Dawg Will Hunt!

(Mr. Mason the Boston Terrier)

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Hoagland

So I just recently got to dog sit over the course of a couple of weeks for two of the best dogs I have ever had the pleasure of taking care of. They were loyal, listened well, sweet, and loved to show and receive affection. I have always loved dogs, and would consider myself a dog person. I have grown up with dogs at my house as a kid, dogs are rampant at work, and have consistently lived with people who have dogs until recently.  I was reminded though during this temporary guardianship how amazing dogs can be for the soul, and found myself at the end of the week feeling pretty emotional and saddened by the impending separation. 

A lot of people I know would wonder what is so sad, that it is just a dog and they are just an animal. These are the kind of people that I cannot understand, and feel sorry for. Dogs are animals, but so are people and I think we think too highly of our own species to always recognize the complexity of the emotions and feelings that are quite obviously there in others. If you have been a dog owner, and invested emotionally into your companion you will see and experience a true and genuine connection that forms. A dog’s emotional intelligence may not be as “evolved” as ours, but to act like it is not there is ridiculous. Communication is more than just the words we speak, it is composed of our tone, body language, facial expressions, and even just the look in our eyes and if you are in tune with this you can understand our canine friends on a different level. You can sense when a dog is sad, scared, happy, excited, anticipatory, upset, confused without them being able to convey through their words. Everything they do is part of their communication, and truly great dog lovers pick up of these and work as a friend, parent, companion rather than an owner. As I dropped off an adorable Boston Terrier last night to his parents’ house before they returned, I could see the worry and confusion in his face as he stared out the window as I walked back to my car. Just in that gaze I could imagine and feel what he must have been thinking. It also easily could be seen as a case of transference in that my grief of leaving him, I projected on to him.  Or It is a little of both. The bond that was formed by both of us was separating, and as we are saddened by the loss of family and friends, dogs become emotionally distraught by the loss of a member of their pack.

(Romper Stomper the dog made of spare parts!)

"Dogs are better than children. Even my friends with children say that. As a dog friend of mine likes to say, children are for people who can't have dogs."              - Anonymous

People who view dogs just as a status symbol, a tool, a servant, and in a way as just a pet don’t really get it in my eyes. Dogs are more than just some animal we keep around the house to show off to others, to have guard the property, or even more disgustingly have to prove how tough we are. Dogs are intricate parts of the family, and play a role that is hard to fill with a cat, fish, or even a child. Dogs have an unconditional caring and bond to those who love and support them, they are there when you are depressed, when you are elated, and a happy and loved dog is always super stoked to see its owner. It is a beautiful display of caring that is not corrupted by ill-will, bad intentions, greed, self-serving motivations, and so forth. Dogs are in tune enough with their owners to recognize when they are not doing too great, and come to comfort and look at you with empathetic eyes.

Just with that understanding it is easy for me to see how dogs have become such a big part of the American culture, and many others throughout the world. They have transcended beyond just the ordinary house pet, or a domesticated creature that serves a single purpose. They are representative of much more, and that is demonstrated in colloquialisms, literary references, metaphors, and as you may have guessed in music.

(Cody, the most well behaved dog)

If you look through time dogs have made different impressions, and definitely with the evolution of their role in human lives we see different ways they are viewed. In commonly used dialect, dog can refer to numerous different things or characteristics. It can mean friend or compatriot (dawg being a variation of this spelling), it can refer to an ugly person and characteristically of the female gender, it can refer to a chauvinistic male or person of reprehensible character. Dog can even be used as a verb in describing someone who is critical or annoying to another, or to follow andr track like a dog, especially with hostile intent, with hound being another substitution. 

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain

Through these definitive derivatives countless sayings have arisen and been used in conjuncture with the actions and qualities of people. “Dog will hunt” is a common southern saying that refers to when something will work out just fine, and an action that is taken is the correct one, and was featured to many in Primus’ “Jerry was a race car driver”. “Dogs of war” is a phrase that has been cherry-picked by many of bands for song titles. The phrase has its origin in Shakespeare’s line from Julies Ceaser, "Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war". In looking at songs by Pink Floyd, Skarhead and Ghostface Killah, we see the dogs of war representing those out in reality that are full embraced in a street life or part of a system and that is actively and aggressively battling for wealth, status, and power. “Every dog has its day”, “a guilty dog barks the loudest”, “if you cant hang with the big dawgs, stay on the porch”, “let sleeping dogs lie”, and so many more have entered into our vernacular. The word “dog” has come to have so much meaning attached to it, and we are able to interpret those just by context. 

(Zoe the smiley dog!)

I think it is interesting in the split between negative and positive connotations that dog sayings place in our mind.  For the most part I have never experienced the negative connotations of dogs. Sure I have met mean dogs, barking and biting dogs, feral dogs, and so on. I see dogs usually as a reflection of their person though. Dogs definitely take on the traits of their owners, sometimes to different degrees depending on the breed. But you meet and angry, mean dog, you can usually assume that owner is not too great of a person. Dog’s are similar to children in that we can help to shape who they become, and along the way other factors will make their way in. Looking at a negative saying, I understand the connotation of dogging someone, or hounding them and I think that it speaks more to the tenacity of dogs, rather than the annoyingness of the person taking on that characteristic. The word dog being used in the chauvinistic connotation makes sense. When a human male acts in a hounding manner towards a woman, or humps anything it can, I get where they are coming from. Still dogs tend to have a lot more class then a high percentage of individuals in our culture, so maybe it is too nice a comparison for the person.  Calling someone ugly as a dog makes sense because you probably don’t want to look like a dog, but aren’t there so many more animals that would be better used to describe a non-attractive person, like a tapir, or baboon.  

(ODIN aka Deathtrain)

In music, one can see the dog as the ultimate metaphor, and has been continually coopted by new generations to attach their own meanings. We see a history traced all the way back to Shakespeare, to the blues of the early 20^th century, and now the hip-hop of the modern era. But even with all the meanings attached, and ideas that dog’s can bring to mine, I still believe it’s the relationship that we have attached to them that keeps them as present and significant in music. 

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

 I do enjoy a good jingle just about the life of a dog, or its person. “Walking the dog” by the Slumlords always makes me smile, as it is just a song about walking the dog. A simple and genial task that many can relate to, and a very enjoyable part of my day when the opportunity presents itself. “In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog” may be an overstatement because some homes probably shouldn’t have dogs. Going through the list, there are not many songs I have about just being a dog in a dog world, which makes sense since we can only imagine. I do think that the popularity of speaking dogs in movie and cartoons though is something that will be around forever. “All dogs go to Heaven”, “Ren and Stimpy”, “101 Dalmations”, “Homeward Bound”, and “Snoopy” are all good examples of anthropomorphic dogs, and also children’s programs (though still enjoyed by adults!). This is also where I think a majority of the songs about being dogs would come from. Overall, it always makes me think that the love of dogs was engrained from such an early age. The movies and shows highlighted these furry friends that just wanted to have a good time, and not be beaten, abandoned or turned into coats. I just know that I love my dogs, and I am pretty sure they love being around me as well.

