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A few years back I heard my friend sing a beautiful hymn. As a devout atheist I felt envy for what was clearly a spiritual moment. I don’t go to church and so I miss out on the collective experience of community singing. Sometimes it feels like a huge hole in my life.
In an attempt to fill this hole, I began writing my own atheist hymns. “Book Of Whitney” is a hymn for four powerful, inspiring and influential women. They are imagined as replacements for Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And perhaps Jesus and Moses while we’re at it.
Powerhouse vocalists of our time, these four talented, beautiful souls who gave so much of themselves, and had so much taken from them participated in drugs and alcohol and homosexuality - all sins in the eye of the so-called almighty. If these women haven’t died and gone to the kingdom of heaven, then I don’t like your kingdom.
For Amy, Bille, Janis and Whitney. For all the women who lived to sing. For all the women whose stories are still told as sin.
"Book Of Whitney" is the second single off Xani's forthcoming full-length album release "From The Bottom Of The Well" due out in September 2020.
Xani uses Spur Violins by Paul Davies.
Image by Michelle Grace Hunder.
Art/Design by Meg Kolac.
lyrics
What if Matthew, Mark and Luke and John
Moses and Judas, and Jesus were wrong
And all the other men, too.
Say my name and thou will be saved
I said it over, I said it over
I said it over and over again
You didn't stop, you didn't stop
You just took all that you'd need
But take comfort in knowing
That the weak shall be freed.
I go up your stairs and through your door
To your kingdom, and in your kingdom
You say who stays and who can go
Where is Billie, where is Amy, where is Janis
Where is Whitney?
I don't like your kingdom
I don't like your kingdom
I don't like your kingdom
Please don't take me
Coz you don't know anything at all about me.
Billie, Amy, Janis and Whitney.
credits
released July 21, 2020
Song composed, arranged, performed and produced by Xani Kolac.
All violins and vocals recorded by Xani Kolac.
Mixed and Mastered by Isaac Barter.
Additional production by Isaac Barter.
