Vatican releases list of top ten rock albums

From the "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" Department- (Vatican Division)

The Vatican's once-stodgy daily newspaper, "L'Osservatore Romano" has published a list of the best rock albums of all time. They are as follows:

The Beatles' "Revolver"

Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon"

Oasis' "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?"

Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

U2's "Achtung Baby"

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours"

Donald Fagen's "The Nightfly"

Carlos Santana's "Supernatural"

Paul Simon's "Graceland"

David Crosby's "If I Could Only Remember My Name"

The inclusion of “Revolver” on the list comes as a bit of a surprise, since John Lennon once ruffled some ecclesiastic feathers by remarking, “The Beatles are bigger than Jesus.” However, the Vatican music critic may have been swayed by the fact that George Harrison was raised Catholic, and Paul McCartney included a reference to a priest on the Revolver track, “Eleanor Rigby.” Of course, Father McKenzie may have been an Anglican priest, but McCartney nevertheless portrayed the cleric in a sympathetic light.

Besides Harrison, several other rock stars on the Vatican’s list were baptised into the Roman faith as infants. Liam and Noel Gallagher (of Oasis) were brought up Catholic, as was Carlos Santana. U2’s Bono was deliberately raised both Catholic and Protestant by his well-meaning Irish parents, and he is too politically correct to align himself directly with either church. But he has been known to hang out with popes and carry rosaries.

Michael Jackson’s inclusion of zombies in his “Thriller” video irked some members of his own church, the Jehovah Witnesses. But apparently, Rome takes a gentler view of the late genius’ cinematic work.

Surprisingly, some notable (or nominal) Catholic musicians did NOT make the Vatican’s list, including Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Ray and Dave Davies (of the Kinks), Elvis Costello, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, and Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. But then again, they really don't need the attention. They’re all rock gods anyway.

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