Love Songs

In the South Park episode, "Christian Rock Hard", Cartman decides to start a Christian rock band, and proclaims it should be easy, just sing love songs and substitute "Jesus" for "baby". Being neither a fan of most pop/rock/r&b love ballads nor of most contemporary Christian music , I found this especially funny. Because it's true. I believe that most love songs seem to trivialize and romanticize real relationships. And most praise songs seem equally idealistic and vapid. Neither seem to adequately address real issues of love or faith, not to mention life. All of which get really messy.

So I prefer to listen to the music of folks who (a) write their own songs - solely or collaboratively - and preferably provide some of their own accompaniment, and (b) sing about life, faith, love, in all their crazy, chaotic messiness, not trying to make it all cheesy and sweet sentimental drivel.*

But today, as I quoted a line from a Dar Williams' song that seemed to capture a piece of my relationship with my Beloved, a spiritual director was struck by the lyrics. As we continued to talk about my ministry, my faith, my hope, and my "relationship with God", this colleague came back to that song and said, "Rachel, what if you thought of God singing those words to you?" hmm... What if, to me, God were singing:

I'm watching you go, it's like spying on hope ever onward with more to burn

Giving your hands and your heart to the weave of the world, though it fights each turn

But you do not give up so easily

That's how I know you won't surrender me

You rise and meet the day

It's all I need, it's all I need to know, it's all I need to know

- You Rise and Meet the Day

Interesting. I am still not sure what I think about it, but I kind of like the idea that God could be watching me go about my ministries and find what I am doing hopeful. It's like spying on hope...

[So reading these lyrics, can you see why I like this kind of love song as opposed to the "everything I do I do it for you" and "you bring meaning to my life; you're the inspiration" garbage out there? Okay, did I just totally date myself as a child of the 80's?]

Anyway, thinking of the Dar song in this way got me thinking about other cool artists I know, and I started imagining their songs as sung by God. While it doesn't work for every love song, it does for many. and perhaps the one with the most interesting results is one of my favorite relationship songs, Ani DiFranco's "As Is". In some ways, this is the heart of the Christian story: we don't have to hide, we don't have to pretend, God accepts us, assholes and all, as is. As they say, "that'll preach."

What do you think about interpreting love songs, not as our songs to God, but God's songs to us? Can you give me some cool examples that work with interesting results? And what about some that don't?


* Okay, I confess to writing a cheesy, sweet love song for my Beloved's birthday last fall. Yes, it was cheesy. Yes, it was sweet. But it was also extremely geeky. And at least the science was good, and the physics right on!