Spiritual Power of Music

Posted over 2 years ago

Artist:
- PLAY
Alison Krauss
Album:

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Track:
- PLAY
- QUEUE
Down to the River to Pray

It strikes me that one need not be religious to feel the spiritual power of music. As I sit here at my kitchen table on a Saturday morning drinking my Costco brand coffee, yurning for meaning in my life. Low and behold, Alison Krauss comes into my auditory senses with a classic vocal tune 'Down to the River to Play'. All at once, I find myself being pulled into a sense of calm....the cares of the day seem frivolous and the fact that I don't particularly worship any god or deity doesn't even matter. She reaches into a part of the human experience that has no ties to religious preference. That aspect of your brain and soul that connects at a moment of euphoric crescendo. I'd be curious what other Moggers would recommend for initiating such a biophysical response.Would the congregation please rise and open your hymnals to ..................

Comments (11)

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TooMuch says in total agreement...love the post....you're a great writer! Welcome to the site. Thanks for the referral also for the other sight you mentioned - I'll be checking that out. short on words, adrianne

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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Hellsatana says Amen to that

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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Terry Staunton says I'm not in the least bit a religious person, but I get a real kick out of music with a "spiritual" leaning. My favourite Elvis Presley recording is probably How Great Thou Art - it's a little-known fact that the only Grammys he ever won were in the gospel category. Your mention of the formidable Ms Krauss reminded me of a mix CD I put together for a friend a few months back, on a general theme of spirituality. Here's how it ran... 1. Down To The River To Pray, Alison Krauss 2. Touch The Hem Of His Garment, Sam Cooke 3. I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City, Harry Nilsson 4. Let The Spirit Descend, Hank Williams 5. Shine, Dolly Parton 6. Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley 7. The River In Reverse, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint 8. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho, The Golden Gate Quartet 9. Chocolate Jesus, Tom Waits 10. Across The Bridge Where Angels Dwell, Van Morrison 11. Turn! Turn! Turn!, The Byrds 12. When God Made Me, Neil Young 13. Touch A Hand Make A Friend, The Staple Singers 14. Heaven Help Us All, Stevie Wonder 15. Jesus Gave Me Water, The Soul Stirrers 16. Reach For The Sun, The Polyphonic Spree

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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mktackabery says 1. Mary Black, "Bright Blue Rose" 2. Al-Andalus (Julia and Tarik Banzi) , "Casida de la Muchacha Dorada (Caside of the Golden Girl)" - not a religious song but for some reason this particular song of theirs brings me a lot of peace 3. Maxim Vengerov playing Massenet's "Meditation de Thais" 4. Ella Fitzgerald, "Midnight Sun"

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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Universalis says There is also that song as sung by Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit. Yeah it speaks of human affairs and quite sad affairs so to say... but nonetheless has something to deal with spiritual things...

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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Dale says That's a lovely mix CD there, Terry. Our friend "Helen":http://mog.com/QueenOfHell did a post on religion and music a few months ago. That's some quality reading material right there.

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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Cody B says I love small vocal groups- Gospel-Swan Silvertones, Dixie Hummingbirds, Highway QC's. The vocal blends and especially bass singing soothe me. On the flip side the hyper up tempo pedal steel driven music on Sacred Steel Live!, with fire breathing preachers and searing pedal steel guitar move me in a big way. The Al Green Album-The Lord Will Make a Way with the song, None but the Righteous is probably the closest I've come to going with God. I'm not religious at all, but I do enjoy folks singing and playing with conviction on any topic. If it moves them it probably will move me.

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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dermahrk says I am fairly hostile to organized religion, but I find bluegrass gospel music to be charming and very pleasant (not exactly on topic, I know). I particulary like the early gospel stuff of Flatt & Scruggs.

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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chucky says Spiritual music that makes me feel spiritual: O Holy Night, Let there be peace on earth. Nonspiritual music that makes me feel spiritual: Take you there by G.Love & Special Sauce.

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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whencitiesfalll says I'm right there with you on this one..that song has calming powers.

Permalink posted 01/06/2007
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drewdaman says Thanks for the comments everyone. I especially enjoy the playlist offered by Terry, I'll be workin' on aquiring some of those tracks. That brings me to another topic.....mix tapes. Seems like an art doesn't it? I used to do it all the time, back in the days when I didn't have a CD player. Then, i continued when I had my first CD player and once I had my first digital music player (RIO 128, and now 30gb iPod)...the mix tape creation stopped. I don't know what it is, but somehow it's as if I feel like there's so much damn good music in my grasp that I can't simply narrow it down enough for a mix tape/CD. How about you guys.....do you make mix CD's? If so, what advice can you give me to get back into it? This digital age of music storage is sorta overwhelming sometimes.

Permalink posted 01/08/2007