Welcome to this week's Friday Atheism for Lent Music Video Divina. Each week through Lent I'm posting a song that represents one kind of rejection of God, seeking to listen to this rejection as a spiritual discipline. I wrote about what I'm up to here. I won't repeat it all, but encourage you to read through it if you haven't already, before going on with this week's installment. Part of the idea is to understand that atheism is not one common shared view but rather distinct denials, and seeking to understand the particular characteristics of the denial may help clarify (as if by a purifying fire) our understanding of God.
It opens space for 'undergoing' God again, stripped of our conventions.
This week's song is "Lubbock or Leave It" from the Dixie Chick's 2006 Taking the Long Way. The longer story here has to do with the trauma they experienced after criticizing George Bush on the eve of our invasion of Iraq. They even received death threats and country music radio stations refuse to play their music to this day. The song tweaks the conventions of country music to fit love of family, country and God tightly together. Hank Williams and Johnny Cash rank at the top of country music and set the tradition of southern gospel singing. They both, however, sang the blues and struggled between the divide of music of saints and music of sinners. This song by the Chicks, however, is from outside that tension, looking back on the saints side with scorn and critique. It has, I think, a lot in common with the important book Unchristian. Their last song on the album, I Hope, offers one place for the band to move to a constructive place, suggesting what they'd like to hear the pastor say.
Lubbock Or Leave It lyrics Dust bowl, Bible belt Got more churches than trees Raise me, praise me, couldn't save me Couldn't keep me on my knees Oh, boy, rave on down loop 289 That'll be the day you see me back In this fool's paradise (Chorus) Temptation's strong (Salvation's gone) I'm on my way To hell's half acre How will I ever How will I ever Get to heaven now Throwing stones from the top of your rock Thinking no one can see The secrets you hide behind Your southern hospitality On the strip the kids get lit So they can have a real good time Come Sunday they can just take their pick From the crucifix skyline (Chorus) International airport A quarter after nine Paris Texas, Athens Georgia's Not what I had in mind As I'm getting out I laugh to myself Cause this is the only place Where as you're getting on the plane You see Buddy Holly's face I hear they hate me now Just like they hated you Maybe when I'm dead and gone I'm gonna get a statue too (Chorus)
This week's song is "Lubbock or Leave It" from the Dixie Chick's 2006 Taking the Long Way. The longer story here has to do with the trauma they experienced after criticizing George Bush on the eve of our invasion of Iraq. They even received death threats and country music radio stations refuse to play their music to this day. The song tweaks the conventions of country music to fit love of family, country and God tightly together. Hank Williams and Johnny Cash rank at the top of country music and set the tradition of southern gospel singing. They both, however, sang the blues and struggled between the divide of music of saints and music of sinners. This song by the Chicks, however, is from outside that tension, looking back on the saints side with scorn and critique. It has, I think, a lot in common with the important book Unchristian. Their last song on the album, I Hope, offers one place for the band to move to a constructive place, suggesting what they'd like to hear the pastor say.
Lubbock Or Leave It lyrics Dust bowl, Bible belt Got more churches than trees Raise me, praise me, couldn't save me Couldn't keep me on my knees Oh, boy, rave on down loop 289 That'll be the day you see me back In this fool's paradise (Chorus) Temptation's strong (Salvation's gone) I'm on my way To hell's half acre How will I ever How will I ever Get to heaven now Throwing stones from the top of your rock Thinking no one can see The secrets you hide behind Your southern hospitality On the strip the kids get lit So they can have a real good time Come Sunday they can just take their pick From the crucifix skyline (Chorus) International airport A quarter after nine Paris Texas, Athens Georgia's Not what I had in mind As I'm getting out I laugh to myself Cause this is the only place Where as you're getting on the plane You see Buddy Holly's face I hear they hate me now Just like they hated you Maybe when I'm dead and gone I'm gonna get a statue too (Chorus)
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