13 Incredible Songs Driven by Faith | Playlist

13 Incredible Songs Driven by Faith features ABBA, Bleachers, Carrie Underwood, G-Eazy & The Weeknd.  

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mong my favorite words in the English vocabulary is faith.  Why? Faith is meaningful, powerful, and transcends reason and things physically experienced.  Faith, hence, requires going deeper than many – even the most devout and ‘faithful’ – can.  One scripture stands out from The Bible, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re religious, spiritual, or atheist to the core, honestly – it’s thought-provoking:  “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

 

No worries if you’re not feeling the religion thing! 13 Incredible Songs Driven by Faith has something for everybody, including the faithless.  In one case, Slayer even encourages a “New Faith” – woo! In addition to the legendary metal band, 13 Incredible Songs Driven by Faith features songs courtesy of ABBA, Bleachers, Carrie Underwood, G-Eazy, and The Weeknd among others.  Again, Bibles aren’t necessary for this 1^st compendium of the year of our Lord, 2022, but you might want some headphones or speakers!

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1. ABBA, “I Still Have Faith in You”

Voyage • Polar Music International AB / Universal Music Group • 2021

It only took 40 years but iconic, Swedish pop collective ABBA finally returned!  Furthermore, they didn’t merely drop a song or two, but dropped an entire album, Voyage.  The lead single from Voyage, “I Still Have Faith in You,” commences the 10-track LP masterfully – it’s a radiant opening and comeback record.  The Recording Academy must’ve thought so too, giving “I Still Have Faith in You” a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.     

“I still have faith in you / I see it now / Through all these years, that faith live on somehow.” What earns “I Still Have Faith in You” a spot on this list? Basically, it has all the ingredients of a hit.  No, ABBA weren’t going to reclaim the pop throne with “I Still Have Faith in You,” but, as a post-prime record by the iconic collective, it checks off all boxes. The vocal performance is strong.  The songwriting ( Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) is memorable, particularly on the chorus.  The arrangement and production (Andersson and Ulvaeus) are superb as well – warm, grand, and exuberant, particularly as the record progresses.  Hearing “I Still Have Faith in You,” I still have great faith in ABBA.

Also appears on :
Best Songs of 2021: Top 20

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2. Stevie Wonder & Ariana Grande, “Faith”

Sing • Universal Studio / Republic Records • 2016 

“I got faith in you, baby / I got faith in you now.” Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande collaborating on the track? Yes, puh-leez! This blessed musical union occurred back in 2016, via the Sing original motion picture soundtrack. These two, award-winning musicians commence the soundtrack with ample “Faith” (and high-flying vocals)!  This original was penned by a talented team: Wonder, Benny Blanco, Brent Kutzle, Francis Starlite, and Ryan Tedder.

“Faith” is lit, period! We get old-school, retro-soul/pop production (Blanco and Tedder produce), which suits both Wonder and Grande.  Stevie kicks off the singing, wowing with incredible falsetto and a superb tone.  Before explicitly professing his faith on the chorus, Wonder concludes the first verse asserting, “She’s got her own elevation, holy motivation / So, I wrote some letters out in big bold type.” Ariana isn’t outdone in the least, arriving on the second verse and compelling with her own once-in-a-lifetime instrument.  “See the boy with the Stevie Wonder swag?” she commences her verse, continuing, “Ain’t got a clue all the magic that he has.” I love how smooth she sings yet manages to pack a punch simultaneously.  Furthermore, her upper register – SICK! “Faith” is a must-hear collaboration that transcends the children’s movie that it hails from.

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3. Carrie Underwood, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

My Savior • UMG Recordings, Inc. • 2021

Secular musicians who are religious and attribute their faith in God to their success often release at least one faith-based song or even an entire album.  For country musician Carrie Underwood, she opted for an entire country-gospel album, My Savior (2021).  For the most part, Underwood keeps things traditional, opting for familiar hymns as opposed to lesser-known or more CCM numbers.  This, of course, bodes well in her favor, particularly on the likes of the beloved hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”.

