May 15, 2020
I finally got around to getting tested for COVID-19 antibodies. My wife is convinced that’s what I had back on April 5 when I think I came down with the flu. I guess we’ll know in a week or so. As I was driving home in a downpour, I got to thinking how blessed I am. It’s spring, and the trees are starting to bud, the air was warm and fragrant with the earthy scent that comes with a spring rain, I live where the virus has affected very few people, am surrounded by good friends and family, am feeling well, and have a medical system that allows me to be tested.
It all made me think again of how very grateful I am for the blessings I have. I pity the unbeliever who is thankful, but doesn’t have anyone to be thankful to. It made me think of a song by Steve Martin, of SNL fame. He is an accomplished banjo player, leading a bluegrass group known as the Steep Canyon Rangers. Awhile back he wrote a song entitled “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs,” a satirical lament over the plight of the unbeliever in not having songs of hope to carry them through tough times.
Christians have their hymns and pages (hymns and pages)
Hava Nagila's for the Jews. (for the jews)
Baptists have the rock of ages (rock of ages)
Atheists just sing the blues
(Romantics play) Romantics play Claire de Lune.
(Claire de Lune)
Born agains sing He is risen.
But no one ever wrote a tune (Wrote a tune)
For godless existentialism.
For atheists, there's no good news,
They'll never sing,
A song of faith.
In their songs, they have a rule,
The "he" is always lowercase. The "he" is always lowercase.
(Some folks sing) Some folks sing a Bach cantata.
(Bach cantata)
Lutherans get Christmas trees.
Atheist songs add up to nada.(Up to nada)
But they do have Sundays free.
(Have Sundays free)
(Pentecostals sing) Pentecostals sing, sing to heaven,
(Sing to heaven)
Gothics had the books of scrolls,
(Numerologists count) Numerologists count, count to seven,
(Count to seven)
Atheists have rock and roll.
For atheists, there's no good news,
They'll never sing,
A song of faith.
In their songs, they have a rule,
The "he" is always lowercase. The "he" is always lowercase.
Atheists
... Atheists
... Atheists Don't Have No songs!
Christians have their hymns and pages (hymns and pages)
Hava Nagila's for the Jews. (for the jews)
Baptists have the rock of ages (rock of ages)
Atheists just sing the blues
Catholics, dress up for mass,
And listen to Gregorian chants.
Atheists, they take a pass,
Watch football in their underpants.
Atheists
... Atheists
... Atheists Don't Have No songs!
(DON’T HAVE NO SONGS)
Songwriters: Sharp Graham Paul / Martin Stephen Glenn / Platt Alfred Francis
Atheists Don't Have No Songs lyrics © L A Films Music, Enchanted Barn Pub, French Broad Music
I can’t speak to Steve Martin’s faith (or lack thereof), but he has hit upon some truth here. The hymnody of Christianity is without peer. No other religion (and especially secular humanism) comes even close to the breadth and depth of music that has as its wellsprings Christian faith. As I drove home this afternoon, I was grateful to have a wealth of lyric and melody with which to express my gratitude, and am equally thankful to have the same in time of lament. Someone once said that a faith that doesn’t inspire one to sing isn’t much of a faith at all. I have to agree. One doesn’t have to be musical to have a song in the heart. After all, the Scripture tells us to make a “joyful noise” unto the Lord. To him, it always sounds beautiful (Psalm 95:1, 95:2, 98:4 & 6, 100:1).
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