The Devil's Music

May 19, 2006 7:44 AM

Ever wondered what the Devil has on his iPod? These people think they have a good idea (my favorite). Though it has long been believed that there is evil lurking somewhere in music, disagreement among half-wit experts causes some tension now and again. PBS sheds some light on the subject.
posted by Pecinpah (34 comments total)

Led Zepplin and Queen? If only todays Satanic youth were still listening to music that good. Maybe they could compare notes with Hilary Clinton and get their pop-culture alarmism up to date.
posted by Artw at 8:10 AM on May 19, 2006

There is NOTHING even remotely Christian about Amy Grant.
posted by smackfu at 8:16 AM on May 19, 2006

I would think the Devil listens to Beethoven regularly, and perhaps some Gwar or Black Sabbath when he's feeling restless.
posted by Vindaloo at 8:24 AM on May 19, 2006

Satan listens to Christian Rock.

It's obvious if you think about it.
posted by slimepuppy at 8:39 AM on May 19, 2006

On actually RTFA, they actually mention that in the 'These people' link.

Satan still loves Creed & Nickelback.
posted by slimepuppy at 8:48 AM on May 19, 2006

Related Devilish music note:
I've tried to backward mask music for evil. I recorded "Satan is lord", reversed it digitally, practiced mimicing it ( a lot) then recorded myself. When i played that backwards I couldn't recognise my secret message at all.
Conclusion: Back masking doesn't work
or
You must have help from satan to make it work.
posted by cccorlew at 8:51 AM on May 19, 2006

The Jesus is Saviour stuff linked 2nd and 3rd is crazy. I was laughing along thinking it was a joke with headings such as "Perverted Teen Idols" with lurid expose's about how evil the Backstreet Boys are (not something I'd dispte but for different reasons given here) but was stopped in my chucklesome tracks with this as an intro to one of their pieces...

"Read the sad testimony about Freddie's reckless life of sodomy, fornication, illegal drugs and materialism. He died in London in his $4,000,000 home in 1991. He carried none of his wealth beyond the grave. He had such a beautiful voice, but used his talents for the devil. How sad! How tragic! Where is Freddie Mercury now? Hell!"

Jaysus- a bit tough on Mercury and his inability to carry his "wealth beyond the grave amongst other things. I'm wagering that the guy that wrote this stuff gets turned on when he sees the I Want to Break Free video. A little bit too strident on the denouncement front.
posted by Gratishades at 9:09 AM on May 19, 2006

What is on the Devil's IPod:
The Dixie Chicks.
Neal Young's latest.
theme song from Sex and the City.
[your contribution here]
posted by nofundy at 9:18 AM on May 19, 2006

2 favorite quotes:

"How sad! How tragic! Where is Freddie Mercury now? Hell!"
all i can hear is the Church Lady from SNL.


"It's Time For Me To Fly (by REO Speedwagon)"
i KNEW it, i knew REO Speedwagon was evil!
posted by ShawnString at 9:31 AM on May 19, 2006

The Michael W. Smith lyrics cited in the second link crack me up.

Yea, life is a 3 ring circus
With clowns and freaks and camels and such
And you never know when you might be attacked by the bears

It's true. You never know. That's why they're on the Threat Down.
posted by jrossi4r at 9:52 AM on May 19, 2006

Wow, those folks are mentally ill. Seriously.
posted by grubi at 9:55 AM on May 19, 2006

Sabbath, satanic? Sure, fine. Led Zeppelin, occult? Mmm, okay. REO Speedwagon, anti marriage? What!?!?
posted by borkus at 10:12 AM on May 19, 2006

No husband or wife should ever file for a divorce! America is a land of extreme pride and selfishness. I, me and mine...me, myself, and I...divorce is the result of pride.

"Anyone can live with Anybody if they can learn to be a Nobody." -Dr. Tom Williams

...Yeah. Thanks. I'll get right on that.
posted by Isabeau Sahen at 10:27 AM on May 19, 2006

You know, this does nothing so much as make rock 'n' roll look really, reeeeally awesome.

Oh, right. That would be because it is.
posted by WidgetAlley at 10:29 AM on May 19, 2006

Who do you believe is right? God or the Backstreet Boys?

Are those my only choices?
posted by aparrish at 10:48 AM on May 19, 2006

Don't forget Paganini, Mussorgsky, Orff...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 11:04 AM on May 19, 2006

Dunno about the Devil, but here's what Loki jams out to:

*Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops Plays the Beatles
*Esquivel: Exploring New Sounds in Mono
*Barney & Friends: I Love to Sing with Barney
*Zez Confrey: Kitten on the Keys
*The Beatles vs. Don Ho (Bootleg)
*Kraftwerk: Autobahn
*Lou Reed: Despite All The Amputations (Bootleg)
*The Langley Schools Music Project: Innocence & Despair
*Babyland: You Suck Crap
*Maurice Ravel: Bolero
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:26 AM on May 19, 2006

I'm reading these bible versus defending the rock = devil music and it really paints the lord into being a total prick.