Charlie the Basset Hound

To close up this entry I just want to pay tribute to some of the good dogs in my life. This past year I have gotten to meet and live with some great dogs, see some weekly at work, and dog sit here and there. They all range from size, to mannerisms, but they all had one thing in common: they were loving dogs. Quite a few would be on my dogs to steal list, if I was into that sort of thing. In a higher respect, I do want to pay tribute to my two dogs from my childhood.

Ginger the Sweetest Dog Ever

Both of these dogs were present in my life for many of years. Charlie was a great, loving dog and was hard headed, but that's just because he was too smart and   did what he wanted. That was a lot of barking, howling and slobbering and just wanting to be by your side.

Chloe the Fancy Puppy

Ginger was probably the moved well-behaved dogs ever.She was sweet, made silly noises to get attention, and would try to split up play fights between me and my little brother. Just seeing her jolly face makes me smile. 

Now they are both succeeded at my parents house by Lil' Dooks aka Chloe, who is a sweet and loving Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Fancy, yes I know) and she is also spoiled and very snobby.  But definitely a sweetheart. Well enjoy this weeks mix, and check back shortly as we have some more coming soon.

 Link: SFMTC Vol. 5 - Dawg Will Hunt 

SFMTC Vol. 5 - Dawg Will Hunt Tracklist:

01. Hi-Standard - "My Sweet Dog" - 'Angry Fist'

02. Jello Biafra with the Melvins - "McGruff the Crime Dog" - 'Never Breathe What You Can'

03. Agnostic Front - "Pauly the Dog" - 'Somethings Gotta Give'

04. Roky Erikson - "Red Temple Prayer (Two Headed Dog)" - 'I Have Been Here Before'

05. MC Chris - "Robot Dog" -  'Eating is not Cheating'

06. The Slumlords - "Walking the Dog" - 'Slumlords'

07. De La Soul - "Dog Eat Dog" - 'Stakes is High'

08. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Thirsty Dog" -  'Let Love In'

09. King Missile - "That Old Dog" - 'Fluting the Hump'

10. Bob Dylan - "If Dogs Run Free" - 'New Morning'

11. Skarhead - "Dogs of War" - 'Kings at Crime'

12. AC/DC - "Dog Eat Dog" - 'Let There Be Rock'

13. Swans - "Black Eyed Dog (Nick Drake Cover)" -  'Omniscience'

14. Method Man & Red Man - "Big Dogs" - 'Tical 2000'

15. Junior Wells - "Hound Dog" - 'Hoodoo Man Blues'

16. Pentagram - "Mad Dog" - 'Sub-Basement'

17. Reagan Youth - "In Dog We Trust" - 'A Collection of Pop Classics'

18. Uncle Tupelo - "I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges Cover" - '89-93: An Anthology'

19. The Might Could - "Mad Dog Blues" - 'The Might Could'

20. Dawnwind - "Dogs of War" - 'Looking Back...'

21. Tom Waits - "Rain Dogs" - 'Rain Dogs'

22. DS-13 - "Pavlovs Dogs" - '???'

23. Trampled by Turtles - "Dog on a Leash" - 'Blue Sky and the Devil'

24. Nazareth - "Hair of the Dog" - 'Hair of the Dog'

25. Phish - "Dog You Dog" - 'The White Tape'

26. The Bevis Frond - "Old Sea Dog" - 'Any Gas Faster'

27. Johnny Copeland - "Every Dog Has It's Day"- 'Dedicated to the Greatest'

28. SNFU - "Mutated Dog" - 'The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed'

29. Atmosphere - "3.2 Red Dog" - 'Headshots'

30. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - "Dog House Blues - 'Boot Heel Drag'

                                         

                                                                                                 

 

Which bands? The Witch Bands!

(Gross...)

I have had a hard time writing this article, and it is frustrating because I really enjoy these mixes and the overall idea of a “Witch list” for bands. I think what has made it hard is that I am not super interested in witches and magic, but just in the sweet music that come from bands sporting deviations of the word. Would it make it more interesting if this included the words wizards and warlocks? I don’t think so, although I do think the idea of a Warlock just sounds sweeter than a witch. It has war in its name, and overall just gives a much sweeter metal vibe. Both of those are pretty much just the male equivalent of witches, and fall under the same category. Today people may argue that due to the eruption of the wizard phenomenon known as Harry Potter. Overall though, they are the same, yet when we think of Witches, it is definitely a female persona that comes to most people’s mind I can guarantee.

This brings up an interesting point, and doing some research on witches I definitely saw some of the early misogynistic roots and oppression of women that was created through the witch hunts and demonization of witches by the prominent religions of the time. The demonization of witches came from persecution notably by Muslims and Christians during the medieval period. It can also be seen as an early form of misogyny being integrated into the culture at the time. While witches weren’t only seen as women, the female version is what became most popularized. Once again, according to the Wikipedia, “The Malleus Maleficarum, an infamous witch-hunting manual used by both Catholics and Protestants, outlines how to identify a witch, what makes a woman more likely than a man to be a witch, how to put a witch on trial, and how to punish a witch. The book defines a witch as evil and typically female.” This put a damper on a lot of religious and spiritual practices of indigenous folk where the female played an important role in their culture, and began to brand them as blasphemous or heresy. Witches later on gained a nasty reputation as being affiliated with Satan. It was from the dark lord that they received their abilities, and often a mark was emblemized on their bodies to signify the contract that they had made with Lucifer. The men of god at many points have been in a battle against Satan and his evil witch army, which led to the persecution and execution of thousands of individuals.

So as found on Wikipedia, there are three common classifications for witches:

• The "neighborhood witch" or "social witch": a witch who curses a neighbor following some conflict.
• The "magical" or "sorcerer" witch: a professional healer, sorcerer, seer or midwife, or a person who has through magic increased her fortune to the perceived detriment of a neighboring household; due to neighborly or community rivalries and the ambiguity between positive and negative magic, such individuals can become labeled as witches.
• The "supernatural" or "night" witch: portrayed in court narratives as a demon appearing in visions and dreams.

