‘St. Cecilia’
Stalk-Forrest Group (2001)Shucking monikers Soft White Underbelly and Oaxaca, Grateful Dead acolytes STG finally became Blue Öyster Cult, their shelved debut from 1970 jamming online in 2001 as Stalk-Forrest Group: St. Cecilia, the Elektra Recordings.
‘St. Stephen’
Grateful Dead (1969)Stoned to death for blasphemy, “St. Stephen” opens the San Franciscans’ third trip, Aoxomoxoa, yet takes flight on the succeeding Live Dead, which finally caught the Dead some pious vinyl traction.
‘St. Teresa’
Joan Osborne (1995)Sainthood’s pop market pinnacle broke Kentucky queen’s Relish, envisioning God on earth in “One of Us.” “What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us?” Long hair, beard, robes: Jesus was a hippie.
‘St. Augustine’
Band of Horses (2006)Haunting closer to BoH debut harvest Everything All the Time evokes the Algerian mystic (354-430), whose Confessions remain a touchstone of conscience and morality. You say, “Augustine” – Mick Jagger and I say, “Augustin.”
‘Hang on St. Christopher’
Tom Waits (1987)Discredited dashboard confessional leads off Franks Wild Years, totaling Waits’ rattletrap wheels. Its Freakshow (1991) cover by hair gunners BulletBoys downshifts smooth enough that “tonight the devil can ride.”
‘Saint Huck’
Nick Cave (1984)“Skin shrink-wraps his skeleton” froths punk’s most profane apostle for seven flailing minutes on solo debut From Her to Eternity. “Saint Huck – a – St. Elvis,” spits Cave, convulsing.
‘St. Anger’
Metallica (2003)Patron saint of metallurgists feeds the title track of these Bay Area monsters’ post-therapy automartyrdom. He’s “madly in anger with you,” but this “Saint Anger ’round my neck” weighs millstone.
This article appears in November 20 • 2009.
