Isn't it gone yet? I haven't heard it inflicted on a Mass in a long time.

On the other hand, "Let there be peace on earth" is still around, and one could make the same observations about it: it's a symbol of banal sentimentality.

Please note, it's not to be confused with my In terra fiat pax.

Don't feel bad. I drove into the cathedral parking lot yesterday to be greeted by a personalized license plate:

EGLSWNG

Chalk it up to the power of music, I suppose, that EGLSWNGS has completely ruined Psalm 90 for me. I can't even read it in Latin without that mournful tune getting stuck in my head. Nothing against the people that gain comfort from it, but talk about paying the price for beating something to death!

Having both conducted and been a pit orchestra member for several productions of SOUTH PACIFIC I can safely say that despite my personal revulsion at every hearing "Bali Hai" again has had no effect whatsoever upon my enjoying aboriginal Tahitian and Oceanic choral music. Our local symphony is doing MESSIAH this December. Can't count the times I've sung it. Won't be joining them. I still love the "baroque" musical idiom, though. The moment I first heard Liza Minelli, then Sinatra sing NEW YORK, NEW YORK, I grunted "argggh." I LOVE that city!
Okay, it's clear: OEW is the lit. equiv. of this sometimes irrational Red State/Blue State entrenchment: one either hates it, or is blissed out with it. No in-between.
Fuggedaboudit.

The Messiah. Cried the first time I heard it. But it is FAR too often performed and overplayed.

Mike, our local LDS Stake/Wards are mounting a singalong driveby this year as well. I've been approached by a couple of LDS conductor friends as to my interest. Polite responses provided.
My inner thoughts, though....wouldn't the LDS be obligated to sing the oratorio twice in one event out of historical consistency? And chances are that some "audience" for the first time through might have missed a few notes sung, so a second time might come to their ears?
Meow.

Actually, Kumbaya didn't last that long in the RC songbook. It just seemed like forever. OEW and OBOB have caught on with a second generation and will persist, I'm afraid. I recall arranging several OCP favorites so that they sounded a bit more contemporary for Mass at my college church once and the director said "we can't do that." It was at that moment that I realized that contemporary pop music was not really wanted. It was essentially elevator music that was condoned and I began my journey home that year.

I am not sure what a drive-by-messiah would be, but I can defintely tell you about the Drive-In-Messiah : Sopranos and Altos drive into parking lot in either white or pink vehicles, Tenors and Bass in brown or black vehicles. Each parking place has a microphone which you attach to your rear view mirror. The score is presented on the movie screen along with the soloists. You can order fish'n chips and bitter beer for refreshments.

Woops, ignore the last sentence.

One Bread, One Body---gotcha.

Sorry, a "drive-by" Messiah is slang for instrumentalists and soloists for one of many Messiah performances done during the Christmas season, where one is expected to come to one rehearsal, sometimes the same day as the performance, and then do the gig. Since the work is SO well known, the real "drive-by" gigs are those that you just show up and play. On some days near Christmas there may be 2-3 performances on a single day!