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Mind the Gap

No genre is the new genre

A Compendium of Religious Music Resources (Steve Martin Edition)

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UPDATE: Since the original performance video has been removed from YouTube, here is an alternate performance. Same great artists, different source material. I know this has been a popular song here on Mind the Gap, so pass the word.

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Comments

  1. Beyond amazing – best things I’ve heard in months. Maybe years. Congratulations, Steve and friends, you made my day!!

  4. OMG, Steve Martin – how very clever you are. Thanks for making me laugh (yet another time).

  6. Steve,
    You just keep getting better and better. The only thing is, I think Christians have rock and roll too! Thanks for this fun song.
    Bev
    P.S. I really like you in the dramatic roles.

  7. Loved the song and have always loved Steve. However, atheists do have hymns and songs. Just check out a Unitarian Universalist hymnal, “Singing the Living Tradition”. Among my favorite songs: “Let It Be A Dance” and the old American Shaker song, ” ‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple”. And the topical index includes: Animals, Beauty, Evolution(!), Inherent Worth and Dignity, Acceptance of One Another and many more. Having just experienced a Catholic rosary and funeral service, the UU way is for me.

  8. Unitarians, atheists? Not so sure about that. And there’s a great difference between atheists and agnostics. I love the songs mentioned by TOdom and also the beautiful hymns. This song by Martin is a really clever one that should bring many smiles. Hopefully, even to avowed atheists.

  10. Other than the theme from “Star Wars” and “The Cantina Song,” we Jedi don’t have any songs, either. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU…

  11. Love him! and to think, he got started selling guidebooks at Disneyland when he was only 10, he wrote a very funny book about it!
    …”but they get Sunday’s off!”…brilliant funnyman!
    Thanks Mr. Martin, for enriching our lives with your creations!

  12. Talk about thinking outside the box? Comedians Steve Martin and (the late) George Carlin are so far outside the box they would need GPS to find their way back. Absolutely brilliant comedians who have been Hall of Famers ever since they first set foot on the stage.

  15. That was fantastic…..always have loved Steve Martin..now this song explains it all!!! Way to go Steve martin and men you performed with…

  16. Really like your style. Sent it to the music director at my RC church.
    Love you Steve Martin.
    From an OL in FL.

  17. I know a couple of Atheist tunes –
    The Theme from ‘Cosmos’ by Vangelis
    ‘Dust in the Wind’ by Kansas

  19. Always loved the Guy, This singing is great. Steve Martin, brilliant,creative,exciting, Really Cool. As you can see here, He has stood the test of time, A Classy guy to say the least.

  20. This 87 year old atheist who wears a hearing aid has trouble making out the lyrics of songs sung.
    Where can I get a copy of the lyrics for the atheist hymn?
    Molly notes: The lyrics are posted here. Cheers!

  21. Ha ha ha! This is hilarious! Hey! Where do you think rock and roll came from?? It’s a compilation, but much of it’s background … if you look waaaaay back…. is in the negro spirituals. Elvis started in church…went popular….then died as a result of… anybody?? anybody???

  25. Way to go, Steve. You said it all. From your former, former, former
    Rancho Alamitos schoolmate, Julie.

  31. Way-to-go, Steve Martin!!! Very nice. I enjoyed. It is so good to have you in our “Bluegrass” music. I’ve been a Bluegrass musician for over 40 years. I’ve always been a Bass Guitar player, singer and “attempted song writer.” You have really helped our music and thank you!!
    Chris

  33. I remember this style of call and response a capella singing I heard and participated in in the Southern Baptist Church I attended as a child in the nineteen forties…Kind of like Catholic call and reponse prayer I heard later in life….Steve Martin honors old traditions from incredible banjo playing to this…He is a true national treasure

  34. RonC – ‘Dust in the Wind’ by Kansas might as well be straight out of Ecclesiates ! BTW, so is ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’, written by Pete Seeger in 1959 – see Ecclesiates 3. It was recorded by the Byrds in 1965.

  35. The Steep Canyon Rangers are doing great with Steve. They each compliment the other. Great song, great music, great talent.

  36. This is classic Steve Martin and for B. James to compare him with george carlin is dishonorable and a slap in the face of Steve Martin.
    Steve has so much class and george was a malcontent and activist from the beginning of his career disguised as a comedian.
    Steve’s brain functions are of a so much higher caliber than carlin’s because he’s a musician and not some mealy-mouthed, ne’re-do-well who complained destructively.
    Merry Christmas Steve and all.

