

Andrea

 

[Bongwater]

"Turn Turn Turn" is an OBVIOUS choice for such a station - the ENTIRE song is practically from the first chapter of Ecclesiastes... 8)
"Kyrie" I would have to listen to or at least get the lyrics for - I don't recall it being a Christian song...
"God Gave Rock and Roll" - I don't know....I once heard someone say that Kiss actually stands for "Kids in Satan's Service"....
The Dishwalla song shouldn't even be played because it would be taking the Lord's name and disrespecting it...

I AGREE with you TOTALLY on Amy - even though she's crossed over back and forth musically speaking over the years, she is a SLAM DUNK for a format like this...

Andrea

That's "Knights In Satan's Service". Gene Simmons never answered or rebutted any of these claims because they were so ridiculous. They're just guys in kabuki make-up and some bubblegum tunes. Second by not answering, Kiss sold that many more records.

The Dishwalla song (I think you mean "Counting Blue Cars") is actually one I'd probably include. The lyrics are actually quite good "Tell me all your thoughts on God/'Cause I'd really like to meet Her/And ask Her why we're who are..." Fact is people, have YOU met God - PERSONALLY? And how do we know God is necessarily a Him?

The Bible has endured many revisions, ommissions and cuttings on the editing room floor for centuries. So all we have in the end is God's own word directly. If the Lord truly works in mysterious ways, well, I'll just leave it at that.

And "What If God Was One Of Us" Joan Osborne, GREAT song! Kinda makes you wonder where you'd be most likely to find God. In a multi-million dollar mega church? Or sitting down next to a homeless guy?

Amy Grant? Hmmm...depends on who you're talking to. For the blissful, soft core Christian, she's a beautiful messenger, a voice of an angel and lite adult bliss (the non-sinful kind.)

But to the hard core, firebreathing fundementalist Christian, she's a sellout, homewrecker (she and Vince Gill both busted up their previous marriages to get with each other) and generally, a hopeless evil sinner. El Shaddai THAT.

Many hardcore religious stations have stopped playing her a long time ago. We aren't talking about CCMs in particular, but the mostly preachy, hellfire and brimstone stations (R.W.Shambock, Bob Larson anyone?) that mostly play that redneck gospel stuff sung by old white guys with giant pompadour wigs the size of bean bag chairs.

Are there even stations still like that anymore?

"One Love" Bob Marley counts too. If God created nature, then who created marijuana? Rastafarians use it as a sacrement in their religious services they way Catholics use wine in theirs. Both in moderation create a slight buzz that make us all feel, well, a tad enlightened...

I think it's all in your perception of God. I'll just keep myself open....

 

[mimo]

"Meant To Live" by Switchfo0t was mentioned on the first page. Actually, Switchfo0t IS a christian rock band. So that would totally fit in as would "Dare You To Move". The local Christian rock station here plays them.

As for My Sweet Lord, the very end of the song is a list of enlightened Indian masters and Gurus, that wouldn't fly with the Christian sect.

For my own offering I submit "Severina" by the Mission UK. A goth-rock song from 1987. "She believes in Angels, she believes in the will of the Gods and she's dancing...Star child. Baby born in Heaven" are some of the lyrics.

 

[anotherguyTN]

All these were redone by Christian artists:

Sheila Walsh (and possibly others) did Turn, Turn, Turn.
Petra did God Gave Rock and Roll to You.
I can't remember who redid Kyrie, but I've heard it on CCM radio by a Christian group.
DeGarmo & Key did That's the Way God Planned it.
Audio Adrenaline did Free Ride.
Jimmy Swaggart did Put Your Hand in the Hand, yet he turned around and attacked CCM. ???

 

[Retro]

here we go...
Turn Turn Turn-Byrds...(quote from right out of the Bible)
Kyrie-Mr. Mister(from the book of,(spelling train wreck)...Ecclesiastes
(stretching it) God Gave Rock & Roll- Argent and Kiss
(stretching it) Counting Blue Cars-Dishwalla (tell me all your thoughts on god, 'cause I'd really like to meet HER)...I bet THAT'd cause a little uproar in the studio!

Amy Grant bounced around a bit...known as the Madonna of Christian music...
1. (love will) Find a Way-gospel
2. The Next Time I Fall-w/ Peter Cetera-pop
3. Baby Baby-pop/kinda both
4. Every Heartbeat-gospel
5. That's What Love Is For-pop
6. Good For Me-pop
7. I will remember You-pop
8. Lucky One-pop
9. House of Love-pop/country/gospel
10. Takes a Little Time-pop/inspirational ("to get the TITANIC turned back around"???) ???

Or they could just play the Petra version instead.

