If I Could Have Played 12 Songs Week 2

THE KILLERS – When You Were Young (from Sam’s Town)

The traditional rocking start sees the first play off The Killers new album. Not sure I like it as much Hot Fuss but there seems something deeper going on than in other hip bands like The Strokes, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand etc. This one mentions Jesus and the devil and there is little doubt that lead singer Brandon Flowers Mormon faith seeps into their work. To convince that they are natural successors to U2 is still a long way off but in the meantime a bit of hard kicking bluster and a little deeper soul searching would be a good way to start a show.

ROBBIE ROBERTSON – Soap Box Preacher (from Storyville)

I need forgiveness that for nearly twenty years I left Robbie Robertson on the shelf and just rediscovered him lately. This is a song about faith and struggle and belief and hope in spite of the cards dealt… The image of the final trumpet hauntingly blasting over Times Square is wonderful and that great refrain, “Don’t let the rapture pass you by…”

IAIN ARCHER – Mirrorball Moon (from Flood The Tanks)

Went to see my old mate Archer at the Belfast festival last night. The gorgeous Speigeltent was a perfect backdrop and even the drinkers held their restraint which allowed Archer to rock it up and gentle it out. As an encore he got the quietest attention and did a fragile version of this great song… it is a poignant commentary on the sad state of our society and progress inability to help our own spiritual suicide… then at the end there is another place “on the other side of town… where they help each other out… and the kids know how to get down…” Wow!

DUKE SPECIAL – Salvation Tambourine (from Songs From The Deep Forest)

Would give this one another play from another Belfast boy all over the media. On Jules Holland on Friday night and then on a Channel 4 programme last night. This one shaking us clean also suggest that we could go to London to get sorted, or Paris or Jerusalem but the feeling is that you can get shaken clean right where you are.

DEACON BLUE – Dignity (from Singles)

I have been reading Steve Turner’s Imagine book this week for an essay I am working on. In it Turner gives his vision for the arts and his over rising theme is for Christian to be involved in the conversations and debates going on all around, including the arts. I guess Turner’s thinking influenced what I did on Rhythm and Soul. My theme for the week came when he was talking about how pervasive the Biblical mandate is. He goes on to say the dignity of humanity should be our concern as Biblical Christians and he concludes, “I am not sure a song that dignified the work of a street sweeper would be considered ‘Christian’ by the CCM industry.” I think he was refereeing to this Deacon Blue song, their first single that seeks a “place in the winter for dignity.” It is about “work” and “home” and “faith” and one of my favourite songs of all time.

MARTYN JOSEPH - Please Sir (from Thunder and Rainbows)

This led me into a series of songs by artists who are giving Dignity to those that society usually doesn’t. Martyn Joseph has made a great back catalogue out of this but I chose Please Sir because of how it shows that a person’s dignity can be taken away by management or government decisions and how that effects more than that person himself. As Christians we need to be about creating redemption for those whose dignity is stolen from them.

TOM WAITS – Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis (from Blue Valentine)

Maybe the saddest song I’ve ever heard. A prostitute sends the letter that starts with redemption and new life before descending into honesty and despair. A life lost by circumstances and choices. Waits always did hang out with the folks Jesus hung out with. And of course Christmas brings Jesus into the story and live Waits used to bring in Silent Night at the end which made it even more poignant.

BOB DYLAN – Dignity ( from Live 1961-2000)

Seemed too obvious not to play this. A question of where we can find it.

RICK ELIAS - Man Of No Reputation (from The Jesus Record)

An old favourite of Rhythm and Soul this one brings us to the one who gave dignity to the outcast and gave up his own reputation to do so. Every time Rich Mullins heard this song he wept and it is probably why he decided to do a while album around the person of Jesus which he had just done the demos of when he was so tragically killed in that car crash.

VICTORIA WILLIAMS – You R Loved (from Loose)

Always love playing this song; I played it on one of my first few shows, maybe even the first one! Just a declaration that no matter what, we are loved, “Jesus walked on the water/He turned the water into wine/He went down to the drunkards/To tell them everything is fine/You R loved/You R loved/You R really loved”

JOHNNY CASH – Personal Jesus (from The Man Comes Around; American Recordings 4)

It was hard to avoid a Cash song after last week’s Cash night at Fisherwick. So many Rhythm and Soul listeners in the congregation I half expected you guys from Scotland, England, Canada and America to appear too… Elijah Grindstaff did Personal Jesus and I realized how much cash had redeemed it. Fits perfectly in this weeks theme.

U2 and GREEN DAY – The Saints Are Coming – (from the single)

This new collaboration is in aid of the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina victims. It is a gem of a rocked out hope of restoration. A perfectly loudending with a hope that the saints might come to restore all dignity. The Kingdom is almost tangible!

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