Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning

Wednesday, September 21, 2011:

Songs About Jesus, the Bible, the Pope, & Hell
+ Rev. Paul Smith + “At The End Of Apathy”

1. Tia Blake – “Plastic Jesus”
from: Folksongs & Ballads / Caravage Records / 2008
[written by Ed Rush and George Cromarty in 1957. Ed Rush has stated that the inspiration for the song came from a religious radio station from Del Rio, Texas in the mid 1950s. The station was allegedly run by a dentist and religious fanatic who “sold the most outrageous stuff imaginable, all with magical healing properties.” Ernie Marrs, along with the “Marrs Family” (friends Kay Cothran and Bud Foote) recorded a version of Plastic Jesus in 1965 that was featured in the motion picture Cool Hand Luke (1967). In the film, Paul Newman also sings the song while playing a banjo.]

2. Tom Waits – “Chocolate Jesus”
from: Mule Variations / Anti- Records / 1999
[Born Dec. 7, 1949, in Pomona, CA, Tom Waits has released 23 albums, appeared in 23 films, has won several Grammy Awards, was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the soundtrack to Frances Ford Coppola’s “One From The Heart,” and this year was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Waits has steadfastly refused to allow the use of his songs in commercials.]

3. The Flaming Lips – “Thank You Jack White (For the Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me)”
from: Fight Test EP / Warner Bros. / April 15, 2003
[EP collection of B-sides and unreleased tracks from singles released from, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.”]

10:15

4. Nathan Grannar & Beau Bledsoe – “Give Me Jesus”
from: Departure / Tzigane Records / Nov. 1 2005
[If you have ever been in the same room with Nathan Grannar’s amazing tenor voice, then you know the power of his range and delivery. Here, with frequent collaborator and guitar player extradinaire, Beau Bledsoe these two musicians represent some of Kansas City finest musical artists.]

5. Greg Brown – “Jesus & Elvis” from: The Poet Game / Redhouse Records / 1994
[Greg Brown will be in concert in a rare KC performance with his wife Iris Dement, on 11-11-11 at The Folly Theatre to honor and benefit United Inner City Services home of St. Mark Child and Family Development Center. For more info you can call 816-994-5400 or visit: irisandgregbenefitconcert.com]

6. Judee Sill – “Jesus Was a Crossmaker”
from: Live in London – the BBC Recordings 1972 – 1973 (Live) / Judee Sill Estate / 2007
[Born October 7, 1944 Judee Sill was one of the first artists signed to David Geffen’s Asylum label, she released two albums. Judee Sill died from drug abuse November 23, 1979. This song was the single from her debut, released in late 1971, one of the best year’s in music. Her debut was followed 18 months later by Heart Food. Heavily influenced by Bach and Ray Charles her work drew substantially on Christian themes of rapture and redemption.]

10:30 – Interview with Rev. Paul Smith

Paul Smith began serving several Southern Baptist churches in St. Louis while in high school and college, he completed his BA in psychology at Washington University in 1959 and after receiving a Masters degree in theology and biblical studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, he came to Broadway Baptist Church in midtown Kansas City in 1963 where he after 48 years he continues to pastor and teach. Paul Smith was given the GLAAD Leadership Award in 1995. In addition to hundreds of CDs, brochures, booklets, and published articles outlining his theological beliefs and practices, he contributed two chapters to the book Enabling the Dialogue About Homosexuality, and he has written several books, including: “Is It Okay To Call God Mother? Considering the feminine face of God” from Hendrickson Publishing and his newest book: “Integral Christianity: The Spirit’s Call to Evolve,” released March 3, 2011 from Paragon House Publishing. Paul Smith joins us to talk about his own evolution while serving for 48 years as Pastor at Broadway Church, and we’ll also talk about: Jesus, the Bible, the Pope and Hell.

In his soon to be half a century as pastor at Broadway, the church experienced significant and on-going change, becoming nationally recognized as a pioneer in small groups, contemporary worship, team leadership, justice issues, progressive theology, church renewal, and spiritual formation. It continues to evolve today.

In 1872 eighteen Swedes joined hands in prayer as they covenanted together to begin the First Swedish Baptist Church of Kansas City. They wanted to provide a welcoming place for others in Kansas City who did not always feel at home in other churches because of their different customs and language.