  37. This is fantastic! in the first place i didn’t know Steve Martin sang, but his message is so true, so funny and sad at the same time.
    Merry Christmas to Steve Martin and his friends, and also to all atheists everywhere.

  45. Is the sheet music available for this song? I would like to learn this song, I love it. A copy of this video would be good. Any help appreciated.

  47. Loved the song and singers and congregation. Loved the comments, which accentuated the meaning of the song!

  48. When all life ceases to exist,
    Only the matter in the Universe will remain.
    When all matter in the Universe ceases to exist,
    Only time will remain.
    When time ceases to exist,
    Only the song of the Taoists will remain.

  49. Love bluegrass music, even in a parody like this. Atheists are now called “nones”, so maybe Martin was making a comparion with the “no songs” It was clever and funny.

  50. omg great song, great harmony and great laughs. Thanks I have always loved Steve Martin and this is just one more reason why…

  51. Madeline Murray O’Hare is rolling over with laughter in Hell; if it’s possible to laugh in Hell.

  52. Right on! Not only clever, but Steve has finally put it all into words that too many others have been afraid to do.

  53. Kansas lead singer was John Elefante.. he is a wonderful christian artist, with many cds out in the christian genre!

  54. Fantastic music and lyrics….Steve Martin is an artist who runs the whole gamut. His parody regarding atheists is so interesting because it begs the question(s): Is he making fun of atheists? Is he critical of atheists? Is he sympathetic to atheists? Is he an atheist? Does he feel for them? Does he want them to believe? It is like the elephant in the middle of the room and we listeners are the “blind” men trying to figure out what Steve is really trying to tell us. I believe because I WANT to believe and choose so, not because GOD can be proven, but I would argue it takes a lot of faith for one to posit: “there is NO God”! Now he/she has a song…..

  55. Thank you, Steve Martin and friends. Loved this, and emailed it to all I know. One for us atheists.

  57. Steve Martin is fantastic always,but this is great.I didn’t know he could sing,& the message is wonderful.Keep it up Steve!!

  58. This was fun to watch and listen – wish Steve had played his banjo. He is a multi talented fellow!
    Keep on singin!

  59. Good humor!…….I have noted that many of my atheist friends love gospel music & the many music forms derived from it. Don’t knock the blues though….non-pious traditional music is not necessarily godless, it is often the honest & humble admission & expression of the human condition & experience, & without it, there is no basis for the songs of praise.

  60. How hilarious and true! Loved it, and love, love, love Steve Martin! The singers aren’t exactly slouches either! Our daughter is to be married soon and we are making my husband watch FATHER OF THE BRIDE…to prepare him. Keep up the humor, Mr. Martin!

  61. Steve, I love the joy you always exhibit in your art. I also loved you on stage in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” When will we have more of both?

  63. It takes real talent to write a song about atheism that is appealing to the religious and non-religious alike!

  66. Brilliant! Outstanding example of Martin’s talent and humor, not to mention a great acapella performance in the bluegrass Gospel style! No surprise that it was performed on Austin City Limits…

  68. Jon, Steve and the Steep Canyon Rangers recorded an album last summer that should be out in a few months. I’ll bet Atheists is on it.

  69. Mr. Martin, you never cease to amaze me!!!Love you ‘singin and ‘pickin…continue on my friend~

  70. Steve, you and the boys did a great job. with all of the bad stuff going on in the world it is so great to have something to smile about. you made my day. thanks and GOD bless you all.

  71. Does this mean Atheist does have songs. A double negative means, they Don’t have NO songs, soo..Idon’t know what the message is suppose to mean. I love music but I always try to get the message of the song. The comments seem to mean something different? My take is they should leave out or replace “NO” if that was their intentions?

  72. Way to go Steve Martin. I knew there had to be one more reason I’ve always admired your depth and intelligence. Loved you in Shop Girl. Have watched it over and over.
    Thank you for the song, it is fantastic! Keep on keeping on.

  73. didn’t know you are a believer. am thankful because i’ve always enjoyed your work and humor. thanks for the song.

  77. Yup, we Christians do have Joy and lots of good music! What a fantastic job Steve and friends have done here — sounds great! Thanks, so much!