Reading through and learning more of what is means to be a witch, a common theme came up: Most witches are being labeled as being in a practice that contradicts the beliefs of the majority. For a majority of history, Witches in most cultures were looked at in a dark light. Each region of the world also seems to have their own version of a witch and all can be connected through similar traits and characteristics. Witches all were connected with the practice of some dark craft that usually ended up with a harmful effect to another. There is also the area of white magic in contrast, and it seems that it has been adopted by a lot of modern day witch covens. Early white magic was usually the practice of local religious leaders that were outlawed by invasive religion and cultures.

These days the idea of what a witch is can definitely be rooted in hippy paganistic ideals.  It was in the 1900’s that the idea of “white magic” was more so introduced to the masses. Before it had been present, and for the most part any sort of voodoo jive was branded as the practice of black arts. But let’s move past this magic business and look at these witch bands.

For the most part, these mixes are pretty heavy mixes. We can see a high proportion of doom layered throughout each mix, and if it is not doom, then it is mainly metal of some sort. That makes it easier to look at the non-metal bands of the list since they stand out in comparison. 

First there is Witches, a Japanese ska band. I do not really know much about these guys besides they are Japanese and ska, which always makes for a silly kind of combination. In fact, I really thought that the brand of ska they played died out in the 90’s, but well into the 00’s Witches was going strong and bringing us those summertime feel good ska tunes that we used to enjoy while wearing our plaid converse at a 9^th grade battle of the bands. Two Witches is probably my least favorite band on this list. They have put out a number of records during the 90’s in the gothic rock category. The witch label is definitely fitting and in line with what they sing about, and for myself definitely fit the image of what I would originally imagine a band with witch in their title to sound like. A bunch a nerdy kids who love vampires a little too much and listened to a lot of Sisters of Mercy and The Cure. 

 

The Wicked Witch is just kind of out there. The album I have from them is a collection of songs from the 70’s and they are a crazy jazz-prog fusion type band who doesn’t really make too much sense. The one thing they do is whatever they want, and I can definitely respect that. White Witch is a funny band. They are from the 70’s, Florida and wanted to write heavy, psychy, proggy music that had a happy feel that helped to spread “white magic” in comparison the more evil feel of Sabbath. They have some really cheesy songs, but they are fun and make me smile, so I keep them around. Finally, the fifth of the non-metal bands is my favorite and it is the band Witch, and not the American version but the 70’s Zambian band.  A forerunner of the Zamrock scene, these guys played music that incorporates prog rock, psych, funk, and some traditional African sounds. This song is from their third album “Lazy Bones” and it is the only one I have heard. While it does not blow the mind away in comparison to a lot of what was happening around the globe, it impresses because these guys were from fucking Zambia. The difficulty of being exposed to underground music, gaining access to recording equipment and putting out an album is way more of an impressive feat in a smaller African country than in the state of California. Here’s a little snippet from a review site that I feel is a very apt description:

"...inspirational psych/rock group blasting out of Zambia in 1975. A soul-shouting edge combines with hard driving punk/garage guitars, tons of wah-wah, mesmeric melodic constructs, heavy African rhythms and powering blues testifying that sounds like a more militant/low-down take on South American psych."

So the rest of these bands are heavy in some form of the word. I think there is just something about witches that inspire that in bands. Overall it makes sense. Most metal bands aren’t really about the Christian imagery, and witches are an easy symbol to attach to one’s band that immediately lets your audience know where you stand. The witch trials themselves produce some pretty metal imagery, which is captured by Witchsorrow’s song “The Trial of Elizabeth Clarke”.  Another reason that could have led to so many witch metal bands is that the witch has been a persecuted figure throughout history for thinking differently and acting in a way not in line with the popular belief, and metal music tends to attract those who have been picked on, persecuted in some way or casted out by society. 

Looking through the list it seems that we have some doom metal, heavy metal/proto-doom, thrash metal, death metal, crust punk, stoner rock and some power metal. Out of these the doom bands are definitely my favorite. We have a second appearance in our collection by Witch Mountain who provides us with another heavy ripper. Witchfinder General is arguably one of the more important bands on this list. They are up there with Pentagram and Black Sabbath as the forefathers of modern day metal and doom, and have influenced legions of heaviness since the 70’s. You have Witchcraft who provides us with some retro-throwback proto-doom styled rock that just worships early pentagram. They could be said to be more of a tribute band to that era, and I appreciate the candor they have for wanting to play that style. 

So I am going to wrap up this week’s installment and provide you with a couple of mix’s with just one entry. I hope you enjoy the witches of the music world as much as I do, or at least some of them!

Download link: SFMTC Vol. 4a - Witch Which?

SFMTC Vol. 4a - Which Witch?

01. Witchery - "Fast as a Shark" - 'A Tribute to Accept'

02. Witchburn - "Heaven's Wake" - 'This is How We Slay Our Demons'

03. Hellwitch - "Mythologicalies" - 'Omnipotent Convocation'

04. White Witch Canyon - "Thirty Three and One Third" - 'White Witch Canyon'

05. Seven Witches - "Metal Daze (Manowar cover)" - 'Metal Covers'

06. White Witch - "Done Close Your Mind" - 'White Witch'

07. Witches Hammer - "Legions of the Undead" - 'The Stretching into Infinity'

08. Witch - "Old Trap Line" - 'Paralyzed'

09. Witchfinder General - "Death Penalty" - 'Death Penalty'

10. Witch Hunt - "By a Thread" - 'S/T'

11. Mountain Witch - "Throne of Blood" - 'Scythe and Dead Horse'

12. Icarus Witch - "Black Candles" - 'Draw Down the Moon'

13. The Wicked Witch - "X-rated" -  'Chaos 1978-86

14. Black Witchery - "Hellstorm of Evil Vengeance" - ' Upheaval of Satanic Might'

15. Stake-Off the Witch - "No One Cares About the Sun" - 'Medusa'

Download link: SFMTC Vol. 4b - Witches be Burning

SFMTC Vol. 4b - Witches be Burning!

01. Witches - "Noonmool" - 'Broomstick'

02. Burning Witch - "Communion" - 'Crippled Lucifer'

03. Burning Witches - "Burning Witches" - 'Demo'

04. Witchcraft - "Queen of Bees" - 'Firewood'

05. Wykked Wytch - "Seduced by Fear" - 'Nefret'

06. Witchfynde - "Stagefright" - 'Stagefright'

07. Witch - "Motherless Child" - 'Lazy Bones'

08. Angel Witch - "Gorgon" - 'Angel Witch'

09. Witch Mountain - "Wing of the Lord" - 'South of Salem'

10. Witchkiller - "Day of the Saxons" - 'Day of the Saxons'

11. Acid Witch - "Witchblood Cult" - 'Witchtanic Hallucinations'

12. Arkham Witch - "Legions of the Deep" - 'Arkham Witch'

13. Skeletonwitch - "Vengeance Will Be Mine" - 'Beyond the Permafrost'

14. Two Witches - "Bites and Bloody Kisses" - 'Bites'

15. Witchsorrow - "The Trial of Elizabeth Clarke" - 'Witchsorrow'

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT!!!!

