Favourite "religious" song?

[Diamond]

"All For The Best" from Godspell.
It was the first (and, hopefully, not the last) musical I was in. Whenever I hear it, I picture the guy playing Jesus comically shaking his knees when the piano stopped and, at one point, smirking when he says "Did I promise an answer?".

[thesummerqueen]

Since Paul took the song I would have posted...

I guess this isn't so much a "religious" song as it has religion/demon references, but still... Maynard fucking rules. And I can't get over the leather and kick ass boots in the movie either. Or Beckinsale.

"Jesus is risen, and it's no surprise
Even he would martyr his mama to ride to hell between those thighs."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye0H91hxUMw

[Rev. Rye]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnYA0w4cWiE

And the story from the composer himself:

In 1971, when I lived in London, I was working with a friend, Alan Power, on a film about people living rough in the area around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo Station. In the course of being filmed, some people broke into drunken song - sometimes bits of opera, sometimes sentimental ballads - and one, who in fact did not drink, sang a religious song "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet". This was not ultimately used in the film and I was given all the unused sections of tape, including this one.

When I played it at home, I found that his singing was in tune with my piano, and I improvised a simple accompaniment. I noticed, too, that the first section of the song - 13 bars in length - formed an effective loop which repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. I took the tape loop to Leicester, where I was working in the Fine Art Department, and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape, thinking about perhaps adding an orchestrated accompaniment to this. The door of the recording room opened on to one of the large painting studios and I left the tape copying, with the door open, while I went to have a cup of coffee. When I came back I found the normally lively room unnaturally subdued. People were moving about much more slowly than usual and a few were sitting alone, quietly weeping.

I was puzzled until I realised that the tape was still playing and that they had been overcome by the old man's singing. This convinced me of the emotional power of the music and of the possibilities offered by adding a simple, though gradually evolving, orchestral accompaniment that respected the tramp's nobility and simple faith. Although he died before he could hear what I had done with his singing, the piece remains as an eloquent, but understated testimony to his spirit and optimism.

Also, the second voice is Tom Waits.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Schubert's Ave Maria

Soprano

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQVz6vuNq7s

Pavaroti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPvAQxZsgpQ

[Lethe]

I... I can't help it.





I'm not even a Kanye West fan, but I find myself bobbing my head like an idiot whenever I hear it.

[thesummerqueen]

Forgot about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnTGX9GlFPE

[Shell B]

It was already posted, but it's my favorite, so there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQVz6vuNq7s

[leo-rcc]

Pretty much anything by Bach on Church Organ.

[ib.me.ub]

[youtube]zRIbf6JqkNc[/youtube]

[Jaysyn]

Does O Fortuna count? Fortuna is / was the Roman goddess of luck.

Here is Therion's take on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh_La-1-E...r_embedded