Exactly! The text were not too heretical but the melodies were like an assault on the soul.

Geez, I'm glad I never posted on the repertoire at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. It would likely prove catastrophically nauseating that "When I'm Sixty-four," "Sounds of Silence," and "As Tears Go By" (imagine, The Rolling Stones at Mass!!! It's almost so outre it's cool) were in regular rotation!
Now I'm so geeked I'm going to find my old fuzz stomp box and do "Satisfaction" for the recessional Sunday.
"When I'm risin' in the sky, and the Man comes on the radio...." (Western time zone Ascension, argggh.)

"how exactly we went from the documents of Vatican II to flower children remains a great mystery."

Revolt against the establishment. Fear of government - state and church. Hero priests and nuns were no longer from the movies, but were breaking laws to make change and respected for it.

I have an entire file cabinet of the 70s stuff at the Newman Center. It's fun for parties.

Holy crap, really?

I remember singing Danny Boy and other secular Irish songs during Communion in the 1990s on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick's Day, so it's not only a 1970s thing.

A name that haunts?
Rod McKuen!
Run away...

"Up, up and away" on Ascension Thursday! ROFLMAO.OL.

3)Social Activism/Ecumenism through Folk Music

Kathy, 3. Amend "folk" with proto-litfolk: Repp, Wise, Temple, Miffleton, Landry etc. Switch 4/5. The pinnacle of the SLJ (Silver nor Gold, Earthen Vessels, Wood Hath Hope) predates the advent of the faux-Broadway, generally ascribed to the compositional vocabulary of Mike Joncas ("I have loved you, with an everlsting love, etc.) Also, Haas and Haugen broke shortly after Joncas ('79) in '81. I also would leave Chepponis/Marchianda (WLP) off the epochal list, not nationally acclaimed, really. At 7, I'd put Bob Hurd/Jaime Cortez as the next phase. 8 would clearly be St. Thomas More (B.Farrell/C.Walker/P.Inwood/E.Sands). 9. The "Utilitarians"- Kevin Keil, Tom Kendzia, Scott Soper, Lawrence Rosania, Randy DeBruyn, Steven Janco. 10. John Bell/Iona, Liam Lawton, other "Celts." 11- Arlene OZ, Jeffrey Ostrowski, Adam Bartlett, Aristotle Esguerra et al.
And, hmmmmm? 12? "It's all about me!" (That's a double entendre, for the faint of heart.)

Dear Fr Jim,
No disrespect was intended by my qualification. Please accept my apology if it seemed so.
Mea culpa.
You are spot on with your pantheon- I was honored Fr Deiss asked me to be his cantor for a WLP weeklong workshop late 70's, what a wonderful soul he is.

Thanks for the absolution. I very much enjoyed singing your Mass at Pitt NPM 99 closing, my last national NPM convention. I do love Pittsburgh, despite my total allegiance to Oakland and my resolute objection to the ref's call in the Immaculate Reception AFC Championship, considering my life ended that day and I've been a shell of my former self ever since. Too bad my separated shoulder didn't agree with Pittsburgh's waterfront street last June, tho' everyone at scene and at Mercy Hospital were so magnificent with the recalcitrant Californian.

You know who I'd add to your "classic" list, tho' they likely never sold tons?
Thomas Savoy, Ralph Verdi, and my bud Leo Nestor.

Great question, Ralph! I would answer you with "Not necessarily." We have to remember that JSBach, whom Metropolitan Hilarion ranks as Numero Uno on the All-Time Pantheon of Sacred Music Composers, was essentially a "market commodity." As I recall, he moved up the economic food chain from Weimar to Köthen to Leipzig within the church's bosom. Can't say his art suffered from all that entailed and his dramatic tenure at Leipzig.
One other perspective, from that of a practicioner, has compelled me to hardly ever reject the possibility that among a constant stream of product from lit or sacred composers a genuine artistic gem can be found. Don't automatically dismiss who a publisher deems is a golden goose name/motherlode of income as being incapable of elevating their genre to prayer that is also art. Michael Joncas' recent choral collections come to mind.
Perspective Secunda, that of a minor composer. Tho' I've wondered and sometimes lamented that I didn't push my stuff "out there" for whatever excuses, I've always been self-assured (not easy for me) to realize, again like Hilarion mentioned at CUA, that one's "own" music is gifted to us from out there, and returns to that cosmos in one way or another. So, commercial success and marketability doesn't float my boat, but I don't begrudge anyone who must sail those waters.
What I'm grateful to see is the shift towards honest, homegrown publishing that bypasses "the system" and its middle managers. It's regretable that real people lose jobs and careers in these changing economies, but we all have to reinvent ourselves throughout all our lives. Heck, ain't that a biblical, gospel mandate?
Cheers, Ralph
C

No argument from me on your last point, Ralph. However, I'd be darn interested in Jeffrey Tucker's take on "commodity aspect" weakening the whole creative market as per the Lady Gaga factor! I'm hoping a late night seminar forth he will hold upon THAT reality. (Thus spaketh Yoda, not Zarathustra)

Speaking of popular culture...

At least the Rascals were not banal.

I loved those boys! True American genius counteracting the British Invasion.
However, I hated it when they sanitized their original moniker, "The Young Rascals," just as did one of the greatest bands ever, "Chicago Transit Authority."
It, I suppose, seemed a good idea at the time to their handlers.
BTW, imagine, Noel, what Felix Caviliere would have done if he'd gone classical instead of Booker T.!!!
Or Lee Michaels, Keith Emerson...
But they sure made growing up in the seventies endurable.

2011: We recently sang a confirmation and we were able to use the
introit, (Kelley. for Confirmation during Paschal Time)
A Gregorian communion
and Mass VIII
Ubi Caritas, and
Veni Creator.
All but the final hymn was acapella.
None of the DRE's or Liturgist from any of the participating parishes interfered by suggesting pop songs or favorite hymns. The schola was instructed to provide the music, no string attached. No arguments, no need to persuade no polarization. Just enthused orders from all in administration to sing like we always do!
"City of God" The "Celtic Alleluia," "We are a Chosen People." "Mass of Creation" were never even mentioned!

I've written probably all I should write on Lady Gaga!

I'm glad for this thread in many ways. It documents a real if slow progress. It is easy for those of us who came along later to forget this.