William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs

Not many artists move me as much as WEW. It is rare to find someone who puts out consistently great music through and through, and someone who feels as sincere in their work. “Field Songs” is the latest full-length from Mr. Whitmore and will definitely please fans of his previous work and hopefully catch the ears of those who haven’t.

In recent years we have seen folk music breakthrough into the mainstream again, and a lot of it has taken a more modern approach. Many bands infuse folk with indie rock, alternative leanings, or make it more pop friendly, but WEW continues to play in a traditional bare-bones style that can bring one back to the roots of this sound. The music overall is some of the most genuine songs I have heard, and it is exuded through the overall record.

Lyrically, “Field Songs” takes a different direction that his previous effort “Animals in the Dark”. Where we had protest songs and political leanings are replaced by songs about a hard days work, and life for the little man out in the fields, and the invasion of the factory farm. What makes this record feel so believable is that Mr. Whitmore has lived this life, and still does. A small town farm boy from rural Iowa still works the fields at the same farm he grew up on, and in between he writes us some great tunes.

The lyrics are great, and they are backed by some old-time rustic tunes to match. The twangy banjo, the simplistic guitar, and the sometimes ever present bass drum all help to create a soundscape of what it must feel like working in the fields. The best part, and the main focus is definitely found in Mr. Whitmore’s vocals. So powerful, and soulful, they are characteristic of a man who has seen a whole lifetime of labor, hard times, and character-building shenanigans. You are surprised when you see who Mr. Whitmore actually is, and more impressed on how such a man can produce such a striking sound. Much love to you WEW, and too all you should pick up this new album, or check him out next time he comes your way. A legit soul and musician is great to see, and this is one of the finest.

The Cold Doesn't Bother You When You Are Already Dead On the Inside...

(Depression...)

Depression, suicide, anxiety, uncertainty, self-loathing, hopelessness are all afflictions found quite rampant in our modern society. It seems mind-blowing how present these things have come to be, and how aware we are of these individual struggles that happen every day. It always makes me wonder why has there been such a rise in these mental health issues. Is it because our population has expanded, are we just overall more aware, or has our modern society affected and groomed us as people to take on more of these traits. Whatever the reason, it is easy to see how many chose to use art forms as expressions and emotional releases for these difficult thoughts.

Looking back over the past several hundred years we have seen music and art as a sanctuary for those overwhelmed by the processes of their brains. We had Van Gogh cut off his ear, we have had to dark poets such as Edgar Allen Poe, and many composers were sad to be a little mad in their heyday. There is something to be said about music that is fueled by these intense feelings. The power of the words, the darkness of a lot of the melody and just the overall agony can appear and feel so real to the listener, and that is what I know sucks me in. I think that is what sucks in most people and that is because most can relate to that head space, others live in it every day, and some pretend as if it’s not there. What is so appealing about the music for me is that here are some people who are open and honest enough to express this, and don’t give a shit how they may be judged. It takes a lot of courage to look at, discuss and fight depression or suicide or low self-image, and these people are opening up a pathway at least for understanding. 

(Trapped...)

Now you also get those who sing about similar topics and just seem insincere about it, or the lyrics are overly cheesy and feel forced. Not so much into that. I don’t know if any of you reading this blog have ever pondered suicide, or struggled with thought-debilitating depression, but there is really know way to describe it. The idea and the illusion of power that comes with ending one’s own life is one of the biggest appeals I feel. When the whole world around you seems to be shitting on you, when nothing that you do eases the day to day pain, when even getting out of bed is so agonizing that it takes a mental battle, ending one’s life doesn’t seem so bad. Especially because it is the only thing that one seems to have control over, it is the one step you can take that will end this pain and take away these horrible things we feel, the counter to that is that it takes away the good things too, and they do eventually come back.

(Vincent Crane of Atomic Rooster)

When a song can bring you to tears, it is one of the most cathartic processes that I experience. As people we are taught to hold in all of our negative emotions, and really for the most part when people ask, “how was your day?”, they are not looking to hear, “it has been horrible, I barely got out of bed and every other thought I have is how to make this pain end”. It’s not really a conversation starter, so a lot of us are forced to bear this burden that we can barely understand ourselves. That is where this style of music really appeals to me. I can listen and hear the pain in an artist’s voice, the somber melody they create perfectly reflects the mood that has already overpowered me. What it does is bring out to a point that I am able to start to recognize and release it, and I no longer have to carry this load around with me all the time. Sure it builds back up, but that is why we call it a coping skill. Coping skills help us out in those moments of despair, frustration, hopelessness, and so on and music is probably one of the great coping skills ever created. 

There are also a lot of songs out there with melancholic instrument composition, but have a more optimistic or hopeful point of view. I call these fake-sad songs. They are able to draw out a kind of sadness, but also a kind of relief. You never feel at the end of the line, and it illustrates the struggle and eventual weight that can be lifted when your luck starts to turn. 

On the list I didn’t really include any “depressive” metal songs, there are some metal bands that do it well (Metallica’s “fade to black” as a prime example), but most just don’t hit me like a good country or piano based song. You have a lot of cheesy nu-metal songs about depression, and most read more like a high school student’s diary than anything else. I guess that is how they connect to all those youth in agony, and metal for me was always an outlet for other emotions. I left the depression fix for other’s to fill.

I think another difference that needs to be pointed out is depression vs. heart ache. While I have included a few heartache songs because they really make me sad, and bring out some of that intense agony, for the most part heart ache is temporary. Heart ache is a situational case that has a distinct cause, and a more identifiable solution. It is not to say the pain felt in the midst is any less than that of someone who suffers from depression, but it is not as consistent in one’s life. Heart ache has always been a popular topic in music, and probably deserves its own entry, so we won’t delve too much into it today. 

(Suicide...)

Suicide is a specific topic I find really interesting to see in music. It was made even more interesting by the 80’s and the PMRC and Tipper Gore’s blaming of heavy metal artists influencing children and teenagers to kill themselves. You had bands like Judas Priest and Ozzy Osborne being thrown into the spotlight, and in a sense gaining more press due to these events. All I can speak to is my own experiences, and if I really was planning on killing myself, it wouldn’t be a band talking about it that would push me that final step. I would have already been struggling with it for months probably, there would have been signs way before, and I would have been calling out for help. If anything, it is picking a song that can communicate to those who come and find you what you were experiencing. It is unfortunate when any individual chose to take their own life and it is the responsibility of their loved ones to notice those signs. To put blame on musicians is just wrong, and it is a grief stricken blame-shifting mentality that happens when you lose someone close to you, and it is hard to look inward at your own choices. Musicians do make easy fall people.

