"Music That Debases"

by xjw_b12 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • undercover
    undercover

    I remember it well. Not only was the talk scathing, a list got passed around listing all the bands/artists that the Bethelites had to discard during the cleaning out they had.

    I don't know if the speaker initiated the passing of the list or if it was some over-righteous music hater in the mob audience but it was a doozy of a list. One column listed the offending band/artist and a second column listed the offense. Included were not just the "bad" bands of the day like Zeppelin, Sabbath, etc. but the more middle of the road stuff was targeted too. The one I remember standing out the most was James Taylor: he spent time in a mental institution. (OH MY GOD!! THE HORROR!)

    The assembly the week after ours went one better and played a couple of the "backward masking" songs backwards to show the audience the evil influence of the debasing music.

    I can't believe that I actually threw out albums that I owned based on that talk. What an idiot I was. Well, I've more than made up for it since. I got some good shit playing on the stereo these days.

  • the_classicist
    the_classicist

    Wow, nothing like that when I grew up. The big no-nos were concerning what you read or what you saw on TV.

    Anyways, we all know rock attained perfection in 1975.

  • Big Dog
    Big Dog

    Hey Scully,

    Thanks for posting that article. Everytime I read one of those articles my skin literally crawls. I mean the twisted logic, the outrageous conclusions just freak me out. It is always good to have another jolt of WBTS freakiness to keep the edge.

    And from one who lives near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, all I can say is its only rock and roll, but I like it.

  • talesin
    talesin
    Anyways, we all know rock attained perfection in 1975.

    So now we know the real significance of 1975. What a revelation!

    It must have been the messages in the rock'n'roll of '75 that drove me from Jehover's loving guidance.

  • Scully
    Scully

    Hi Quotes Always a pleasure doing business with you.

    I had a look at your music page on the Quotes site and noticed that ALL of the articles were from 1983. It made me wonder what was going on in the music scene in 1982 and 1983 for the WTS to get so freaked out over popular music at the time. So I checked the top 40 lists for '82 and '83 for anything "interesting":

    Top 40 Chart List - 1982

    1. Physical - Olivia Newton-John
    2. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
    3. I Love Rock N' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
    4. Ebony And Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (oh my gosh a song about racial harmony! for shame!!!!!! Don't they realize that only Jehovah's Kingdom can bring that about??? )5. Centerfold - J. Geils Band
    6. Don't You Want Me - Human League
    7. Jack And Diane - John Cougar
    8. Hurts So Good - John Cougar
    9. Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band definitely promoting "spiritism" tsk tsk
    10. Hard To Say I'm Sorry - Chicago
    11. Tainted Love - Soft Cell 12. Chariots Of Fire - Vangelis
    13. Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
    14. Rosanna - Toto
    15. I Can't Go For That - Daryl Hall & John Oates
    16. 867-5309 (Jenny) - Tommy Tutone
    17. Key Largo - Bertie Higgins
    18. You Should Hear How She Talks About You - Melissa Manchester
    19. Waiting For A Girl Like You - Foreigner
    20. Don't Talk To Strangers - Rick Springfield
    21. The Sweetest Thing - Juice Newton
    22. Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
    23. Shake It Up - Cars
    24. Let It Whip - Dazz Band
    25. We Got The Beat - Go-Go's
    26. The Other Woman - Ray Parker Jr. <~~ of "Ghostbusters" fame
    27. Turn Your Love Around - George Benson
    28. Sweet Dreams - Air Supply
    29. Only The Lonely - Motels
    30. Who Can It Be Now? - Men At Work
    31. Hold Me - Fleetwood Mac
    32. Eye In The Sky - Alan Parsons Project
    33. Let's Groove - Earth - Wind & Fire
    34. Open Arms - Journey
    35. Leader Of The Band - Dan Fogelberg
    36. Leather And Lace - Stevie Nicks & Don Henley
    37. Even The Nights Are Better - Air Supply
    38. I've Never Been To Me - Charlene
    39. '65 Love Affair - Paul Davis
    40. Heat Of The Moment - Asia

