Best and Worst: Your Call!

I was just over at Dave Barry's blog reading through the responses to another one of his best songs/worst songs questions, and having a good laugh at people's comments. Even when they ripped on my own personal favorites, the comments and the reasons why were so funny, I didn't mind (Like the guy at his wedding who told the band that if they played, "Color My World" they wouldn't get paid!).

So, that got me thinking.

Since I have such an overwhelmingly vast readership (*cough*cough*), I thought it would be fun to do a similar unscientific poll. Simple, really. Just two questions.

1) What is your favorite Mormon song, and why? It can be any song by a Mormon, for a mormon audience, or anything else vaguely related to Mormondom. Makes you think, makes you cry, whatever.

2) What is your most hated Mormon song, and why? Any song that curls your skin/hair every time you hear it. Doesn't matter that someone else thinks it's the most "spir-chal" of all.

Post your responses in the comments below.

My own responses:

I'd have a very hard time picking a favorite. There are a lot that I can choose from that are REALLY REALLY good, and which one is my favorite varies with my mood. I could choose "Better Angels of Our Nature" by Greg Simpson, or "I See God Anyway" by Julia Davis Allen, or"Who Am I?" by Border Crossing, or even "How Firm A Foundation", from the hymn book.

But, I think right now I'm going to choose "Sweet Hour of Prayer". I love the song, and I love the fact that it has a slight bluesy feel, even though they tried to arrange it out of there. :-) When Brendon was first born, I used to sing that one to him in the still of the night to get him back to sleep after feeding him.

I'd also have a hard time picking the worst song of all, if it weren't for "Little Purple Pansies". There are a lot of LDS songs, particularly in the pop genre that I really love to hate. I remember one Sunday, my family was in the living room listening to one of the local radio stations on thier "soft sabbath sounds like sleeping pills" program (at my wife's request, mind you). My son says, "Daddy, my tummy hurts."

I said, "I know, honey. It's OK. This music makes me want to hurl, too!"

He laughed. My wife threw a pillow at me.

But in spite of all of that, no song can quite muster the bile like "Pansies". Imagine yourself as a young ten-year old boy. Your mind is filled from dawn to dusk with "boy" things. You know, phasers, karate-ninja-turtles, etc... Then you come to church and you go to primary and they expect you to sing this sweet little ditty about little purple pansies.

I have since sworn an oath that I would someday exact revenge by recording a total punk rendition, complete with speeding drums, chunk guitars and screeching vocals. Only then would my inner child be cleansed...

MRKH
Mark Hansen
http://markhansenmusic.com