I can't handle the website too much, but do they actually list music that a good christian can listen to? I imagine it be similar to the music the Hendricksons always have playing in their SUV on Big Love.
posted by birdherder at 11:37 AM on May 19, 2006

No Skinny Puppy? Too Lovecraftian?
posted by Smedleyman at 11:41 AM on May 19, 2006

Don't forget Paganini, Mussorgsky, Orff...

Tippett...
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:43 AM on May 19, 2006

How is this news? We've known for centuries that Hell has all the good music.

(And the Backstreet Boys, too, apparently, but whatever.)
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:06 PM on May 19, 2006

Modern electronic-rock music, inaugurated in the early 1960s, is, and always has been, a joint enterprise of British military intelligence and Satanic cults. On the one side, the Satanists control the major rock groups through drugs, sex, threats of violence, and even murder. On the other side, publicity, tours, and recordings are financed by record companies connected to British military intelligence circles. Both sides are intimately entwined with the biggest business in the world, the international drug trade.

Been sayin' that for years!
posted by brundlefly at 12:25 PM on May 19, 2006

Saddam Hussein with a karaoke machine.

Now that's music for Hell.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 12:27 PM on May 19, 2006

do they actually list music that a good christian can listen to?

Here's a recommended page of Jesus approved music. I'd be willing to wager that this guy has recorded the midi versions onto cd. I have a feeling he's down with barbershop, too.

If I woke up tomorrow in a Kincade painting, this is what I would expect to hear. Or rather be forced to hear -- bathed in the orange glow of afternoon parlour lights.
posted by crumbly at 12:44 PM on May 19, 2006

I thought that Bobby Terrance defeated the Devil, around 1992 or so, through the power of the Holy Trinity of Rock?

/ :-)
posted by C.Batt at 12:47 PM on May 19, 2006

You just gotta have faith+1.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:09 PM on May 19, 2006

What's all the fuss? Rock n roll's dying anyways.

Dave: Let's see if I can't put this into terms you'll understand. Say you had 12 beer.

Bruce: Oh, okay all right!

Dave: All right! Now let's say that four of those beer represent the Pogues, another six represent the Gypsy Kings, and one beer is shared by The Chieftains and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Bruce: Hold it, that only leaves one beer. I'll never get drunk on one beer!

Dave: Exactly Bob. But learn to nurse that beer and before you know it, you'll be loving jazz!

Bruce: Jazz!? Never!!

Dave: Tests don't lie Bob.
posted by Zack_Replica at 1:36 PM on May 19, 2006

What crumbly said. Also, on the page of "music for Christians" that s/he linked to, it's kind of amusing that none of the great masses and requiems show up.

Oh wait, that's because those are Catholic, and Catholics aren't Christian.
posted by Quietgal at 1:41 PM on May 19, 2006

If there’s a rock and roll heaven, I'm sure they’ve got a hell of a band. [Caution: link includes the Righteous Brothers.]
posted by LeLiLo at 1:46 PM on May 19, 2006

I was surprised to learn, via Jesus is Savior, of the lyrics of one Christian rapper about ordering some Starbucks. Maybe it was a metaphor. That site makes me tense. "Must... promote... untenable... values... based on book... with unknown authors..."
posted by evil holiday magic at 4:20 PM on May 19, 2006

Johnny Cash Exposed
'Johnny Cash (along with Amy Grant) in December of 1996 appeared on the Billy Graham Christmas Special. Now surely, there is a tremendous DIFFERENCE between "Christian" Johnny Cash and "Satanic" Danzig, right?'

Now, surely there's a tremendous difference between "Christian" and "Billy Graham", right?

Guilt by association, and all...
posted by Pinback at 6:53 PM on May 19, 2006

Wow.

Ummmm... Wow.

So this means tooling around town singing along to "Closer" at the top of my lungs is out? I'm making the Baby Jeebus cry?
posted by Samizdata at 9:58 PM on May 19, 2006

Eeep ape oop ape Freddy is the Devil.
posted by spiderwire at 10:16 PM on May 19, 2006

Well, he's heard Neko Case, so he's not totally out-of-touch, but the page on Marilyn Manson just gets better and better the longer it goes on (and it's a VERY long page).
posted by BoringPostcards at 11:54 PM on May 19, 2006