“Great is Thy Faithfulness” arrives as the sixth track on My Savior.  Underwood is incredible on her own with her powerhouse vocals.  Honestly, they’ve only grown more powerful and ripe with age.  Even so, Carrie enlists a surprise collaborator: CeCe Winans. Mic drop!  Honestly, not just anyone can sing with CeCe, who can both sing with restraint and ‘bring the house down.’ On this collaborative take on “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” both vocalists bring their ‘A game’ – understatement! In the first verse, Underwood sings with poise and control, but also incredibly expressively with great sincerity.  In the second, Winans brings more punch and oomph, evolving the performance to a higher, more spiritual level.  You can just sense where “Great is Thy Faithfulness” is going to end up.  Underwood goes on to ‘up the ante’ on the third verse, with both artists trading chilling lines on the chorus:

“Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord, unto me.”

These two Grammy winners shine, giving praise to The Most High.

Also appears on :
Carrie Underwood, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”: Sunday Refresh No. 7 (2021)
Great Songs by Women: 3BOPS No. 55 (2021)

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4. Russ & Jadakiss, “Faith”

CHOMP 2 • Russ My Way Inc • 2021 

Russ is one confident mo-fo, that’s for sure! “I’ma always put my faith in me, yeah.”  Word! The rapper/producer kicks off his banger “Faith” showcasing an agile, and again, confident flow. Even putting faith in himself on this CHOMP 2 joint he starts off by giving thanks to God: “Thank God that I never had to pop a pill / To have pop appeal, that’s just not real.” Again, word!

Being the do-it-all dude that he is, he handles the production as well.  The result is a respectable backdrop.  I heart the use of that vocal patch within the production – SICK! One of my favorite lines from Russ adorns that backdrop: “Deep pockets, deposits / Wrote a self-help book, I’m on my Deepak shit.” Well, that “Deepak shit” is rad! A brief melodic chorus follows the lengthy verse by Russ. Jadakiss arrives on the second verse, true to self, with his gruff-voiced, grimy flow.  What I’m saying is, have faith in this surefire banger!

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5. The Weeknd, “Faith”

After Hours • Republic • 2020

“I lost my faith / I’m losing my religion every day…” Losing religion has been a prominent theme in pop music for years and years.  It occurs on “Faith,” the eighth track from After Hours, otherwise known as the totally badass album somehow snubbed by the Grammys – ugh.  Anyways, on “Faith,” religion itself just might be the least of The Weeknd’s issues.

Basically, The Weeknd has been consumed by his demons: love, sex, and drugs.  All three totally have the potential to mess you up. There are a number of revealing lines on this vulnerable record, including “I’ve been sober for a year, now it time’s for me / To go back to my old ways…” Not Good.  There’s also an even more dramatic lyric:

“But if I OD, I want you to OD right beside me

I want you to follow right behind me…”

Wow!

Also appears on :
13 F Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason

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6. Bon Iver, “Faith”

i,i • Jagjaguwar • 2019

Justin Vernon explores spirituality constantly throughout his music. His views have evolved throughout his career, with the gorgeous, high-flying “Faith”, a highlight from the Grammy-nominated album, i, i, characterizing the Bon Iver frontman much more agnostic than the past: “Fold your hands into mine / I did my believing / Seeing every time.” While Vernon exhibits faith, he’s doesn’t seem to be a proponent of the Christian concept of Faith is Seeing the Unseen, captured by the scripture 2 Corinthians 5:7: “⁷For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

On “Faith” The nods to religion, rather anti-religion, run rampant.  On the second verse, Justin Vernon asserts, “I should’ve known / That I shouldn’t hide / To comprise and to covet,” continuing later, “There is no design / You’ll have to decide / If you’ll come to know, I’m the faithful kind.” The fourth verse is arguably the crowning achievement, where Vernon flat out denounces faith in God:

“This is for my sister

That for my maple

It’s not going the road I’d known as a child of God

Nor to become stable

(So, what if I lose? I’m satisfied).”

Beyond its deep meaning, “Faith” has everything you expect from a Bon Iver record.  The production by Vernon, Brad Cook and Chris Messina is marvelous.  The sound naturally embraces indie-folk, constructed by layered acoustic guitars, as well as piano.  Of course, it’s not only indie-folk, with the signature alternative-electronic piece remaining in play, with unique vocal effects, synths, and pads.

