Yeah, I spent lots of my disposable income on Christian rock and pop in the 80’s and the first half of the 90’s, before the music industry had its shake up. That music helped me stay centered on the big picture, I guess you’d say.
Special mention to Jon Gibson, who broke into the industry as a back up singer for Stevie Wonder(sounds like him even). He was a pop genius back then.
Speaking of which Stevie Wonder had many songs with religious themes. Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Heaven Help Us All. Even Superstition, waking people up to the stupidity of superstition.
More recently, Tom Jones did an album called "Praise and Blame", which is jaw droppingly good. Many Christian themes, from an outsider, maybe.
Johnny Cash had several albums with American Recording company before he passed away. You want to get some insomnia, listen to the song "The Man Comes Around", and then think about Covid:
The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip, and in each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup?
Or disappear into the potter’s ground
When the Man comes around
And continuing in the country vein, Martina Mcbride. She’s got one of the best voices in country, and when you hear, "Anyway", you can’t help but believe in a higher power:
This world’s gone crazy, and it’s hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today,
Believe it anyway
Brooks and Dunn also did a great song called, Believe, that is in the vein of christian themes. I’m sure many country artists have some of that in their catalogs.
Edit: Oh, for old school straight up black gospel, might as well go straight to the source, Andrae Crouch. He toured for several years refusing to record anything because he didn't want the music industry to influence his efforts. The first song I ever heard of his was when I was a small kid, and it's stuck with me my whole life, look up Through it All.
Special mention to Jon Gibson, who broke into the industry as a back up singer for Stevie Wonder(sounds like him even). He was a pop genius back then.
Speaking of which Stevie Wonder had many songs with religious themes. Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Heaven Help Us All. Even Superstition, waking people up to the stupidity of superstition.
More recently, Tom Jones did an album called "Praise and Blame", which is jaw droppingly good. Many Christian themes, from an outsider, maybe.
Johnny Cash had several albums with American Recording company before he passed away. You want to get some insomnia, listen to the song "The Man Comes Around", and then think about Covid:
The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip, and in each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup?
Or disappear into the potter’s ground
When the Man comes around
And continuing in the country vein, Martina Mcbride. She’s got one of the best voices in country, and when you hear, "Anyway", you can’t help but believe in a higher power:
This world’s gone crazy, and it’s hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today,
Believe it anyway
Brooks and Dunn also did a great song called, Believe, that is in the vein of christian themes. I’m sure many country artists have some of that in their catalogs.
Edit: Oh, for old school straight up black gospel, might as well go straight to the source, Andrae Crouch. He toured for several years refusing to record anything because he didn't want the music industry to influence his efforts. The first song I ever heard of his was when I was a small kid, and it's stuck with me my whole life, look up Through it All.