Monday, January 12, 2009

A long time ago, when I was in my teens, this song was performed during mass. I'm not sure what to make of it.

16 comments:

owenswain said...

And...this was a good thing? Just asking.

Tom in Vegas said...

Owen-

I'm not exactly sure. At the time it certainly did not feel wrong, disrespectful or sacrilege. But it is a song that is far removed from the musical scope of Christian tradition. I try to ask myself what would my reaction be if I unsuspectedly were to hear it again during mass, but the response eludes me. I guess until it happens again I wont know.

owenswain said...

Fair answer. I like the song somewhat - oddly, I was listening to some Beatles on Ytub last night while working up some art on the computer and came across that exact video clip.

I would have a really hard time with it at the Mass or any such stuff which some people might say is me just having a knee jerk reaction to my years in the protestant mega church, seeker sensitive model of "doing" church and I could not but agree. I also think it's not in the rubric of even the N.O. I know I kaked when our parish had some "liturgical" dance between the two Liturgies. I flipped inside. I closed my eyes, breathed deep and repeatedly told myself not to get up and leave. It was close.

Thanks for the answer Tom.

Melody K said...

That one passed as a Marian hymn when I was a teenager! Back before we all had our consciousness raised about copyrights and that kind of thing, my parish had homemade hymnals full of pirated music; "Let It Be" was one of the songs. It was all printed with one of those old mimeograph machines with the purple ink, I'm sure we were illegal as heck. Which is one reason I can't get too bent out of shape about "Glory and Praise", etc. Because they were actually an upgrade.

Anonymous said...

They still play Let It Be in Mass in India. But then, they also sing the Our Father to the tune of The House of The Rising Sun. TALK about inappropriate!!!

~Georgette
(Mimi is my daughter, long story, LOL)

Tom in Vegas said...

Owen, my friend, if you were able to brave a liturgical dance in the name of all those things we, as Catholics consider dear, then as far as I'm concerned you are that much closer to canonization. I don't think I have the stomach to put up with a liturgical dance.

Melody-

Indeed! When this song was performed at the mass I attended, it was with the intention of using it as a Marian song.

Georgette-

Your kidding, right? Our Father to the tune of The House of The Rising Sun??? Was this a “black mass”? It’s impossible for me to marry the words to that music in my mind.

Anonymous said...

I kid you not--and not a black mass either. A regular ol' vat2 kinda Mass, that is the regular thing in India. Oh, and the guy who leads the singing thinks he's Elvis. It takes everything in my being to not scream out "WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY". I get a LOT of opportunity to practice patience and "bearing with one another" when I am in India.

Oh Lord forgive me, they're probably the ones bearing with ME, for my snootiness about their music. They are doing their best, I suppose.

But if nothing else, just for the sake of the lyrics of The House of The Rising Sun (about a brothel in New Orleans), the song should not be associated with anything holy, in my opinion. But, there you have it. sigh.

Terry Nelson said...

Inappropriate at Mass - to be sure - a great song nonetheless. I understand how some 'music minister' could get confused and use it for Mass. Nothing wrong with the song itself however. Liturgy is getting together despite all the misplaced sentilmentalism.

Katie Alender said...

One of the things I appreciate most about the Catholic Church is how, as trends for behavior and mindset come and go, the Church's position intersects at various times with counterculture.

Perhaps not for the Mass, but such a great song nonetheless.

Katie Alender said...

Not saying that the Beatles were counterculture... they were pretty much "culture" for a while there!

Jennifer said...

And I get upset when they clap to this little light of mine!

I might get up and walk out...I always understood it had to do with his mother, not the Virgin Mary.

paramedicgirl said...

I love the song, just not at Mass. Mass is for the sacred and a popular modern song is far from being a sacred hymn. One day, we will get back on track. I hope.

Tom in Vegas said...

Katie-

Father Tony once told me that the Catholic Church moves slowly, but it always moves forward. I'm not always sure about what forward is, but often times it does go in the apposite direction of what is considered mainstream. And you are absolutely correct, this is a fantastic song by one of the greatest groups in music history. That much I can say with certainty.

Jennifer-

You are correct. In an interview Paul Mccartney gave a few years ago (and probably in a number of previous interviews) he explained that “Mother Mary was” indeed his own mother.

PG-

I do have my reservations about this being appropriate for mass. My favorite music for mass remains sacred Renaissance pieces.

Kirk said...

Tom,
Sacred Renaissance peices like those composed by the great, the one and only, Tomas Luis de Victoria.

As for the Beetles - we never had their music at Holy Mass but we did all sing Sr. Janet Mead's version of the Our Father which in hindsight took all the prayerfulness out of the prayer!

Tom in Vegas said...

Kirk-

Tomas Luis de Victoria is a FAVORITE of mine! I knew his music would appeal to you as well, since you have written about the
music you enjoy.

Sadly, I, too, have heard of some rather unappealing Our Father's in my lifetime.

Tracy said...

I don't know what to think.. wow.. great song and all but at the Mass? That is just strange:)