A couple of months ago we had folk singer Carrie Newcomer play at Journey (one of the many cool things about living in Austin). I'm a big fan of folk music, and I definitely prefer that to the usual contemporary praise songs that most churches do these days. Carrie had a good sound and some great songs, and I especially liked the Midwestern vibe her songs carried (she's from Indiana and sings about places from that part of the country) - made me a little homesick. One song in particular stood out to me both for the Midwestern connection and for the fun/profound lyrics. The idea is wondering what it would be like if Jesus' had come to modern day Chicago rather than to ancient Palestine (as Carrie put it "I tried to come up with a song that would offend everyone." :-) The lyrics are below, and you can hear part of the song itself if you go to her website.

Where You Been

He was driving into Chicago
in a borrowed El Camino
On a hazeless day in springtime,
I think it was the Cinco De Mayo
Maybe it was St Paddy's or the Gay Pride parade
But I've never seen nobody
light up the street that way

Brother where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

Called in sick for the weekend,
drinking St Paulies in Wisconsin
I was fishing with my buddies,
was a Sunday afternoon
There beneath the halo of an Old Milwaukee sign
He said, "There's big ones in the shallows,
and I see 'em all the time"

Brother where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

I stopped in the Seven-Eleven,
I was buying an Aquafina
He was wearing knock-off sneakers.
I was nursing a hangover
He said, “You're worth a whole alot more baby
than you've ever dared to dream of”
Like he knew the secret sketchy places
I'd been looking for love

Sister where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

A tall skinny guy in dread locks said that
they're giving' out free bagels and lox
I took the kids and all my plastic bags
and walked the seven blocks
There were joggers and commuters,
skate board kids and Goths
There were drunks and dogs and meter maids
in that downtown vacant lot

He said, “The universe is unfolding,
the center still is holding
There’s enough if we just share it,
now y'all, don't forget to pass the basket"
Blessed are the good hearted,
the poets and the dreamers
And all us crazy holy hungry ones
who still believe in something better

Brother, where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

I saw Jesus talking shop,
with Buddha at Starbucks
I saw Gaea and Ganesh,
doing double Dutch in the park
Mohammad was throwing popcorn
to the pigeons and the sparrows
And all us crazy holy hungry ones
still believe in something better

Brother, where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

Sister, where you been?
Hold on if you can
Just do your best then say, “Amen”

Say "Amen"
Say "Amen"