Paul’s new book “Integral Christianity: The Spirit’s Call to Evolve,” released March 3, 2011 from Paragon House Publishing is now available through your local bookstore and amazon.

Broadway Church is located at 3931 Washington in Kansas City, for more information you can call: 816.561.3274 or visit broadwaychurch-kc.org or revpaulsmith.com

10:45

7. The Middle East – “Jesus Came To My Birthday Party”
from: I Want That You Are Always Happy / Spunk Records / April 2011
[debut studio album by Australian folk band The Middle East, released in Australia and New Zealand. Based in Townsville in Queensland, Australia. Formed in 2005, the group played locally and completed several East Coast tours of mainly Christian festivals throughout Australia. They played their last show on July 31, 2011.]

8. The Pilgrim Travelers – “Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb”
from: The Best of the Pilgrim Travelers / Specialty Records / April 17, 1991
[Formed in Houston Texas in the early 1930s.]

9. Iris DeMent – “I Never Shall Forget The Day”
from: Lifeline / Flariella / 2004
[Iris Dement will be in concert in a rare KC performance with her husband Greg Brown, on 11-11-11 at The Folly Theatre to honor and benefit United Inner City Services home of St. Mark Child and Family Development Center. For more info you can call 816-994-5400 or visit: irisandgregbenefitconcert.com]

10. Blacks – “Fakeout Jesus”
from: Just Like Home / Bloodshot Records / 2000
[The Blacks (originally called ‘The Black Family’) were and insurgent country band from Chicago, IL. They released two albums through Bloodshot Records.]

11:00

11. Lambchop – “Paperback Bible”
from: Single / Merge Records / January 24, 2006
[from Nashville, Tennessee, never a band with a “core” lineup, Lambchop has consisted of a large and fluid collective of musicians focused around its creative centre, frontman Kurt Wagner..]

12. Jason Ringenberg with Steve Earle – “Bible and a Gun”
from: Best Tracks and Side Tracks 1979-2007 / Yep Roc Records / 2008
[Jason Ringenberg, of course, was the voice and principal songwriter of the mid-Eighties alt-country band Jason & The Scorchers.]

11:15 – Interview with Rusty Sneary, Bryan Moses and Sean Hogge

“At the End of Apathy,” is a new tragicomedy by Bryan Moses that is currently playing at The Living Room, 1818 McGee, through September 26. “At The End of Apathy” takes place on Sept. 10, 2001 and Danny and Tom, two twenty-something guys, are ready to make a drastic decision to be remembered and make a statement about the current state of affairs in America to put an end to all the Apathy. The play features: Sean Hogge, Bob Linebarger, George Forbes, and Kelly Main, and is written and directed by The Living Room’s Associate Artistic Director, Bryan Moses.

“At the End of Apathy,” a new tragicomedy written and directed by Bryan Moses is currently playing at The Living Room, 1818 McGee, through September 26, with performances: Thursdays through Mondays at 8:00 PM. For more info: thelivingroomkc.com or call (816) 221-4260.

11:30

13. eels – “Your Lucky Day in Hell”
from: Beautiful Freak / Dreamworks Records / 1996 [Debut]

14. The Flaming Lips – “Ego Tripping At The Gates of Hell”
from: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots / Warner Bros. / 2003

15. The Velvet Underground – “Jesus”
from: Peel Slowly and See / PolyGram / 1995 [5 CD Box Set – Out of Print] [orig. 1969]

11:45

16. The Prats – “Disco Pope”
from: Rough Trade Shops: Post Punk Vol. 1 / Mute Records / 2003
[an Edinburgh-based punk rock group, active from 1977 to 1981. More recently, their track “General Davis” was featured in the opening credits of Jonathan Demme’s 2004 film, The Manchurian Candidate]

17. Elbow – “An Audience With The Pope”
from: The Seldom Seen Kid / Polydor / 2008
[4th studio album by the UK band Elbow.]

18. Laurie Anderson – “Born Never Asked”
from: Big Science / Nonesuch Records / Reissued 2009
[Lauire Anderson will be in Kansas City in concert at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Helzberg hall, Sunday October 9, 2011, at 7:00 PM.]

11:59:30

19. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]

Sources for Notes: Artist’s websites noted above and wikipedia.org

Show #387