    Top 40 Chart List - 1983

    1. Every Breath You Take - Police
    2. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
    3. Flashdance... What A Feelin - Irene Cara
    4. Down Under - Men At Work
    5. Beat It - Michael Jackson 6. Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler
    7. Maneater - Daryl Hall & John Oates Obviously a woman who is a Jezebel Influence?
    8. Baby Come To Me - Patti Austin & James Ingram
    9. Maniac - Michael Sembello
    10. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics
    11. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - Culture Club <~~ Boy George was the epitome of Bad Association?
    12. You And I - Eddie Rabbitt & Crystal Gayle
    13. Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
    14. Shame On The Moon - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
    15. She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
    16. Never Gonna Let You Go - Sergio Mendes
    17. Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
    18. Let's Dance - David Bowie
    19. Twilight Zone - Golden Earring
    20. I Know There's Something Going On - Frida
    21. Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band
    22. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
    23. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
    24. Africa - Toto
    25. Little Red Corvette - Prince
    26. Back On The Chain Gang - Pretenders
    27. Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
    28. Mr. Roboto - Styx
    29. You Are - Lionel Richie
    30. Der Kommissar - After The Fire
    31. Puttin' On The Ritz - Taco
    32. Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
    33. (Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League
    34. Time (Clock Of The Heart) - Culture Club
    35. The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
    36. Mickey - Toni Basil
    37. You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins
    38. Separate Ways - Journey
    39. One On One - Daryl Hall & John Oates
    40. We've Got Tonight - Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton
    Interesting that there are three artists on the top 40 lists for these two years who were or later converted to JWs.
  • Uzzah
    Uzzah

    Man that was my last year of high school and first year of pionering DAMN there were so many great tunes out back then.

    singing quietly to himself as he goes back through that list.

    Uzzah - who threw out far too many albums as teen but then re-bought them and hid them in his room at bethel.

  • HadEnuf
    HadEnuf

    Another blast from the past.

    I DO remember discarding an Eagles album...someone told us they were "demonized" because of the "Hotel California" song, etc.

    What a crock.

    Cathy L.

  • RebelliousSpirit
    RebelliousSpirit

    This reminds me. I am a huge Tori Amos fan. I recently asked my conductor if she listens to Tori and she responded, "Well, I used to. But we really should be listening to more upbuilding music".

    My response to her was, "Well, unfortunately some of us haven't lived such a rosy life and can really relate to Tori's music. And while the subjects of her music are difficult ones, her music does upbuild me because it not only reminds me of where I came from, but it reminds me that I'm not alone and there are others who understand. Personally, I think Tori is a phenomenal artist - and I would laugh in the face of anyone who tried to stop me from listening to her".

    I just got the infamous blank stare. Don't they get that normal people don't give a rat's @ss whether or not Tori Amos is a Christian? We love her music, we appreciate her talent. It goes back to something else that gets me fired up - those who blame music for the stupid things that kids do - since when are musicians babysitters? Raising children is the job of the parents, thankyouverymuch.

    I'm still working on getting my hands on an old Tori t-shirt that isn't in production anymore. It's from the Little Earthquakes album. The front of the t-shirt says, "That doesn't make you Jesus". The back says, "So you can make me cum". It's from a line in the song "Precious Things" -- "So you can make me cum that doesn't make you Jesus" - one of my favorite lines of all time. I think my conductor would appreciate my wearing that t-shirt to a study, don't you?

    RS (of the Who died and made you God? class)

    Every finger in the room is pointing at me. I wanna spit in their faces, but I get afraid of what that could bring. -Tori

    Disclaimer: Hoping this t-shirt isn't offensive to anyone - taking a risk for those who might appreciate it.

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    Way back when,the Beatles music was considered very unacceptable by the JW`s,in accordance with the WBTS..Now it`s elevator music,LOL!.....OUTLAW

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    Oh thanks RS, way to rain on my Christ complex.

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