(Despair...)

It is interesting though to listen to the amounts of music influenced by mental breakdowns, and the styles and approaches that are taken. “Nervous Breakdown” by Black Flag (not included) embodies the frantic feeling of losing your wits in, Keith Morris’s howls at the end are mind wrenching and I can envision myself just ripping my hair out by the clumps. You then have Billie Holiday’s version of “Gloomy Sunday” which could be said to be the most depressing song of all time, and is known as the Hungarian suicide song. The mid-century jazz arrangement enhanced by Billie’s daunting vocals was too much for many countries, and it was banned from the airwaves for being too depressing. “Going to Georgia” by the Mountain Goats may be one of my all-time favorite songs, and is one that really captures that feel of being on the brink of suicide and being saved, and the emotional embattlement of the conflict that one must be feeling. The simple lo-fi guitar tone augments the mood, and the vocals are just laden with the choice you were almost about to see through. All take a different approach musically, and each does an excellent job in capturing the exact feeling the artist is wishing to communicate to the listener.

I know there are plenty of depressing songs out there that may fit on this list. There are probably some that fit better than the ones I chose, but this is what you get. I encourage you to find your own artists and songs that allow you to feel safe to sulk and embrace those more difficult moments in your life and I hope you can enjoy sitting and listening to this all the way through and bask in despair that each song brings.

SFMTC Vol 3 - The Cold Doesnt Bother You When You Are Already Dead On The Inside

SFMTC Vol 3 - The Cold Doesnt Bother You When You Are Already Dead On The Inside.

01. Pantera - Suicide Note pt. 1 -'The Great Southern Trendkill'

02. Dust - "I've Been Thinkin" - 'Hard Attack'

03. Lucinda Williams - "Nothin"  - 'Poet: A tribute to Townes Van Zandt'

04. Low - "Lord Can You Hear Me?" - 'Tribute to Spacemen 3'

05. The Mountain Goats - "Going to Georgia" - 'The Zopilote Machine'

06. Jean Wells - "I'll Drown In My Own Tears" - 'Soul on Soul'

07. The Lonesome Sisters w/ Rayna Gellert - "Babylon" - 'Follow Me Down'

08. Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah" - 'Grace '

09. Violent Femmes - "Confessions" - 'Violent Femmes '

10. Johnny Cash - "Hurt" - 'American Recordings: vol 4'

11. Azure Ray - "Displaced" - 'Azure Ray '

12. Lemonheads - "Fade to Black" - 'Best of the Lemonheads '

13. William Elliot Whitmore - "Everyday" - 'Song of the Blackbird '

14. Atomic Rooster - "Winter" - 'Atomic Rooster'

15. Elliot Smith - "Needle in the Hay" - 'Elliot Smith '

16. Kimya Dawson - "Talking Ernest" - 'Im Sorry that Sometimes Im Mean '

17. Norman Blake - "You are My Sunshine" - ' O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack'

18. Billie Holiday - "Gloomy Sunday" - 'Ken Burns Jazz Series: Billie Holiday '

19. Black Sabbath - "Changes" - 'Vol. 4'

20. Pat Haney - "Waitin' Round to Die" - 'Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt'

The Jesus Chronicles Cont'd

Chapter 3: Jesus, He could've baked the most delicious cake in the world

So as we come into the final chapter of the Jesus Chronicles, we get to explore the other side of Jesus music (in talk, not in the mix). While Jesus has inspired a lot of great music, unfortunately today we have been saturated with massive amounts of crap trying to pass itself off as music.  We have seen Jesus be adopted by the right wing as a mascot for injustice, and we have seen the evolution of Christian rock and metal. “Jesus was a good guy, and he didn’t need this shit” was said very nicely by Mr. John Prine. Jesus definitely represented a much more leftist figure. “When did Jesus become a Republican” by Cindy Lee Berryhill and “Jesus was a Communist” by Reagan Youth are two songs that take much different musical approaches, and captured the idea of Jesus being misrepresented very well. I think I remember him once saying, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

This shift in image has lead us to having a lot of “Christian” music stars that aren’t very Christian like. Tolerance, being accepting, empathy for others, and working for a greater good rather than solely individual prosperity has been lost on a lot (but not all) of these folks. It has also crept it’s way into sports, and pretty much most dominating public figure-type profession. I think a lot of them take on a Joel Osteen prosperity gospel style of Christian, were the wealth is god’s reward for pious Christians. And maybe that it is true, but not Jesus’s god. So that is what has me confused.

 Secular music itself definitely embraces a christian image for a lot of artists. You see so many times people thanking God or Jesus at award shows, or stating how they wouldn’t be able to do what they are doing without the blessing of Jesus. I am glad they have faith and it helps them out (I just hope their personal lives reflect their beliefs as well), the main thing that upsets me though is people discounting the work they have done. People would tell me when something great happens that I should thank god about what had happened, and I would think, “so all the effort that I put into this doesn’t mean anything”. People work to achieve talents, foster abilities, and improve themselves and that is due to personal perseverance and the credit needs to go to the individuals involved. Maybe it is their faith in god or Jesus that inspires them, and that is ok to state, but don’t give credit to god when you have put in all the work. Anyways, these groups aren’t always singing outright Christian tunes either, so lets look at Christian rock.

 

When I think about Christian rock I kind of want to vomit. I think of those cheesy concerts that you see on infomercials that advertise the latest in the movement. I can’t judge too much, I have been involved in music movements in a hardcore fashion and get stoked on whats going on. I just can’t get behind the cheesiness, and maybe that is because I am missing that key element of Faith. Either way, most Christian rock musically just really does not do the trick for me. Looking back, you can blame hippies for that creation of Jesus music scene. The 1960’s and 70’s in California had a lot of people playing minimalistic folk and rock music, doing heroin and having lots of free love, and then they decided to be born again and keep playing tunes but about how god is awesome. I am all for some Jesus inspired tunes, but the candy coated sugary Christian musical festival garbage that is being fed to kids at Jesus camps across the Midwest is an utter waste of audio space, and most would be better off taking an electric sander and grinding it in their ears. Anyone remember DC Talk, Jars of Clay, Stryper, P.O.D.,  or OC Supertones? If you do, you are probably trying to forget it. These bands in particular opened to door for an uglier creation: Christian punk and metal.

