I'm too tired to answer mail today. So I'm just going to post a couple of dissents from our secular music fiesta. Thanks to the correspondents, and consider yourself answered, okay? I have
got to save my energy for finishing a chapter of the Parables book tonight.
was going to write a little note about what a beautiful Marian hymn "Let It Be" is, but Catholic Digest beat me to it:
I'd only add that in addition to the obvious reference to the Annunciation, the song evokes the Marian apparitions, and the second verse has always had for me a strong flavor of Fatima prophesy:
And when the broken hearted people /Living in the world agree /There will be an answer /Let it be /For though they may be parted /There is still a chance that they will see /There will be an answer /Let it be.
"Conversion of Russia", anyone?
As far as "Mother Mary" being a reference to pot, as my English teachers used to say, "I don't see anything in the text to justify that interpretation." The universally reported story of the origin of the song is that McCartney's devoutly Catholic mother, Mary, who died of breast cancer when Paul was 14, appeared to him in a dream and, well,said what she says in the song. I don't believe that McCartney had any intention of writing a Marian hymn, or even realized that that's what
he had done, but the Spirit works in mysterious ways.
On a related note, whatever you think of "Turn, Turn, Turn" as a song, I don't see how a song which is nothing more than Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 set
to music can be classified as an "inappropriate secular" song. I'd much rather hear either of these songs performed in my church than the
odious "Awesome God" which is performed at our LifeTeen masses. This song's message can be summed up as "Heh, heh, you sinners are gonna get yours.
Too bad you're not saved like us." Yuck.
And another:
For what it's worth, being somewhat experienced in matters of the
now ancient counterculture, I am surprised at the seemingly cavalier suggestions that these very artistic Led Zeppelin and Beatles songs are "about drugs." I am not aware of any evidence of this whatsoever. This is not to say that people didn't (or for that matter "don't") listen to these
songs while stoned our of their minds (particularly STH), but just that they are not about marijuana or any other type of drug. A careful read of the
lyrics reveals that both songs are about a lady (apparently one, Our Lady). Although we all "know sometimes words have two meanings," nothing in
the lyrics of either song suggests a drug topic. The contrary notion is in my judgment nothing more than an unfounded urban legend best put to rest.
I amcertainly willing to stand corrected upon the production of evidence, but I really don't think one will find any.
All that said these are incredibly silly songs to play at Mass.