Is this an atheist anthem?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

Last edited Fri Sep 20, 2013, 07:30 PM - Edit history (1)

More Than This -- Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music

[Arugula Latte]

1. I'm not sure but that song has been a big favorite of mine for three decades!

I've also been wondering if this might be an atheist anthem:

[LostOne4Ever]

7. Wow

I like that one!

Gonna have to look up that group.

[Arugula Latte]

9. They are a New York band with world beat influences.

A couple of their more famous songs are "A-Punk" and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa." They mention Peter Gabriel in the latter, and Peter turned around and recorded a cover of it, but he changed the words to "It feels so unnatural to sing your own name."

Vampire Weekend version:

Peter Gabriel version:

[progressoid]

12. I rather like the Peter Gabriel cover.

Hadn't heard that before. Thanks.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. I love that song, but that's not how I would categorize it. It is deep, though.

When i think "Atheist anthem" I think this:

[opiate69]

3. Ah.. classic.. here's what I think though, when I think atheist anthem..

http://m.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. I honestly cannot figure out what he's saying.

[progressoid]

11. Here ya go...

I could feel at the time
There was no way of knowing
Fallen leaves in the night
Who can say where they´re blowing
As free as the wind
And hopefully learning
Why the sea on the tide
Has no way of turning

More than this, there is nothing
More than this, tell me one thing
More than this, there is nothing

It was fun for a while
There was no way of knowing
Like dream in the night
Who can say where we´re going
No care in the world
Maybe I'm learning
Why the sea on the tide
Has no way of turning

More than this, there is nothing
More than this, tell me one thing
More than this, there is nothing

[PassingFair]

5. Funny...I have posed that question here in the past!

It sounds like MY idea of atheism!

[LostOne4Ever]

6. The band Bad Religion is the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of Atheist Anthems

Almost every other song of theirs would work. I guess If I had to choose only one it would be "Sorrow" but "Faith Alone" and "The Answer" would both be up there.

Sorrow

faith alone

The Answer

[Ron Obvious]

8. I thought it was going to be this one

[Arugula Latte]

10. Here is more discussion on the possible meanings of "More Than This"

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/121985/

[progressoid]

13. Following that theme, here's a couple Death Cab for Cutie songs too...

Unobstructed Views

There's no eye in the sky
Just our love
No unobstructed view
No perfect truths
Just our love
Just our love
And there's no verse
No monument of words
For our love
For they can't hold
All I know
About my love, about my love

Storm clouds break
Pools remain memories for
Earth and rain
Evaporate to up above
They become
New love
New love

There's no eye in the sky
Just our love, just our love
No unobstructed views
No perfect truths
Just our love, just our love

St Peter's Cathedral

St Peter's cathedral
Built of granite
Ever fearful of the answer
When the candle in the tunnel
Is flickering and sputters
And fading faster
It's only then that you will know
What lies above or down below
Or if these fictions only prove
How much you've really got to lose

At st Peter's cathedral
There is stained glass
There's a steeple that is reaching
Up towards the heavens
Such ambition never failing to amaze me
It's either quite a master plan
Or just chemicals that help us understand
That when our hearts stop ticking
This is the end
And there's nothing past this

There's nothing past this
There's nothing past this
There's nothing past this
There's nothing past this

[Arugula Latte]

14. Just heard this song for the first time -- "Modern Jesus" by Portugal.The Man

Love the lyrics:

Come on in
Take a seat next to me
You know we got
We got what you need
We may be liars preaching to choirs
But we can
We can sell your dreams

You don't need sympathy
They got a pill for everything
Just take that dark cloud
Ring it out to wash it down, but

Don't pray for us
We don't need no modern Jesus
To roll with us
The only rule we need is never
Giving up
The only faith we have is faith in us

We're the ones who start little fires
Yet they burn out
But when they're on the rise
They can't help but shine

And when the wave approaches
Take our ashes to the ocean
Who cares if hell awaits?
We're having drinks at heaven's gate

Don't pray for us
We don't need no modern Jesus
To roll with us
The only rule we need is never
Giving up
The only faith we have is faith in us

We know that we're helpless
At least we always assume
But we don't need to prove nothing to you
Let's keep the cool
You don't need to feel blue
Cause we won't sell you nothing
You can't use

Don't pray for us
We don't need no modern Jesus
To roll with us
The only rule we need is never
Giving up
The only faith we have is faith in us

[RebelOne]

15. Love that song and that group. Never heard of them before. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

17. They are based in my town, Portland, Ore.

I don't know that many of their songs, but I like what I've heard. Some of their better-known songs include "People Say" (anti-war) and "Got It All."

[onager]

16. Some other likely suspects...

"American Jesus" by Bad Religion (AFAIK, everybody in that band is an atheist)

"God's Song" by Randy Newman

"Religious Vomit" by Dead Kennedys" (song and album)

Wild card: "Take Me To Forest Lawn (When I'm Gone)" by Tom Paxton. Not atheistic per se, but I love this line:
I'll be lying 'neath the sand, with piped-in tapes of Billy Graham...

[alarimer]

18. God Isn't Real by Robbie Fulks

That pretty much sums it up for me.

Or, for the holidays, White Wine in the Sun, by Tim Minchin