Christian metal has become popular in the past 10 years or so, and some bands have some alright tunes. I remember in the early 2000’s half of the Houston hardcore punk scene was into the Christian metalcore, and would mosh hard for Jesus. Jesus himself definitely moshed hard, we don’t doubt that, and there is no reason for a bunch of bandanna wearing Zao loving Tooth and Nail fans to flex their machoness in a pit. You had pop punk bands on tooth an nail (slick shoes, mxpx,, ect.) and then too many to list metalcore-tough guy hardcore hybrids (disciple, figure four, zao, living sacrifice, strongarm) and at that time, it seemed like every other band of that style was writing breakdowns for Christ. There was a time I think the main thing that was interesting to see was there were two factions of Christian punk kids. There was the group who were hardcore -punk rock kids, and happened to be Christian, and got behind all sides of the scene. The other half was just a group of Christian kids who just showed up for bands on Christian labels and got aggro, and then never stuck around for others. Fortunately that has been dying out, and the kids just in the scene to mosh for Christ have jumped onto whatever the next Jesus train is.The other aspect was the straight edge for Christ bit. Jesus fuckin drank wine and does not give a shit if you are edge. If you are straight edge, you should be because that it is important to you to take care of your body and it's not someone else making a decision for you. Fortunately Christianity and Straight Edge have distance themselves again, at least from what I have noticed.

It was really interesting for me to look at that and see how easily I can laugh off Christian metal, and then fully accept a gospel album by country and western artists or praise songs by old blues men. If you have ever seen the South Park Christian music episode, then that kind of sums up my feelings. You have this group of dudes who want to show that they are just as cool, hip and extreme as their counterparts, but they also love God and Jesus. It’s not that you can’t be extreme, and part of the counterculture and love Jesus, but bringing Jesus and God into the counterculture just does not work. 

People can then argue that straight edge, vegetarianism, hare Krishna, PC-ness are all things that have invaded the scene and should not be allowed as well. The main thing that I have to say to that is those are the countercultures of our day, and definitely have more of a place than Christianity.  As stated earlier, Jesus was the counterculture for his time, but due to what it has come to represent in our modern culture, he is no longer applicable to certain underground segments. You could argue that it’s time to take back the image of Jesus, and I just don’t have too much investment on that side. Once again, this all just my opinion too, and I am kind of a jaded aging man. Anyways, that’s the end, enjoy the final mix and decide for yourself whether or not Jesus was good or bad for our musical history.

Download link: SFMTC Vol 2c - Jesus Could've Baked the Most Delicious Cake in the World

SFMTC Vol. 2c – Jesus, He Could've Baked the Most Delicious Cake in the World

    01.   The Supersuckers – “Sweet n Sour Jesus” – ‘The Smoke of Hell’

    02.   Ramases – “Jesus Come Back” – ‘Space Hymns’

    03.   Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper – “Jesus at McDonalds” – ‘Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper’

    04.   Ben Harper & the Blind Boys of Alabama – “Picture of Jesus” – ‘There Will be a Light’

    05.   The Locust – “Anything Jesus Does I Can Do Better” – ‘Plague Soundscapes’

    06.   The Charlatans – “Jesus Hairdo” – ‘Melting Pot’

    07.    JD Crowe & the New South – “I Shall Be at Home with Jesus” – ‘The Model Church’

    08.    Blood for Blood - "My Jesus Mercy" - 'Serenity'

    09. Merle Haggard & Bonnie Owens – “Wait a Little Longer Please, Jesus” – ‘Just Between the Two of Us’

    10.   Roberta Flack – “I Told Jesus” – ‘First Take’

    11.   Swan’s Silvertone Singers – “Jesus is God’s Atomic Bomb” – ‘Atomic Platters’

    12.   The Birthday Party – “Big Jesus Trash Can” – ‘Junkyard’

    13.   Funeral Mist – “Jesus Saves” – ‘Maranatha’

    14.   The Bates Family – “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” – ‘ Kentucky Roots’

    15.   My Revenge – “Jesus was Black” – ‘Less Plot, More Blood’

    16.   Guster – “Jesus on the Radio” – ‘Keep it Together’

    17.   Impossible Shapes – “Jesus and Squares” – ‘Laughter Fills Our Hollow Dome’

    18.   The Gourds – “Jesus Christ (With Signs Following) – ‘Bolsa de Agua’

    19.   Jeff Tweedy – “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling” – ‘Chelsea Walls’

    20.   Alisson Krauss & Union Station – “Jesus Help Me to Stand” – ‘Every Time you Say Goodbye’

    21.   XfilesX – “Real Edgemen Hate Jesus” – ‘7 inch’

    22.   Big Joe Williams – “Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed” – ‘Big Joe Williams’

    23.   Ben Folds – “Jesusland” – ‘Songs for Silverman’

    24.   Marshall Tucker Band – “Jesus Never Had a Motorcycle” – ‘The Next Adventure’

    25.   B.J. Thomas – “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” – ‘Peace in the Valley”

The Jesus Chronicles Cont'd

CHAPTER 2: Jesus Made Wine, and So Do I!

The question posed in the last post was whether or not Jesus would be into the music that he has inspired over the years since his existence. The difficult part of looking at this is Jesus has inspired so much. As we talked about, he has those who love and revere him, those who look at him and his creation with spite, those who take a more satirical approach to his existence, and even those who don’t think his existed at all. You look at his musical resume and he has quite the repertoire of genres under his belt. So pretty much what I am saying is that Jesus is everywhere man, everywhere in musical history.  For him to like it all equally may be a stretch, but I imagine that Jesus can find an appreciation in all the styles and approaches that are taken to carry on his name.

Starting in the early part of last century, we saw early blues and  jazz  from the southern United States and old-timey gospel tunes from the back country of Appalachia being sung about Jesus.  Of course we do have the previous 1800 years or so and the roots of these initial American styles as well, but we will just look at our more modern history. I definitely think that Jesus would have been appreciated of these early styles and the songs sung in his name.

The Blues in particular is an interesting genre to look at. It has an interesting balance of Jesus and Devil imagery early on. You see many praise songs for Jesus, and inspirational themed ballads sung to motivate the downtrodden. These songs can find their origins in old slave spirituals, African American folk tunes, work songs, and the hymns found throughout the gospels, as well as Scottish and Irish traditional music. This is counterbalanced quite well through the blues mythology and legends of deals with Devil, selling ones soul for guitar prowess, and sweet duels. I can imagine Jesus kickin’ back on a porch pulling out an old dusty 45 of some Blind Willie Johnson album and soaking in that early 20^th century Texas slide guitar style while rockin’ back and forth in his chair. Even more so I can picture Jesus strolling down a lonesome Mississippi back road with guitar case in hand and the devil appears at the crossroads to make him an offer. They are swept into a seedy satanic blues club where Jesus proceeds to do some massive guitar shredding. Pretty much I imagine Ralph Macchio in Crossroads being substituted for Jesus, and he gets to battle Steve Vai playing a pretentious Douche, so just himself.

