Letter Stops Va. School from Performing Song

[Amelia]

Letter Stops Va. School from Performing Song

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - The marching band at Hylton High School in Woodbridge is going to have learn a different song.

The Washington Post says the band had added "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," by the Charlie Daniels Band to its play list for an upcoming guest appearance at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

One letter, however, from a parent whose children are home-schooled, was sent to a local newspaper complaining that the song about the devil shouldn't be played at school events because of separation of church and state.

The letter worked because the band's director has decided not to use it.

The decision is especially unpopular with Charlie Daniels himself, who tells the Post that he, "doesn't write pro-devil songs," and that it's, "a shame," the band director would yield to one piece of mail.

[JohnN]

The song reminds me of a short story called. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" I guess reading that short story in public school is out to. LOL. Sometimes these arguments on separation of church and state goes way beyond what the founding fathers intended.

[Dr. Shane]

I liked Charlie Daniels' soundtrack for the Veggie Tales Minnesota Cuke but he has been a right-winger politically.

If no religious songs can be performed by high school bands that will eliminate a lot of classical music as centuries ago all the great musicians wrote songs for either kings or biships and sometimes both.

[cricket]

Schmidt? Now, here's a good ol' country boy wanting his song played by a marching band. What say you?

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "religious songs"

What maked a song religious? Is it the tune, or the music? If so, what format of music is intrinsicly religious as opposed to seccular? Or, is a song religious because of the words? If that is the case, and as many tunes have more have more than one set of words associated with them, how can a tune, without words be determined to be either religious or seccular?

NOTE: For information purposes, a number of the hymns in the SDA hymnal, as well as most church hymnals, have tunes n them that came from German drinking songs, sung in bars. They simply have religious words attached to them.

[Naomi]

Amelia said:</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Letter Stops Va. School from Performing Song

............the song about the devil shouldn't be played at school events because of separation of church and state.

The letter worked because the band's director has decided not to use it.

The decision is especially unpopular with Charlie Daniels himself, who tells the Post that he, "doesn't write pro-devil songs," and that it's, "a shame," the band director would yield to one piece of mail.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Is there a nice way to say this is soooooooooo anal? Anyone who knows the song, knows the Devil looses. Could be the musical Country version of The Great Controversy.

Besides, it's a really good song! At least it is if you like country music.

Naomi

[cricket]

I have to wonder if there would be anyone able to play their "fiddle" well enough in a High School band to play this song right. I also have to wonder if it might have been appropriate to play a song where there are slang/vulgar words used.

[bevin]

http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/daniels-charlie/devil-went-down-to-georgia-10926.html

Nah - he is just like a casino, loosing just enough to keep the suckers playing :-)

Of course the parent probably never knew the words. It is actions like this that make christianity look silly.

Now - how many christian organizations are going to protest this foolishness publically?

/Bevin