Songs

Religion and Environment Songs: Nobody’s Fault by Aerosmith

Picture courtesy of aerosmith.com

 

Song Picks by Natalie

The first verse of Nobody’s Fault by Aerosmith says:

Running for the sea

Holy lands are sinking

Birds take to the sky

I think that the first three lines are describing the destruction of the earth and the line “holy lands are sinking” is alluding to rising sea levels taking precious land.

The next lines:

The prophets are all stinking drunk

I know the reason why

Eyes are full of desire

Mind is so ill at ease

Everything is on fire

I think that “The prophets are all stinking drunk” is referring to people no longer listening to the teachings of God.  In the next lines, I believe the lyrics are saying the reason people are no longer listening to the teachings of God and therefore destroying the earth is because of human’s desire for more. This has led to an uncomfortable society where our minds are “ill at ease and everything is on fire.”

The last chorus of the songs states:

Man has known
And now he’s blown it
Upside down and hell’s the only sound
We did an awful job
And now we’re just a little too late

I think that these lines are saying humans have known we shouldn’t be destroying the earth, but we did it anyways, and now, everything is not how it should be. Humans have ignored the warnings and now it’s too late.

To read the lyrics, click here.

To listen to the song, click here.

Religion and Environment Songs: Globe all Warming by NiyoRah

Picture courtesy of jah-lyrics.com

Song Picks by Natalie

Globe all Warming is a song by NiyoRah. The title of this song pretty much sums it up; he is talking about global warming. He discusses how society has played a part in ruining the environment and in order to survive, people must purify themselves and their bodies. The lyrics say:

“Global warming, the cry is out
The earth is getting hotter, without a doubt
The glaciers are melting in the north and south
Our lives are about to change
There is only one way, to survive this
You got to purify your body, get rid of toxins
Pray unto the Father, who lives within
The ego you have to tame”

I think he is saying that people must stop being selfish and egotistic in order to save the environment. In order to do this, he is says to purify your body and pray unto the Father. He also says:

“To serve Jah, is the reason why you are made
The heat beneath the ocean, it a bring hurricane
Attitude inside a people out of context and live”

I think he is saying that people are living with the wrong mindset. The human race is no longer putting God first and respecting what has been given to us, and this is what is causing global warming and the overall destruction of nature and the environment.

To read the lyrics, click here.

To listen to the song, click here.

 

Religion and Environment Songs: Hey World (Don’t Give up) by Micheal Franti & Spearhead

Image result for michael franti and spearhead

Picture courtesy of michaelfranti.com

Song Picks by Natalie

Hey World (Don’t Give Up) is a song by Micheal Franti & Spearhead. In this song he describes many of the problems that the world faces. He begins by saying:

“Tell me why the grass was greener,
Years ago, I swear, it used to grow here,
But no more here.”

“Tell me why on this hill,
All the birds they used to come to fly here,
Come to die here.”

I think that is him talking about the decline of our environment and how quickly it is going downhill. He then says:

“And tell me why it’s okay to kill in the name of the Gods we pray”

He also talks about war in this song which I think is part of what he means by this lyric, but I also think that they are talking about the earth. They are asking why people think that it is okay to kill what God has given us, which includes nature like the grass and birds described earlier in the song.

To read the lyrics of this song, click here.

To listen to this song, click here.

Religion and Environment Songs: Medicine by Rising Appalachia

Picture courtesy of risingappalachia.com

Song Picks by Natalie

Medicine is a song by Rising Appalachia. The song is describing the medicine that is found all around us. I believe that they are describing nature, religion, and music and their healing possibilities.

“Remedies are bountiful and surround us                                                                                                                                                                                              from the garden to the farthest prayers made of star dust                                                                                                                                                                          find your healing in the music that calls”

I believe that these lyrics are talking about ways to heal outside of traditional medicine. They are talking about “the garden” which is nature, and then they say “to the farthest prayers made of star dust,” which I believe is them saying to find remedy in the deity you pray to. When they say “find your healing in the music that calls,” I believe they are saying to find your healing in whatever speaks to you. I interpret the word “music” as the belief, whether it be nature or religion, that heals your mind.

To hear the song click here.

To read the lyrics click here.

Religion and Environment Songs: Dust Bowl Dance by Mumford & Sons

Picture courtesy of mumfordandsons.com

Song Picks by Natalie

Dust Bowl Dance is a song by Mumford & Sons. The song is describing the historical dust bowl that occurred in the 1930’s in the United States. The band is describing the hardships farmers had to endure. Many were forced to leave their land and some even died from the extreme dust storms that happened. The lyrics state,

“I’ve been kicked off my land at the age of sixteen
And I have no idea where else my heart could have been
I placed all my trust at the foot of this hill
And now I am sure my heart will never be still
So collect your courage and collect your horse
And pray you never feel this same kind of remorse”

Later in the song he then says,

“There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you’ve always denied”

The band is telling the story of a boy that was a victim of the times and was forced to leave his land. I think that this connects to Christianity because he describes turning to God in his time of anger. Throughout the song, the lyrics describe the people who took the land as greedy and says they cannot love the land when they took it from the hands of the poor. I think that this then leads to the lyrics listed above, where they say “You will pray to the God that you’ve always denied.” I think that they are saying by being greedy and not doing anything about the land that was being destroyed by the dust bowl, which is what forced this boy to leave his land, that they are denying God. To listen to the Dust Bowl Dance click here. To view the lyrics, click here.

Earth Ministry Songs and Hymns

Picture courtesy of
earthministry.org

Earth Ministry created a list of songs and hymns that are related to creation. The list is meant to be a resource for creation honoring worship services. To view the all of the songs, click here.

Religion and Environment Songs: Mitakuye Oyasin by Nahko and Medicine for the People

Picture courtesy of nahko.com

Song Picks by Natalie

Mitakuye Oyasin is a song by Nahko and Medicine for the People that I feel relates to spirituality and nature. The phrase comes from the Lakota language and reflects the world view of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people of North America. The phrase translates in English as “we are all related.” The song begins with the lead singer describing being thankful for receiving a greater wisdom so that we as people can help all living things and calls this a prayer. The lyrics of the song describe being thankful for all that we have been provided before and then says,

“All of the blessings I have received
How could they have been bestowed upon me?
So I’ll put it all back in the ground
Back in the soil where I am found”

The band is describing their connection to the Great Spirit, or Wakan Takan Skan Skan, which translates from the Lakota language as Sacred Great Spirit. The song ultimately describes being thankful for this relationship and returning the blessings by taking care of the earth and all its creations. To hear Mitakuye Oyasin click here. To read the lyrics, click here.

From the Smallest Seed

Picture courtesy of arocha.us

From the Smallest Seed is a project from A Rocha to connect faith, ecology, and songwriting. They have created two albums, From the Smallest Seed being the first volume, and Together in the Harvest being the second volume. These albums formed from a project held by the Nashville chapter of A Rocha where a group came together over ecology and songwriting. To purchase, or get a sneak peak of these albums click below.

Volume 1 : From the Smallest Seed

Volume 2: Together in the Harvest