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1pg: And Steve Martin said "Atheists have no songs"

Got me thinking about songs. What you got?

Here's another you all probably know:

XTC - Dear God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p554R-Jq43A&list=R...

Dear God, hope you get the letter, and-
I pray you can make it better down here
I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
'Cause they don't get enough to eat from God
I can't believe in you

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but-
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your own image
See them fighting in the street
'Cause they can't make opinions meet about God
I can't believe in you

Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you
And the devil too?

Dear God, don't know if you noticed, but-
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your own image
Still believing that junk is true
Well, I know it ain't so, and you know

Dear God, I can't believe in-
I don't believe in-
I won't believe in Heaven and Hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You're always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found

And it's the same the whole world 'round
The hurt I see helps to compound
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
And if you're up there, you'll perceive
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
If there's one thing I don't believe in

It's you
Dear God

Rush - "Faithless"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R5yCZw2phA

I've got my own moral compass to steer by
A guiding star beats a spirit in the sky
And all the preaching voices
Empty vessels ring so loud
As they move among the crowd
Fools and thieves are well disguised
In the temple and market place
In the temple and market place

Like a stone in the river
Against the floods of spring
I will quietly resist
I will quietly resist

Like the willows in the wind
Or the cliffs along the ocean
I will quietly resist
I will quietly resist

I don't have faith in faith
I don't believe in beliefs
You can call me faithless
You can call me faithless
I still cling to hope
And I believe in love
And that's faith enough for me
And that's faith enough for me

I've got my own spirit level for balance
To tell if my choice is leaning up or down
And all the shouting voices
Try to throw me off my course
Some by sermon, some by force
Fools and thieves are dangerous
In the temple and market place
In the temple and market place

Like a forest bows to winter
Beneath the deep white silence
I will quietly resist

I don't have faith in faith
I don't believe in beliefs
You can call me faithless
You can call me faithless
I still cling to hope
And I believe in love
And that's faith enough for me
And that's faith enough for me

Like a flower in the desert
That only blooms at night
I will quietly resist

I don't have faith in faith
I don't believe in beliefs
You can call me faithless
You can call me faithless
I still cling to hope
And I believe in love
And that's faith enough for me
And that's faith enough for me

And that's faith enough for me

Rush - "Faithless"

How did I ever miss that? Saw a Rush tribute band last night (The Rush Tribute Project - good musically, not so good vocally). They played all the old stuff of course, not so much of the newer songs.

I thought of "Freewill", which they did play...but let's not get into the freewill debate again...arghhhh!

I think there are about 2112 Rush tribute bands.

In Quebec, we have New World Men: https://newworldmen.com/en

They are pretty good and play the classics but also some more recent songs.

Since I like progressive rock, I'll go with two.

Delusions by Present (band from Belgium) https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/certit...
The Only Way by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIKm9rUWrCI

"People are stirred, moved by the word
Kneel at the shrine, deceived by the wine
How was the earth conceived? Infinite space
Is there such a place? You must believe in the human race
Can you believe, God makes you breathe
Why did he lose six million Jews
Touched by the wings, fears angel brings
Sad winter storm, grey autumn dawn
Who looks on life itself, who lights your way?
Only you can say. How can you just obey?
It's the only way
Don't heed the word, now that you've heard
Don't be afraid, man is man made
And when the hour comes, don't turn away
Face the light of day and do it your way
It's the only way"

Delusions by Present (band from Belgium)

Thanks for mentioning Present, I had forgotten that I have one of their CD, "Triskaidékaphobie / Le Poison qui rend fou".

I'm listening to "Delusions" and it reminds me of Univers zéro.

Thought of a couple more. College roommate was into Zappa so I heard this a lot. Forgot about it until someone brought up Zappa on another board:

Frank Zappa - The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIoiSN0jquo&list=R...

Frank Zappa - Dumb All Over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTfOB_TBBew&list=R...

Well, I suppose one of the greatest atheist songs was "Imagine" by John Lennon.

Not explicitly an atheist song. I understand that some rigidly religious people consider it blasphemous. Other believers I have known will sing along when that song comes on the radio (as if they aren't processing what the lyrics are saying).

Well, I suppose one of the greatest atheist songs was "Imagine" by John Lennon.

Yes, probably the archetypical atheistic anthem. Have you heard Shelley Segal's "Saved"? It offers very reflective 'deconversion' lyrics:

https://genius.com/Shelley-segal-saved-lyrics

The chorus alone gives an idea:
So you think that you
Can tell us how to live our lives
Never questioning the source from which your moral code derives
You think that suffering is part of some great plan that’s been devised
I wonder, I wonder
When we’ll be rid of your lies

Pete

And the classic Tom Waits song, God's Away on Business...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9mhsW5aWJM&list=R...

I'd sell your heart to the junkman baby
For a buck, for a buck
If you're looking for someone to pull you
out of that ditch
You're out of luck, you're out of luck

The ship is sinking
The ship is sinking
The ship is sinking

There's leak, there's a leak, in the boiler room
The poor, the lame, the blind
Who are the ones that we kept in charge
Killers, thieves, and lawyers

God's Away, God's away
God's away on Business. Business.
God's Away, God's Away
God's Away on Business. Business.

Digging up the dead with a shovel and a pick
It's a job, it's a job
Bloody moon rising with a plague and a flood
Join the mob, join the mob
It's all over, It's all over, It's all over

There's a leak, there's a leak, in the boiler room
The poor, the lame, the blind
Who are the ones that we kept in charge?
Killers, thieves, and lawyers
God's away, God's away, God's away
On Business. Business.
God's away, God's away, God's away
On Business.

Goddamn there's always such a big temptation
To be good, To be good
There's always free cheddar in a mousetrap, baby
It's a deal, it's a deal
God's away, God's away, God's away
On Business. Business.

I narrow my eyes like a coin slot baby,
Let her ring, let her ring

God's Away, God's Away
God's Away on Business.
Business..........

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