Religious Music on Kids' Radio
I got an e-mail over the weekend from a local listener concerned about our playing the Dan Zanes & Friends song "Jesus on the Mainline" and the Sacred Shakers' "Taggin' Along With Jesus." The writer's main concern was a sense that we were proselytizing rather than just entertaining. My response is below:
One of the things I try to do in programming the show is to play songs from many different traditions (defined broadly), and also to show connections between different eras and styles of music. We've included songs from a variety of faith traditions over the years, though I'll admit there is a lot more out there in the marketplace from the Christian perspective than others. And, of course, we include a lot of traditional music that's not from a faith perspective at all but that comes from deep traditions of all sorts. I enjoy playing my kids music from lots of traditions and talking about lots of different faiths (and about those who don't believe) and, over the years, have tried to maintain that kind of diversity on the radio show.
The Dan Zanes song (as I think I noted on the show) is from a new CD benefiting the Sanctuary Movement, which, as you probably know, is a coalition of religious leaders from various faith groups helping immigrants in the United States. Zanes is a major voice in kids' music and I like the CD, not just for its music (though I do like that too, especially the Hammond organ), but for showing a connection between music and social justice work, even at the kids' music level. It includes mostly Christian-themed songs, though not exclusively.
I transitioned into the latter Sacred Shakers song as a way to musically tie it into a modern "adult" performer who's doing some similar music (and it's an artist that we play on the station regularly, which I like doing too). I can see in retrospect that having the songs both next to each other (even with an ad break between) was probably a little heavy, thematically, but it was in an attempt to make that connection. In that same show, I did a similar transition from the Gustafer Yellowgold song into Peaches & Herb, in that I think the kids' artist Gustafer has a lot of the energy of '70s disco.
So, I doubt this will convince you that it was a good idea. But I hope you understand that I do not play gospel-themed music (or music from any religious tradition) as an attempt to proselytize but as a way to include music from a major source of music in the U.S. I do think hard about how I program the show and appreciate the feedback. I hope you'll listen again.
Thoughts? Should we steer clear of any religious-themed music?
Permanent link • Posted at 8:35 AM
9 comment(s)
9 Comment(s):
The Dan Zanes song raised an eyebrow on me too, but I blew it off as just being really good music. There are too many styles of music that include religion that leaving them out would water down the show.
What about pushing political views by playing songs about personal freedom like "This Land is Your Land?"
You add the christian music (you need more gospel-ish stuff like Sonia Dada) people will complain. You leave it out people will complain. Keep doing the show your way, it's great as it is.
And hey, it's not like you were playing VeggieTales.
Your answer was well-thought out. I can't say anything to improve it, so please just continue to do the great job you do.
If it's GOOD music, performed skillfully, play it.
Kids deserve to hear EVERYTHING. Just like adults. They don't need to be "protected," especially from music. Play some of that awesome Jewish music. Very danceable. Very fun. (Every hear "Daenu" at Passover? DARE you to not sing along.)
Try some of that way-cool Indian prayer music. With a short explanatory preface, kids are willing to soak up ANY new experience. It's GOOD for them. It's learning and growing.
African cultures have LONG had a history of using music to communicate. In my concerts, we sing together the last coded song from the Underground Railroad, "Follow the Drinking Gourd." Try something like that, too. (It contains secret directions northward, disguised as a hymn - I'm about to record it along with some neighborhood kids.)
It's a tricky balancing act, though - complaining adults are the ones who cough up the dough to buy the CDs, even though the kids are thrilled to hear the world music.
-elizabeth williams bushey
inkless tunes
www.inklesstunes.com
(have a listen; you'll like what you hear: mp3s available to enjoy and to download.)
Bill, your listener isn't the only one; I've seen at least one negative feedback on the album at Amazon for the concern that Zanes shouldn't be playing religious music. (I'm quoting from memory here, so I don't have the exact parameters correct, though the general tone is.)
I don't have an answer regarding your show, but I'd also point out that Zanes' family music has always had an inclusive vibe and his new album is no different in that regard.
(And there's even some amusing VeggieTales stuff out there, but you're way more closely skirting the religious line there.)
Funny that religion/politics enter into this forum. But ultimately, the argument against it is just silly, since so much music emanates from a religious tradition.
But if you want to show how music is making a difference in the lives of young people and having a quasi-political influence, check out Daniel Barenboim's excellent work with the West-Eastern Divan orchestra, which takes kids from all over the Middle East, trains them in orchestral composition and does international concerts:
http://west-easterndivan.artists.warner.de/
As for DZ being inclusive, man, you should have seen the Holiday House party -- I can't even count the number of cultures/religions included.
Counting myself as a secular humanist, I want my kids to be exposed to it all - music from all cultures, religions, times. Anything that you (or DZ) does to help that is A-OK by me. If I've done my job as a parent well, they won't be swayed by advertising (even if inadvertent), be it for toys, shampoos or religions.
Dean Koontz may not be the world's greatest writer, but he DID have some of the world's greatest advice for would-be writers, worried about being influenced too much by what they read: he told them to read EVERYTHING. In this way, they would absorb what they, as individuals, needed to absorb, and would then express their OWN voice.
In the same way, the more variety of musical styles, cultures, etc. that we expose our children to, the better off they are. You wouldn't only want them to learn American history, would you, never Greek or Roman history? Or only geometry, not algebra or calculus? Don't we want them to at least try to learn another language in school?
I've had the privilege in my life of meeting a few really, really brilliant people. They have one thing in common: they're really humble, because they've learned that the more they learn, the more they know there IS to learn.
If my kids get that sense of things early on, they'll never want to stop learning and exploring throughout their life.
Wouldn't that be cool?
-elizabeth williams bushey
www.inklesstunes.com
very, very interesting. steer clear? i don't think so:: i think music is the very best avenue for experiencing new & different things. in our experience, this may be one of the only places my kids hear any religious vocabulary at all-- and this always leads to interesting avenues for discussion & thought. i definitely want my kids to feel the loveliness of the gospel genre, for example; and that name:: the sacred shakers? priceless. thanks for the great music bill!!
Hey Bill -
I'm coming into this late, but I gotta represent. Your answer was great, and all the others who have weighed in left really intelligent posts.
Should kids not be allowed to listen to Jesus Christ Superstar? Godspell? Fiddler On The Roof? Aladdin? Christmas carols? Trying to "protect" them from devotional music of any stripe is a mistake, not to mention useless.
Even atheist friends of mine admit that much of the most beautiful, rich art and architecture of the world is devotional in nature, coming from a desire to express a deeper strata of emotion. Objecting to playing a religious song for a kid is like objecting to walking them through Notre Dame, the Pyramids or the Taj Mahal. Or the Louvre.
Dan knows that most of the folks who are out there in the world getting their hands dirty and making a difference are affiliated with a religion of some kind. Are they helping? Yes. Prosyletizing? No. Kudos to him for taking a risk and incurring some criticism (for a change). Same goes for you.
Finally, listening to "Jesus Is Just Alright With Me," as a kid did not make me a born again Christian, just as listening to "Sympathy For The Devil" did not make me a Satanist. Despite what you may have heard.
Play what you want. Westerberg would be proud.
rock on
Uncle Rock
Post a Comment
<< Home