 

[Retro]

Mindy Smith, "Come to Jesus." A pretty song, but with a dark, brooding video. Played heavily on AAA radio, and voted by Lightning 100 as their #1 song of 2004. But I don't recall ever hearing it on "Christian" radio, which is interesting because she more freely mentions "Jesus" than many "Christian" artists. Here, take a look at the video if you are unfamiliar with it:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=EszkFu1WPHw

Also, "Let It Be" by the Beatles was considered by some to be sacred, probably because of the Mother Mary references, but many believe Mary was a reference to his own mother.

And Phil Gernhard, co-producer of "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers, claimed to have received a letter from a church council praising the song for its religious aspect. This from the Billboard Book of #1 Hits, written by Fred Bronson.

Also, I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned "Put Your Hand in the Hand" by Ocean, but I suppose less surprising is no mention of "Stop and Smell the Roses" by Mac Davis.

What about "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night? If you listen to the first line of the song, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine", I believe that it was an indirect reference to the book of Jeremiah in the Bible....

Andrea

But drinking whiskey and wine might disqualify that one though.

 

[Retro]

All these were redone by Christian artists:

Sheila Walsh (and possibly others) did Turn, Turn, Turn.
Petra did God Gave Rock and Roll to You.
I can't remember who redid Kyrie, but I've heard it on CCM radio by a Christian group.
DeGarmo & Key did That's the Way God Planned it.
Audio Adrenaline did Free Ride.
Jimmy Swaggart did Put Your Hand in the Hand, yet he turned around and attacked CCM. ???

I believe that Glad did their own version of the song.

 

[Retro]

I should mention here that many songs these days are written and recorded specifically with the crossover market in mind, so it shouldn't be too big of a surprise when they actually do cross over.

DC Talk is one group that specifically comes to mind. Their song, "Just Between You and Me" became a crossover pop hit about six months to a year after Christian music listeners first heard it.

And their cover of Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" is so similar to the Club Nouveau hip-hop version that I must ask why Christian stations play the DC Talk version, but not the Club Nouveau version? And vice versa?

I think that had more to do with Forefront's deal with Virgin more than its so-called purposeful Cross-over appeal. The CD after all is called Jesus Freak.

You know, I'm surprised nobody's mentioned U2. Their song "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" got a lot of airplay on Christian rock radio. U2 also has probably the largest Christian fanbase of any secular rock group.

"All You Zombies" The Hooters actually got airplay on KCMS, Seatlle in 1985. The DJ good humoredly pointed out the song's playful teasing of born again Christians......

Wasn't aware of that, but I believe I had heard that "Still Haven't Found..." made some Christian charts and got some Christian airplay, although I can't recall ever hearing it there.

But I have recently heard "How to Save a Life" by the Fray over the FISH here in Nashville. Someone may have to explain that one to me!

They are a Christian band on a mainstream label. In recent years there has been a lot of cross-marketing of such type bands. It all started when CCM started playing Lifehouse's Hanging On A Moment.

 

[andreajesus]

"Turn Turn Turn" is an OBVIOUS choice for such a station - the ENTIRE song is practically from the first chapter of Ecclesiastes... 8)
"Kyrie" I would have to listen to or at least get the lyrics for - I don't recall it being a Christian song...
"God Gave Rock and Roll" - I don't know....I once heard someone say that Kiss actually stands for "Kids in Satan's Service"....
The Dishwalla song shouldn't even be played because it would be taking the Lord's name and disrespecting it...

I AGREE with you TOTALLY on Amy - even though she's crossed over back and forth musically speaking over the years, she is a SLAM DUNK for a format like this...

Andrea

The Dishwalla song (I think you mean "Counting Blue Cars") is actually one I'd probably include. The lyrics are actually quite good "Tell me all your thoughts on God/'Cause I'd really like to meet Her/And ask Her why we're who are..." Fact is people, have YOU met God - PERSONALLY? And how do we know God is necessarily a Him?

If the Lord truly works in mysterious ways, well, I'll just leave it at that.

And "What If God Was One Of Us" Joan Osborne, GREAT song! Kinda makes you wonder where you'd be most likely to find God. In a multi-million dollar mega church? Or sitting down next to a homeless guy?

Amy Grant? Hmmm...depends on who you're talking to. For the blissful, soft core Christian, she's a beautiful messenger, a voice of an angel and lite adult bliss (the non-sinful kind.)

But to the hard core, firebreathing fundementalist Christian, she's a sellout, homewrecker (she and Vince Gill both busted up their previous marriages to get with each other) and generally, a hopeless evil sinner. El Shaddai THAT.

(1) I have met God PERSONALLY in 1996 - He is my Lord and my Savior; and He DOES work in "mysterious" ways - mysterious to some, but not to me as a believer. He has done some incredible things in my life....
(2) God LOVES US SO MUCH that He sent Jesus Christ, His Son down on the earth for us...and yes, God would be just at home in a BIG church as He would be sitting down next to a homeless dude...
(3) As for Amy Grant and Vince Gill - ok, this is what it is - we may be spirit beings FIRST, but we do have souls and we DO live in a body - Christians are subject to the SAME temptations as non-Christians - we fall, but the GREAT thing as Christians is that when we fall, we repent, ask for forgiveness, and get up again...

