Top 40 Religious Themed Songs that would never make on the radio today :)

[SolidGold16]

Thinking about how much Top 40 radio has changed, when was the last time you heard any of these?

Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TFW1F6oY0
Put Your Hand in the Hand - Ocean http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1iAaKHd7z8
(Jesus Christ) Superstar - Murray Head http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFw7K5-MV8I
Speak to the Sky - Rick Springfield http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFw7K5-MV8I

and the biggest head-scratcher of all: "The Lord's Prayer" by Sister Janet Mead, which reached #4 in April, 1974. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGpnkPqjudM

Can you imagine any of these songs making it onto the charts today? Any more come to your mind? I'd like to make a CD of these and some more.

I'd call it "God Rock" after the old "Hey Man, is that Freedom Rock" commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKDk-mg1J9Q

Hey Man, is that God Rock? ;D

 

[LibertyNT]

I still hear Spirit In The Sky and Put Your Hand In The Hand.
Spirit In The Sky More often than the latter.

I occasionally hear "Oh Happy Day" By The Edwin Hawkins Singers.

 

[SolidGold16]

I still hear Spirit In The Sky and Put Your Hand In The Hand.
Spirit In The Sky More often than the latter.

I occasionally hear "Oh Happy Day" By The Edwin Hawkins Singers.

I haven't heard "Put Your Hand In The Hand" for years on radio where I live now (So Cal).

Oh Happy Day, that's a good one to add to my CD, thanks ;D Forgot about that one!

 

[deepstblu]

Spirit in the Sky shows up pretty regularly on WMGK, the classic rock station in Philly.

Add "Day By Day" from Godspell to the list--a bona fide Top 40 hit with the fine rich voice of Robin Lamont on the lead vocal.

 

[Kent Dorsey]

Yah Mo Be There - Michael McDonald...
Do Right - Paul Davis
and not sure if this qualifies, but "Jesus is alright with Me" by The Doobie Brothers...

 

[majaman78]

God Only Knows - The Beach Boys

Wasn't this tune a problem even when it debuted in the '60's????

EDIT: another just popped into my head..."A Deck Of Cards" by the fabulous Wink Martindale.

 

[SolidGold16]

Lots of good suggestions, thanks for the feedback, everyone

I've never heard "A Deck of Cards" or "Do Right" so I'll have to check these out on YT.

"Jesus is Just Alright" - Doobe Bros. is probably a good choice, and "God only Know", close enough for me.

I thought of "Heaven Knows" - Grass Roots is borderline, not religious themed enough for this disc.

"Day by Day" is a great choice, I had forgotten that one too. That definitely goes on there.

"Ya Mo Be There" is not one of my faves, but fits in the genre, so I will probably include it too.

 

[Kent Dorsey]

When I did a Sunday night oldies show a couple of years ago, "Day By Day" by Godspell was a neat song to play because it kind of captured an era, and for purposes of airplay as an oldie years later, was one it seemed NO ONE else was playing...which made that oldies show fun...
"Do Right" looked like it peaked at #23 nationally, but I had just changed from a 1000 watt AM to a 100,000 watt FM and I thought I was on top of the world when we were playing that song. Regionally, it must have done well because I still remember a white record label, with a red dot on it, meaning locally it was in a rotation that placed it in the Top Twelve. I am not as of this writing, sure how I can even walk around with such clutter in my head...

 

[amfmsw]

"Superstar" is anti-religion, no?

Nothing really faith based on that Beach Boys tune, just a figure of speech. In it, he's talking to his girfriend "God only knows what I'd do without you"

But you could add "Michael" by The Highwaymen. "Desiderata" by Les Crane. "Amazing Grace" was a hit TWICE, by The Scottish Bagpipe Brigade group (name escapes me) and Judy Collins!

 

[oldies76]

I haven't heard "Put Your Hand In The Hand" for years on radio where I live now (So Cal).

Oh Happy Day, that's a good one to add to my CD, thanks ;D Forgot about that one!

It used to be played on KRTH, when they played "real" oldies many years ago.

Don't Hear "Thank 'God' I'm a Country Boy" either.

The more recent "Like a Prayer" (1989) is still heard quite a bit.

 

[oldies76]

"Heaven Must be Missing An Angel" -Tavares - 1976
"Heaven Knows" -Donna Summer - 1979

Don't hear them too often either anymore.