Just as much as hanging out in rural Mississippi, I can also see Jesus out in the backwoods of Kentucky sitting in a rocking chair playing a jug with 12 other country hillbillies jamming out on their respective instrument and recording their folk tunes with Alan Lomax or Cecil Sharp as one of them tours the US recording the undocumented music  history of our country. The Old-time, Appalachia, early folk music of country has its roots in the British Isles style, with some African touch as well. The influence of Gospel, Religious Music, and Race Recording can be found this style as it grew and was adapted by newer artists over the years.  It would be these tunes that go on to inspire Porter Wagoner, George Jones, and Hank Williams sing their country ballads praising their Lord Jesus Christ.  Country and Western, Texas Swing, Appalachia, Old Time, Folk, and modern Country all have their roots in Jesus’s musical repertoire.

This music is the roots to what we listen to today, it  is what has helped us develop rock n’ roll, Nashville country, metal, punk rock, prog rock, indie, Britpop, ect .I think what makes Jesus one of the biggest influences is musical history is he not only inspired praise songs, but also inspired many artists who revile him, artists who think Christ imagery is funny and those just indifferent. Jesus is not just captured in the gospel ballads of the early 20^th century, or the folk tunes of mountain people, but in the death metal of Florida, hardcore punk of NYC, neo-psychedelia of Spacemen 3, and in some goofy country by Mr. Nixon. As music progressed from the 1920’s all the way through the 2000’s, we have seen so many new genres and styles, and throughout all of those you can probably find an artist who references back to the gospel music and folk tunes of Jesus.

As the 1980’s and 90’s came songs about Jesus definitely started to take a different approach, and I think he would have found a lot of humor in it. There are definitely a few scenes that I bet we could’ve found Jesus floating around in. There is not much Jesus praise in the crust punk, PC-emo, abc rio, ebullition scene of the late 80’s and 90’s, and yet I can imagine Jesus fitting right in with that crowd if he dropped the religious aspect of his teaching. “Neo-Hippie” punk rockers seems right up Jesus’ allies of people he’d be looking after. Jesus, as a historical figure head, is pretty punk rock. He was a rebel for his time, and in fact he was the counterculture in battle with the Pharisees, Romans and other Jewish leaders at the time. Jesus did things DIY,

, traveled across the land, getting dirty and smelly. Jesus was fighting one of the biggest corporations for his time, and did not back down even in the face of the law. You would probably find him today sporting a Capitalist Casualities shirt, a sleeveless denim jacket with a Heresy back patch while rolling up some drum tobacco with his mixed-breed pit tied to his side with a rope and bandana around its neck.

Jesus is found in the post-punk madness of Big Black. Jesus is found in the southern hard rock of Nashville Pussy. Jesus is found in the brutal death metal of Deicide. He is found in much much more, but I have to say Mojo Nixon is my favorite modern Jesus balladeer by far. “Are You Drinkin' with me Jesus” is my favorite alternative reality Jesus songs. I could definitely imagine going into a bar and seeing Jesus hanging out and buying a couple of rounds. Before you know it, I bet we would be best friends and telling random stories of our travels. We would shoot the shit for a while, and then stumble out to see what trouble we would get into and eventually have to run from the cops. Thank you Jesus for the good times, and the massive amounts of good music. 

While there are a great amount of great songs inspired by Jesus, I feel regretful to mention there is a bad side too: Jesus has influenced just as much of an amount of crap as well. I could start going on a rant right now, but I will let that wait for Chapter 3, where you will also find a final Jesus mix. Enjoy!

Download Link : SFMTC Vol 2b - Jesus Made Wine and So Do I

SFMTC Vol. 2b – Jesus Made Wine, and So Do I. Tracklist

    01.       Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon – “Are You Drinkin with Me Jesus?” – ‘ Prarie Home Invasion’

    02.       Deicide – “Death to Jesus” – ‘The Stench of Redemption’

    03.       Humble Pie – “Groovin with Jesus” – ‘Thunderbox’

    04.       John Prine – “Jesus the Missing Years” – ‘The Missing Years’

    05.       Skip James – “Jesus is a Mighty Good Leader” – ‘The Complete Early Recordings’

    06.       Brian Jonestown Massacre – “Jesus” – ‘Their Satanic Majesties Second Request’

    07.       Capitalist Casualities – “Jesus’ Whore” – ‘Capitalist Casualties’

    08.       Queen – “Jesus” – ‘Queen’

    09.      The Flaming Lips – “Shine on Sweet Jesus” – ‘In a Priest Driven Ambulance’

    10.   Billy Joe Shaver – “Jesus Christ, What a Man” – ‘Old Five and Dimers Like Me’

    11.   Wilco – “Jesus, Ect.” – ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’

    12.   Cake – “Jesus Wrote a Blank Check” – ‘Motorcade of Generosity’

    13.   Rest in Pieces – “Jesus” – ‘Rest in Pieces’

    14.   Violent Femmes – “Jesus Walking on the Water” – ‘Hallowed Ground’

    15.   Bruce Springsteen – “Jesus was an only Son” – ‘Devils and Dust’

    16.   Orange Goblin – “Jesus Beater” – ‘Coup de Grace’

    17.   Primal Scream – “Jesus cant Save Me” – ‘Primal Scream’

    18.   Agoraphobic Nosebleed – “Fuck your Soccer Jesus” – ‘ Altered States of America’

    19.   The Flying Burrito Brothers – “Jesus Broke the Wild Horses” – ‘Airborne’

    20.   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – “Jesus Met the Woman at the Well” – ‘Kicking Against the Pricks’

    21.   King Missile – “Jesus was Way Cool” – ‘Mystic Shit’

    22.   George Jones – “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” – ‘The Gospel Collection’

    23.   Witches Hammer – “Alien Jesus” – ‘Stretching into Infinity’

    24.   Stonewall Jackson – “Jesus Took the Outlaw Out of Me” – ‘Bad Ass’

    25.   Bad Religion – “American Jesus” – ‘Recipe for Hat e’

The Jesus Chronicles

(Live By the Sword...)

      CHAPTER 1: Jumpin' Jesus on a Pogo Stick!

      Jesus H. Christ! Love him, hate him? Believer, non- Believer? That is not what this post is about. This post is about musical influence that Jesus has had over the past 2011 years. It makes sense that possibly the most influential person on our modern society would have crept into the arts over the past couple of millennium and make his presence known. He has affected the lives of billions of individuals through his teachings, whether for the good or for the bad, and that in turn has helped to produce some of the greatest songs in music history.