Andrea

 

[nightfly61]

Mindy Smith, "Come to Jesus." A pretty song, but with a dark, brooding video. Played heavily on AAA radio, and voted by Lightning 100 as their #1 song of 2004. But I don't recall ever hearing it on "Christian" radio, which is interesting because she more freely mentions "Jesus" than many "Christian" artists. Here, take a look at the video if you are unfamiliar with it:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=EszkFu1WPHw

Also, "Let It Be" by the Beatles was considered by some to be sacred, probably because of the Mother Mary references, but many believe Mary was a reference to his own mother.

And Phil Gernhard, co-producer of "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers, claimed to have received a letter from a church council praising the song for its religious aspect. This from the Billboard Book of #1 Hits, written by Fred Bronson.

Also, I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned "Put Your Hand in the Hand" by Ocean, but I suppose less surprising is no mention of "Stop and Smell the Roses" by Mac Davis.

What about "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night? If you listen to the first line of the song, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine", I believe that it was an indirect reference to the book of Jeremiah in the Bible....

Andrea

I put that one earlier.

The World I Know-Collective Soul

 

[dhett]

Petra did God Gave Rock and Roll to You.

Twice. Going OT a bit: Personally, I prefer the earlier version, which opens the 1977 album, "Come And Join Us", featuring Greg X. Volz as a guest lead vocalist before he officially joined the band. If you've never heard it and you like 70s music, check it out. I especially like the sweet sound of the extended intro. Or compare the difference in interpretation between the acoustic 1977 version and the electronic 1984 version from "Beat the System", Volz' last album with the band.

And we're back: Benny Hester had a top 40 crossover hit in the early 80s, "Nobody Knows Me Like You", from his 1981 album of the same name. Not surprisingly, it was produced by Michael Omartian, who had crossover success himself in production, as well as a couple of outstanding albums in the mid 70s.

 

[nightfly61]

(Arnold Horshack): EW! EW! EW!!!

(STOP...HAMMERTIME!!!)

Pray by M.C Hammer!!! (could be dayparted for Saturday nights only since Prince gets sampled...but I heard Prince is also born again so it's a go! )

good call on the other Impressions tune earlier...but what if Faces version got tossed on?Would they frown on Rod Sterawt?

on my original post about "God Gave Rock & Roll"...Should it matter who recorded it? Same w/ Kyrie?
If we're gonna add Bob Marley might as well add the singing monks...i.e...Enigma with "Return To Innocence" (not Sadness pt.I though).

 

[Retro]

I do not think that Return To Innocence would work, the chanting in it might turn a few people off.

 

[mleach]

Years ago there was a small AM religious station not far from me. One song they would often play on their morning show ( the only "LIVE" daypart there ) was Jackie DeShannon's "What The World Needs Now".

Problem? Well the morning guy got into that "we need to support traditional marriages" kick and considering that the song was featured in the 1969 flick "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" ( a fact that the morning jock claimed he did NOT know about the song ) the station ended up dropping that song from its playlist.

 

[Retro]

Oops!

I have been thinking the past few days about this thread. Here are a few songs that I came up with:

1-When I'm Gone-Three Doors Down
2-Away From The Sun-Three Doors Down
3-House Of Stone and Light-Martin Page
4-Dear God-Midge Ure
5-Unconditional Love-Donna Summer
6-Stomp-Kirk Franklin
7-Stand By Me-Kirk Franklin, etc.
8-Man In The Mirror-Michael Jackson (if people can get over his personal problems.)
9-Ship of Fools-World Party
10-If Everyone Cared-Nickleback
11-Believe-The Bravery

Those are all that I can think of that would be known at the moment. If I think of others that haven't been posted yet I will post those too.

 

[Retro]

Oh yeah, these too:

1-I Believe I Can Fly-R. Kelly
2-New Day Has Come-Celine Dion

 

[Retro]

Right Here Waiting-Richard Marx

 

[nightfly61]

Right Here Waiting-Richard Marx

religous? ??? I would think moreso about "Children of the Night since it's about about abused kids.
A bit of trivia though about Richard Marx though,,,his mother was the one that sang the "QUA-zarrrr" jingle.
here's more...

Don't Let The Rain Come Down-Serendipity Singers
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing-New Seekers
Where Have All The Flowers Gone-Kingston Trio
Reverend Mr. Black-Kingston Trio
Angel-Sarah McLaughlin
...I would've said "And When I Die" by Blood, Sweat & Tears except for the repeated line "swear there ain't no heaven and I pray there ain't no hell".

In George Harrison's early years after the breakup didn't he, when performing live, take Beatle's songs & turn them into religous versions? "Something in the way...God Moves" or "I wanna Hold God's Hand".

 

[Retro]

Right Here Waiting-Richard Marx

While it may not be a Christian song per say, I always thought that it would work well with such a format.