 

[SolidGold16]

Lots of great suggestions, thanks guys. BTW, I'm not religious at all, but liked most of these songs - at least the ones I knew

I know what you mean about your head being cluttered by what is basically "useless" information. I may not know as much as many of you guys who were actually in radio, but I still surprise many people I know with answers to music trivia, esp. from the early 70s. At a time when I was in my early teens, all these songs became a part of who I am, so when I hear them I tie them to a certain moment in time. Most likely all of you do the same. Good music and memories go together. It's a shame that most kids today will never have these kind of songs to remember their youth by.

At least there are a few stations out there playing something like these songs, even if I can only listen to them streaming on my computer. Locally, there's nothing here, like oldies76 said, KRTH (K-Earth 101) used to play real oldies, but they dumped that several years ago, as did KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino). I never thought I'd see KOLA change like they did, they had been playing "real oldies" for so many years. I would much rather seen them deepen their playlist, which was basically early 60s - mid 70s for many years. Instead, it's now more of a Classic Rock station and has lost its appeal for me. So it's back to streaming radio and my MP3 player...

 

[firepoint525]

Thinking about how much Top 40 radio has changed, when was the last time you heard any of these?
Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TFW1F6oY0
Put Your Hand in the Hand - Ocean http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1iAaKHd7z8
(Jesus Christ) Superstar - Murray Head http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFw7K5-MV8I

These three have basically returned to the radio here in Nashville, courtesy of Hippie Radio 94.5, http://www.hippieradio945.com

 

[buster2]

I think songs of this nature might make it on radio today.

"Switchfoot" is comprised of Christians and has had a great deal of success in mainstream radio. More specific to the overt "religious" nature of the content, you could look back a few years to Mercy Me "I can only imagine" which uses the name of Jesus and had mainstream and country success.

The lack of so-called religious songs has more to do with fewer of them being marketed to mainstream radio since CCM is a viable format today. CCM was much more of a niche format a few years ago.

 

[cyberdad]

"He's Got The Whole World" Laurie London" (Made or just missed #1 in most markets,1958)
"Morning Has Broken" Cat Stevens
"Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show"-Neil Diamond
"Higher Ground"-Stevie Wonder
"I Met Her In Church"-Box Tops
"Crying In the Chapel"-Elvis Presley...also Sonny Til & The Orioles
"Dominique"-The Singing Nun
"Reverend Mr. Black"-Kingston Trio
"Cactus Pete"-Kingston Trio
"Shadrack"-Brook Benton
"My Sweet Lord"-George Harrison
"100 Pounds of Clay"-Gene McDaniels
"Amen"-Impressions
"People Get Ready"-Impressions
"I'll Take You There"-Staple Singers
"Jubilation"-Paul Anka
"Amazing Grace"-Judy Collins

 

[oldies76]

"My Sweet Lord"-George Harrison

Still played today...."Dominique" on the other hand, probably not...

 

[borderblaster]

Rock Me On the Water-Jackson Browne
God, Love and Rock and Roll-Teegarden and Van Winkle
I Can Feel Him in the Morning-Grand Funk (don't think ever charted)
Bro. Love's Traveling Salvation Show-Neil Diamond
God is Love-Marvin Gaye (from "What's Going On")

 

[cordeliachase]

SolidGold16,

This wasn't really a Top 40 hit, but "Come To Jesus" by Mindy Smith did get some airplay in Norfolk, Virginia a few years back. "Come To Jesus" is a really sweet, pure AAA/ Folk/ Country song that people might like whether or not they are religious. According to Amazon, the single was released in January of 2004 and I remember seeing the video on CMT around that time. The video is on YouTube.

 

[Seltzer]

I haven't heard "Put Your Hand In The Hand" for years on radio where I live now (So Cal).

Oh Happy Day, that's a good one to add to my CD, thanks ;D Forgot about that one!

It used to be played on KRTH, when they played "real" oldies many years ago.

Don't Hear "Thank 'God' I'm a Country Boy" either.

The more recent "Like a Prayer" (1989) is still heard quite a bit.

Like a Prayer is a very sacreligious song...shouldn't even be in the discussion.

 

[firepoint525]

Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6TFW1F6oY0
Put Your Hand in the Hand - Ocean http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1iAaKHd7z8
(Jesus Christ) Superstar - Murray Head http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFw7K5-MV8I
Speak to the Sky - Rick Springfield http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFw7K5-MV8I

and the biggest head-scratcher of all: "The Lord's Prayer" by Sister Janet Mead, which reached #4 in April, 1974. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGpnkPqjudM

Actually heard "The Lord's Prayer" this morning over the previously mentioned "Hippie Radio," this after hearing "Hand in the Hand" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" back-to-back there over the weekend!