The Top 5 Songs About Faith/The Top 5 Songs About Atheism

(Image taken from: guitarmusictheory.blogspot.com)

Religion.

And

Music.

I can find a plethora of reasons why the two should be kept separate like church and state. That said, there are definitely great, catchy songs in both categories, and these are the top 5 in each. Please say a prayer for me for making this list.

Songs about Faith

These are popular songs about God. Not Christian or gospel music, because both of those genres suck. No, I'm talking popular, catchy songs about and featuring the Big Dude upstairs. Amen.

5. "Put Your Hand in the Hand" by Ocean

This hippy dippy love song about God is very upbeat and has a highly positive message about faith. Your Sunday school teacher would approve.



4. "One of Us" by Joan Osbourne

This hugely popular song about God riding next to you on the bus (Possibly with an iPod) got a lot of people singing about the Lord again. Even if they were atheists. Just because it was so damn catchy.



3. "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West

Though liking Kanye is blasphemous in itself since he's so awful, this song about rising up in the name of Christ had a pretty thumping beat and message at the time. And even though a lot of the song's message is deflated when he starts talking about "eating pieces of shit," it still had people in the club shouting, "Jesus walks!" over and over again, so that's good.



2. "Jesus is Just Alright With Me" by the Doobie Brothers

While the Doob's weren't the first to do this song, the Doob's slammed it home. God never sounded so good on the radio.



1. "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" by Kiss

Sure, I could have shouted out Bill and Ted on this one. But to think that the man who created the devil horns (Come on, give it to Gene Simmons), also was in the same group that performed the most ultimate song about God ever. Sure, Argent did it first, but Kiss' version is so much better. It's glorious.



Top Five Songs About Atheism

Songs about the absence of faith are often just as compelling as songs about the belief in faith, especially since most of these songs were actually pretty popular. Does that mean that people supported Atheism when they popped these in their tape decks? Hmm...the world may never admit it.

5. "Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel

So upbeat, so happy, and so atheistic. Just listen to the lyrics. Man's a non-believer.



4. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.

The absence of faith is right there in the title. But it's so good that even true believers would sing it at their concerts. That's just the power of R.E.M.



3."The Only Way (Hymn)" by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer

It's a complex song musically, with a not so complex message. Religion is deceptive. Says, ELP.



2. "Dear, God" by XTC

XTC may not be the most popular group in the world, but this song drew a lot of attention when it was first released, mostly because if its ANGRY message about the absence of God in our lives. Of all the songs that could draw outrage and be popular at the same time, this might be it.



1. "Imagine" by John Lennon

This might be one of the most fascinating songs on this list, only because I think its message of a life without religion being a better life is often forgotten, even though it's the MAIN message of the song. I mean, jeez, it was even sung on American Idol, making it the greatest song about Atheism of all time.

Great Bass Albums in Rock Music

You know what I love? Rock albums. You know what I love even more? Rock albums with throbbing bass lines on them. While there may be a lot of great bass players out there in the Rockosphere (John Doe from X fame, being one of them, Krist Novoselic from Nirvana fame being another), most groups sacrifice the bass players for the general feel of the music, having them provide the steady line that the drums can sync in with so that the lead guitarists can soar. This kind of rock is standard. But even better is when the bass playing on the album is just as, if not more, important that the lead guitarists, and these albums below are examples of that. If you know of any more, please leave them in the comments box below. I'd definitely love to hear them, being a bass listening enthusiast myself.

(Image taken from: uulyrics.com)

XTC-Drums and Wires

Colin Moulding is one sick bass player. You've never heard of him, I know, but he really tears it up on this album. If you never heard of this group before, XTC was a New Wave band from Swindon, England that sounds just as new today as they did back in 1979 when they released this album. And the bass line that never stops walking on this record is the reason for that. Below is just one of the many great examples of great bass playing melding seamlessly with the guitar. You NEED to hear this album if you're a fan of bass playing at all.

(Image taken from:musicsavesyourlife.com)

Anti-Flag-Underground Network

How funny is it that the bassist of this group is named Chris #2 because there was already a Chris in the band in Chris Head? That said, this is a really strong punk album with bass lines interspersed throughout that are as furious and as angry as the lyrics themselves. It really links in well with the music. Try it.

(Image taken from: amazon.com)

Primus-Sailing the Seas of Cheese

Sure, any Primus album could go on this list as Les Claypool is arguably the greatest bass player who ever lived. But this is the first album that I ever heard by them so it goes on this list, so there.

(Image taken from: homepages.nyu.edu)

Descendents-Milo Goes To College

Tony Lombardo sold his soul to the devil. At least, he must have to be able to rip apart those bass lines like he does on this album. There isn't a single moment where the bass isn't audible and powerful on Milo Goes to College. A magnificent debut that was never matched again by the group.

(Image taken from: rustnbones.wordpress.com)

Sublime-Self-titled

Who didn't own this album? Coming out right before Brad's death (By the way, did you know that the original title for the album was "Killin' It"?), Brad is obviously the star, but Eric Wilson definitely destroys it on this album. Three piece bands always seem to have the best bass players. They sort of have to though, right? What with the limited instruments and all.



Well, those are some of my favorite bass albums. What are yours? Leave them below in the comments box below.