Also appears on :
10 Musicians Who Possess Unique Beliefs or Oppose Religion
51 Best Songs of 2019
11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in July 2019

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7. Rev. James Cleveland, “Where is Your Faith in God”

Sings with the World’s Greatest Choirs • Savoy • 1985

Question: “Where is your faith? Where is your faith in God?” Rev. James Cleveland touts the power of believing in God and having faith on “Where is Your Faith in God”.  This is one of many beloved gospel classics by one of gospel music’s most innovative and pivotal figures.  “Faith” can be found on an album released near the end of Cleveland’s life, Sings with the World’s Greatest Choirs, from 1985.

On this slow, stirring black gospel masterwork, the role of the choir is big, singing the main melody while Cleveland ministers, ad-libs, and comes in strong on the key lyrics.  Throughout, various scenarios are presented, all of which require leaning on those everlasting arms (aka God).

“Say you’ve been sick

Tell me about it

And you think you can’t get well

Where is your faith?

Where is your faith in God?”

Whatever problem presents itself, Cleveland’s point is loud and clear: trust and believe in God.  It’s crucial to have faith.  The prescription offered, hence, is the most powerful, omniscient, merciful, and all-knowing.

Also appears on :
Rev. James Cleveland, Where is Your Faith in God: Sunday Refresh No. 27 (2021)

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8. Bleachers, “What’d I Do with All This Faith?”

Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night • RCA • 2021

“I don’t know what to do with this faith / Hey, what do I do with all of this faith?”  Now that is a legitimate, deep question, Jack Antonoff.  The musician/producer’s band, Bleachers released its third studio album in 2021, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night.  The excerpted lyrics appear on the 10^th and final track, “What’d I Do with All This Faith?” I love the folksy approach to this record, with Antonoff’s vocals leading the charge.

“What’d I Do with All This Faith?” features lovely, lush production. I love the use of the horns, specifically, saxophone. The extended, instrumental introduction is one of the biggest selling points.  Bigger still, of course, is the songwriting, which references 60s politics. Specifically, Jack Antonoff focuses on Robert F. Kennedy, a liberal torchbearer who was sadly assassinated in 1968.  Essentially, Antonoff speaks of how titanic Kennedy was and there’s few figures like him to make change happen. “So long, Bobby, we’re still scared to start / Now it’s just college kids and me playing in the park,” Jack sings in the first verse, adding in the second, “Or cry hats off to the last Kennedys who even dare to try?” At the end, Antonoff asserts, “‘Cause ain’t no faith could take your place.”

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9. Ghost, “Faith”

Prequelle • Loma Vista • 2018

“I am all eyes / I am all ears / I am the wall / And I’m watching you fall / Because faith is mine!” “Faith” continues the sheer excellence of Prequelle, the Grammy-nominated album by Grammy-winning Swedish band, Ghost. Kicking off with a bang, it’s easy to believe in the harmonized guitars, as well as the jagged, beefy bass line. Can I get an amen?

Cardinal Copia (Tobias Forge) sings with conviction throughout, particularly on the chorus (excerpted above). Expectedly, the lyrics match the disturbed, hellish nature of the instrumental, embracing the plague-oriented concept, particularly on the second verse:

“The Luddites shun the diabolical

A fecal trail across the land

Although it…

Stinks, feels and look identical

A pack of fools can take the stand.”

Notably, “Faith” features pipe organ and choral sounds during the final 30 seconds or so, fittingly segueing into the next track on Prequelle, “See the Light.”

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10. Richard Thompson, “Love in a Faithless Country”

Faithless • Beeswing • 2004

“Always move in pairs and travel light / A loose friend is an enemy, keep it tight / Always leave a job the way you found it / Look for trouble coming and move around it.” Sometimes, the darkest songs can be the most beautiful.  That is the case with “Love in a Faithless Country,” one of the most radiant, yet blackest songs ever.  This song originally appeared on the 1985 LP by veteran British singer/songwriter Richard Thompson, Across a Crowded Room. In the United States, however, the only available version appears on Thompson’s 2004 effort, Faithless.

“Love in a Faithless Country” “deals with a mass murderer and his wife roaming across Britain,” even though, Moors Murderers  Ian Brady (1938 – 2017) and Myra Hindley (1942 – 2002) aren’t explicitly mentioned in the song.  Nonetheless, as beautiful as “Love in a Faithless Country” is, it’s also unsettling, as are the lyrics.  However, That’s the way we make love.

“Always make your best moves late at night

Always keep your tools well out of sight

It never pays to work the same town twice

It never hurts to be a little nice.”