  79. Steve you wild and crazy guy you have the talent to make people laugh and think all at the same time

  80. Learned something new about Steve Martin. Way to go Steve. The perfect atheist anthem is “Imagine” by John Lennon. “Imagine there’s no heaven, It’s easy if you try. No hell below us, above us only sky.” John also imagined a world with “no religion, too.” Poor John!

  81. Steve, this crazy song is fantastic and right down to the point. Even though it is a wild and crazy song, I get the message. I don’t understand how Atheists can go through hard times, death and distruction without our God (with a capital G). You are my hero. Your song is convincing that we Christians have God and Atheist have………… Nothing to believe in,
    Thank you.
    Little Reb

  82. Hi Steve, just heard your great song and ain’t it the truth?? I have always loved you in the movies. My boyfriend and I watched Father of the Bride 1 and 2 just yesterday. Your just the greatest. [and extremely handsome]. Take care!!

  86. Way to go Steve we love you in Alabama and tired of having to step lightly on every subject. Love Love you

  89. I had to listen to this three times and call my wife to hear it. May GOD (HIGHER CASE) BLESS STEVE and the “Steep Canyon Rangers”/!!!!! as I was BLESSED with the song.

  90. I have always loved to watch Steve Martin. He seems to just take life in stride in making his movies. I don’t think he has ever turned down a roll they had for him or a script either.
    I would love to know somesthing about his private life. If he is married, his wife must laugh all the time at his antics.

  91. UTTERLY PRICELESS!!! I wonder what kind of song Steve Martin and Tom Lehrer would write together?

  93. From the first time I saw Steve Marin in concert at Ohio State University back in 1976 he has made me laugh.
    Steve this is great! You are one of a kind.

  95. the only way that would have been better is if you had played the banjo too! love all of your stuff! have as great a life as you gave made mine. Jim!

  97. Have some Tequila er uh Hava Nagila fits the song but how about the irony of a Christian Arab (Danny Thomas) singing Kol Nidrei in the synagogue on Yom Kippur in a version of The Jazz Singer. I found that more emotional than Peggy Lee’s Brecht/Weill 30’s Deutsch nihilstic Is That all There Is?

  98. Good humor sometimes makes you thing while you’re laughing. BTW, Ron mentioned “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas. Kerry Livgren, keyboardist who wrote the lyrics, has an interesting book called “Seeds of Change.”

  100. Hey, I like Rock & Roll!!!!!!!!
    But otherwise this is priceless.
    Catholics get dressed up and go to Mass and have their Gregorian chants while atheists watch football in their underpants.

  101. Love it! Didn’t even know Steve could carry a tune. This is great…..and singing, laughing, even smiling and music, are good for the soul.
    (even if it’s Rock and Roll : ) Hey…that was a rhyme!

  102. Oh, Steve Martin, you are good! I’m sending this to my christian girlfriends who have wonderful senses of humor and spell God with a capital G.
    God bless and keep singin’ and pickin’!

  104. So funny, clever and compelling! A friend of mine sent me this link and I loved it instantly! Thank God (notice the capital “G”) for Steve Martin! Steve, you are an awesome actor, singer and overall entertainer. Wish there were more out there like you.

  106. Thanks Steve, it’s nice to be represented. There’s a lot more of us than people think. We’re just not very organized. Now we have a theme song.

  107. Obviously no one seems to remember the song by AC/DC on the highway to hell, or the song by the rolling stones called sympathy for the devil.

    • Athiests don’t believe in hell or the devil. Those songs just play into the Christian paradigm.

  108. LOVED IT! Thank you Steve Martin for telling it like it is, and with the great humor you are known for! Keep up the good work!

  111. Another source for religious music that espouses untraditional viewpoints is the singer/composer Susan Werner. Her CD album “The Gospel Truth”, which is copywrite 2007, contains the following songs:
    (why is you) heaven so small;
    help somebody;
    forgiveness;
    did trouble me;
    sunday mornings;
    our father (the new, revised edition);
    lost my religion;
    don’t explain it away;
    i will have my portion;
    probably not;
    together;

  112. Just in case you’re wondering who Capitol of Texas Public Telecommunications Council is and why they invoked “Copyright” claims; it’s the Public Broadcasting System station in Austin, TX. Texas’ version of San Francisco and I’m sure they were afraid they would “OFFEND” some thin skinned liberal on the left. Rest assured, if it had been poking “fun” at Christians, it would still be online.

  115. I may join the atheists! These are the most cogent, intelligent and UN-vulgar group of comments I’ve ever read!

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