Now I am not saying I am a believer in Jesus’s powers and what not, and that is why I feel it is important to do this list.  Whether you love Jesus or hate him, he has impacted your life. Whether you think he is real or fake, you are still forced to think about him in some context or debate with someone about what their idea of Jesus is. That’s right, no matter whether you are a Christian or not, you have thought about Jesus probably at some point over your life.

(Die By the Sword...)

What is it that made Jesus have such a huge impact over all these years, and what is it that has kept him relevant? At first glance what we see is peace loving hair bearded scraggly lookin' dude who loves performing tricks, practicing home medicine and healing, doing spoken word, and having some good friends to party with. You look a little bit further, and you see a humanitarian, socialist, and advocate for anyone who needed help, and everyone loves to see someone looking out for the little guys. The appeal of Jesus to me is that he is just a laid back bro who is just looking to inspire others to have some good times and not get caught up in hate, competition, comparisons, and so forth. He knew how to relax and enjoy the small things in life,and also took care of shit when it needed to happen. I can dig that and also how he is looking out for all his lil’ bros out there. So what I am saying is this ideas of Jesus and what he represents is definitely not a bad thing at all, and that it is not his fault that his image was co opted by those in control to help keep the lower-class down rather than helping them to elevate. 

(Metal as Fuck)

On an important note, Jesus was also metal as fuck. The dude wore a crown of thornz, and hung from a cross by nails out in the desert heat for days. He endorsed others eating his body and drinking his blood. Pretty much everything about the stages of the cross and Easter are metal. Jesus carried his cross down a path called Via  Dolorosa ( Latin for "Way of Suffering"), definitely metal. 3 hour eclipse, earthquakes, building destruction, and resurrection of dead saints all while on the cross, hard as nails metal. There is also no debating that rising from the dead is probably one of the most metal things you can do. Now whether it's true or not doesn't matter because the idea of Zombie Jesus spreading the gospel through some infectious bites is a pretty sweet idea. Pretty much the whole atmosphere surrounding this chapter of Jesus is perfect to setting to play doom metal in. I can just imagine huge fuzzed out, deathly slow pounding riffs being blasted through some Orange halfstacks being saturated with massive amounts of feedback between strums, and heavy symbols and ringing combined with a crushing amount of tom hits, and ear bursting loudness coming from the bass, and each time Jesus takes a heart-wrenching step with his cross, the note blasts out in perfect rhythm with his pace helping to exemplify the pain, agony and intensity of the struggle he is currently going through.  You can feel each step feeling like it weighs 300 lbs, and reverberating pain that penetrates the body.This would be followed by a droned out Sun O))) meets psychedelic Neurosis inspired tune while hanging on the cross. If this doesn't convince you of Jesus metal credibility maybe clips from this comic will help out. Jesus fighting Nazis? 

Another fact about Jesus, dude knew how to party, and knew how to bring the good times. Who else do you know that provided some free food for thousands listening to his spoken word tour, who else shows up to a wedding and brews some fuckin' wine tastier than anything else. It’s Jesus H. Christ, and the H is not for hardcore, but for hugs. Whether the dude was spiritual, or practiced some wicked primitive medicine, I know that Jesus helped out those in need. He was looking out for the prostitutes, thieves, hobos, and just everyone who has had a bad hand dealt their way.  He would just go around healing people, curing the diseased, and playing the role of public defender for women about to get stoned by angry mobs. “Jesus was way Cool” by King Missile is a great description of how I feel towards Jesus. It is a song that tells his sweet story, and highlights the cool things he probably would’ve continued to do had he not died. It was for these reasons that Jesus is so well remembered, he inspires hope for those looking to him for guidance. He inspires disgust to those looking at what arose out of his teachings in the form of modern religion. He inspires the imagination in what-if scenarios of different settings, stories and opinions that would happen in an alternative Jesus dimension. It brings up the question for me if Jesus approves of how he is being portrayed in the music that brings his name.That answer shall be discussed in Chapter 2 with another Jesus endorsed mixtape!

Download Link: SFMTC Vol 2a - Jumpin' Jesus on a Pogo Stick!   

SFMTC Vol. 2a – Jumpin' Jesus on a Pogo Stick! Track List

1.   01. The Velvet Underground – “Jesus” – ‘The Velvet Underground’

2.   02. Dir En Grey – “Jesus Christ R’n’R” – Wither to Death

3.   03. Cindy Lee Berryhill – “When Did Jesus Become a Republican” – ‘Beloved Stranger’

4.   04. Pilgrim Travelers – “Jesus Hits Like an Atomic Bomb” – Unknown

5.   05. Captains America – “Jesus Christ was the First Emoboy and Pornostar” – ‘Friends in Need’

6.   06. Nirvana – “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” – ‘MTV Unplugged in New York’

7.   07. Porter Wagoner & Blackwood Bros. – “If Jesus Came to Your House” – ‘In Gospel Country’

8.   08. Tom Waits – “Jesus Gonna Be Here” – ‘Beautiful Maladies’

9.   09. Reagan Youth – “Jesus was a Communist” – ‘A Collection of Pop Classics’

    10.   Frank Verrill – “Jesus at Thy Command” – ‘My Ship Shall Sail the Ocean’

    11.   ZZ Top – “Jesus Just Left Chicago” – ‘Tres Hombres’

    12.   Minutemen – “Jesus and Tequila” – ‘Double Nickels on the Dime’

    13.   Ry Cooder – “Jesus on the Mainline” – ‘Paradise and Lunch’

    14.   Nashville Pussy – “Lazy Jesus” – ‘From Hell to Texas’

    15.   Ajudanti Di Papa Noel – “Rezarei Todas As Noites Ate Que Jesus…” – ‘unknown’

    16.   Johnny Cash – “Personal Jesus” – ‘American IV’

    17.   Kurt Vile – “Jesus Fever” – ‘Smoke Ring for my Halo’

    18.   Doobie Brothers – “Jesus is Just Alright” – ‘Greatest Hits’

    19.   Andrew Jackson Jihad – “Be Afraid of Jesus” – ‘Candy Cigarettes and Cap Guns’

    20.   Rudimentary Peni – “Army of Jesus” – ‘Death Church’

    21.   Spacemen 3 – “Walking with Jesus” – ‘The Perfect Prescriptions’

    22.   Blind Willie Johnson – “Jesus is Coming Soon” – ‘The Complete Blind Willie Johnson Collection’

    23.   Hank Williams Sr. – “Jesus Remembered Me” – ‘I Saw the Light’

    24.   Slayer – “Jesus Saves” – ‘Reign in Blood’

    25.   Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon – “Plastic Jesus” – ‘Prairie Home Invasion