Also appears on :
Songs That Reference Ian Brady & Myra Hindley
13 Unsettling Songs About Female Murderers
33 Great, If Disturbing Songs About Serial Killers
8 Beautiful Songs Featuring Dark Content

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11. G-Eazy, “Faithful”

Ft. Marc E. Bassy

These Things Happen Too • RCA• 2021

“I don’t wanna get myself in trouble / Out there fuckin’ ‘round with these hoes again.” “Faithful” commences with an intro by pop singer Marc E. Bassy, who aspires to become a better, more mature man.  Bassy follows with the chorus, admitting his wrongs.  He does so because he doesn’t want to lose her: “But if you walked out right now, it would be painful / Girl, you’re so bad, you make me faithful.” Bassy sings beautifully, riding the backdrop with ease.

The thing is, this isn’t even Bassy’s song! “Faithful” appears as the 13^th track on These Things Happen Too, the 2021 album by rapper G-Eazy. Eazy penned “Faithful” alongside Bassy, Jake Torrey, Jakob Kasher, and Nick Sarazen.  Torrey and Sarazen also serve as producers, constructing a backdrop with a soulful vibe. As for the man of the hour,

Gerald enters the picture in the first verse, speaking of his wrongdoing:

“I know I made some mistakes that you can’t just excuse

I know I did you no favors far as your trust issues.”

In the second verse, he further expounds on the matters of the heart and the hurt he’s caused her, spitting, “You get upset when I’m on the road and these hoes are around / But it’s a job, I can’t just stay home and be broke in town…” Basically, he wants her to know he’s faithful to her and wants her to trust him, acknowledging his mistakes in the process.

 

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12. Slayer, “New Faith”

God Hates Us All • Mercury / American Recordings • 2001

“Holy man, open up your eyes / To the ways of the world you’ve been so blind.” Slayer and apologetic DON’T go together unless you add the prefix un- in front of the word.  The unapologetic death metal collective is known for songs dabbling in serial killers, atheism, and of course, Satanism.  On “New Faith” ( God Hates Us All, 2001), you can be certain that this new faith isn’t evangelical at all.

“Tell me how it feels knowing chaos will never end

Tell me what it’s like when the celebration begins.”

On “New Faith,” the tempo is quick.  The production is dark (understatement), comprised of jagged, ferocious guitars.  Furthermore, there are aggressive, biting vocals to match the hellish backdrop. The record sounds atheistic through and through, beyond the lyrics that aren’t the least bit flattering to Christianity (“I keep the Bible in a pool of blood”).  The chorus, with variations, sums up the “new faith”:

“Welcome to the horror of the revelation

Tell me what you think of your savior now

I reject all the biblical views of the truth

Dismiss it as the folklore of the times

… Join the new faith for the celebration

Cult of new faith fuels the devastation.”

Self-explanatory, right? 

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13. George Michael, “Faith”

Faith • Sony • 1987

“Well, I guess it would be nice if I could touch your body / I know not everybody has got a body like you.” Ooh, wee, George Michael! C’mon! There can be no faith compendium without the beloved Michael classic! “Faith” commences Faith, the debut studio album by iconic, Grammy-winning pop singer/songwriter.  What makes us have so much faith in “Faith’? It’s that once-in-a-lifetime, flawless pop song, period!

First and foremost, George Michael sounds incredible – the man could always ‘sang!’ Also, he was never too bad on the eyes either .  Next, the sound of this major record is exuberant.  The production (Michael), particularly for 1987, is ear-catching, slick, and soundly executed. Finally, the songwriting (also, Michael) would make a believer in the staunchest atheist!  Basically, George lacks faith in his lover, who is stunning but untrustworthy – ultimately, not a keeper.

“Before this river becomes an ocean

Before you throw my heart back on the floor

Oh, baby, I reconsider my foolish notion

Well, I need someone to hold me

But I’ll wait for somethin’ more.”

Michael may be unable to trust a nameless lover, but we’ll put ample faith in this surefire, pop classic!

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13 Incredible Songs Driven by Faith [: American Recordings, Beeswing, Brent Faulkner, cottonbro, Ivan Samkov,  Jagjaguwar, Loma Vista, MART PRODUCTION, Mercury, Michael Burrows, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Polar Music International AB, RCA, Ric Rodrigues, RODNAE Productions, Russ My Way Inc, Savoy, Sony, UMG Recordings, Inc., Universal Music Group]

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