Catholic Neopaganism’s Greatest Hits

An attempt at a playlist

I’ve dropped one of these before (probably on my old blog), but it is a topic worth revisiting! As I have been pondering much on a recording project (and wondering how that will manifest), I thought it might be a nice idea to visit my inspirers.

Fairport Convention, “Come All Ye”

The first time I heard this song (I was probably about 23), I had one of those life-changing musical experiences from which one never recovers. To tell the truth, this list could be the entire Liege & Lief album (upon which this song is the opening track), in addition to tons of other Fairport songs—but enough of my psychological obsessions! Also: I adore Sandy Denny. “To rouse the spirit of the earth / And move the rolling sky” should be my epitaph. Take note, fam.

Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer, “Tam Lin (Child 39)”

I love this take on the old English ballad about a faerie knight, and this version is breath-taking. I first discovered it when I was writing about the ballad for a chapter on marriage in my book Sophia in Exile and, on a whim, thought I’d see what kinds of takes of the song might be on YouTube. As I played it, my wife came into my office asking “ Who is that?” (In fact, she just yelled from the other room to tell me to turn it up when I looked it up on YT.)

The Murphy Beds, “The Old Churchyard”

As I’ve written before, I first discovered this song through the brilliant version recorded by "folk supergroup” Offa Rex (comprised of The Decembrists and Olivia Chaney), but this version, featuring Jefferson Hamer on guitar and vocals is equally astonishing.

Loreena McKennitt, “The Mummers’ Dance”

McKennitt, “The Pride of Stratford, Ontario,” like Fairport Convention, could fill an entire playlist of Catholic Neopagan folk music. I’ve always loved this one—and especially love the video.

Steve Winwood, “John Barleycorn (Must Die)”

I don’t think anything captures the Catholic Neopagan vibe quite like this tradtional song made a hit by Winwood and his band at Traffic in 1970, which is about the death and resurrection of John Barleycorn. You could also write a song called “Jesus of Nazareth Must Die.” Because, as I’ve been saying, the Sacred Year mirrors the Agricultural Year.

Quiet Fire, “White Horses”

I will get into trouble for this one. This is a recording made by my wife and me about 25 years ago. It is chock-full of Catholic Neopaganism, as it is about the dream my wife had the night she went into labor with our second child. In the dream, she saw a shepherdess in a blue mantle (a Mary-Sophia figure) guiding a herd of horses up and down the slope of a valley. The thundering of the horses corresponded to my wife’s contractions. We recorded the vocals and two guitars in one-take (Bonnie on 12-string and me on 6-string) and I overdubbed a mandolin part. We were home in time for her to nurse the baby.

Richard Thompson, “Meet on the Ledge”

I love this recording of Thompson playing the first song he ever wrote (at the age of 19) for Fairport Convention. The older I get (and I keep getting older, for some reason), I think more and more about meeting my fallen comrades on the Ledge for one last pint. “We were always making songs.”

Kate Bush, “Love and Anger”

Yes, I’m one of those. One of the things I absolutely love about Kate Bush is the way her music discloses her Irish-English Catholic upbringing tempered by some wild Irish folk religion. There are so many songs of hers to choose, but this one is augmented by the brilliant iconography of the video.

“The Whole of the Moon,” Corktown Popes

Mike Scott of the Waterboys, who first wrote and recorded this song in 1985, is another songwriter with scores of tunes that could fill such a playlist as this. My friends and I in the Corktown Popes recorded this at a live show almost 11 years ago. How time flies! Even Mike Scott shared this on his social media when it appeared. I guess he must approve! I was actually pretty surprised to see how many views it has and so many generous comments.

For those who might be interested, I have a few (but just a few) spots available in my upcoming course on Sophiology (starts the 21st). So hit me up if you’re interested.