I'm a big music fan. I'm not going to listen to music just because it happens to have an anti-religious theme. But, one of my favourite bands Alabama 3 have all bases covered. Alabama 3's musical style is best described as acid-country-gospel-techno and their subject matter is political with a liberal dash of satire targeting organised religion and drug culture.
The band have their own church - the First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine (UK). Band member The Rev D. Wayne Love is a minister of the church and preaches, among other things, "D.Wayne Love represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit!". Well Amen to that.
Alabama 3 are best known for Woke up this Morning, the title track to the Sopranos, but if that's all you've heard then your seriously missing out (provided you like acid-country-gospel-techno and I can't see who wouldn't). The title of this post is a line from The Mansion on the Hill and appears on some of the Alabama 3 merchandise. Here are a few more irreverent examples:
- I got two heads
I'm gonna bang my heads together
I got one leg
I'm gonna hop to heaven's door
I got three eyes
I'm gonna pluck one out for Jesus
And I ain't gonna have no troubles anymore - Two Heads - (Sung in the style an an American envangelical preacher)
Step Three: Make a searching inventory of all your good shit
Step Four: Inventory taken,you hand all that good shit over to me
Step Five: Having divined I am the real thing you get down on your knees
Step Six: ....and humbly ask me to remove your underthings - Hypo Full of Love
- My two little cousins got shot selling rock
Outside the old school gates
CHORUS
I don't mind cos I live in the light
I live in the light of the Lord - Cocaine Killed my Community
A few Alabama 3 facts:
- In the US the band are known as A3 (to avoid getting sued by a redneck band called Alabama).
- The band are actually British.
- They are one of the best live bands I've ever heard. Closest I'll get to a religious experience ;-).
The band have
just released a DVD - Hear The Train A Comin:
