Check Out 'Passion' - Peter Gabriel's Soundtrack to 'The Last Temptation of Christ'

Some Good Friday listening for you.

Earlier today my pal

fred tribuzzo

wrote about his appreciation for Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” and how he tries to revisit it every couple years.

I was not overly impressed by the film when it came out and my opinion of it has diminished further over the years as its director Mel Gibson has now been so thoroughly exposed as an antisemite.

Is the film antisemitic? Not explicitly, but there is some troubling subtext there. I identified it in my original review, that there seemed to be an over-emphasis on the role of the Jewish high priests in Christ’s crucifixion, and that when these figures were interpreted as standing in for the collective Jewish people (as has been done throughout history) then that can be regarded as antisemitic.

However, I don’t begrudge people like Fred watching the movie and having a serious spiritual and emotional experience meditating on the horror of their God being brutally tortured to death in the most cruel and degrading way possible. The film is certainly not tainted beyond redemption by Gibson’s hateful views or how some people may misinterpret the Biblical narrative to justify their own bigotry.

Yet I do have to say: my favorite Bible-based film remains The Last Temptation of Christ, which as many regular readers of our publication may recall, even provided the inspiration for the name of our company when Andre Gregory as John the Baptist directed Jesus toward his 40 days in the wilderness, saying “The God of Israel is a God of the Desert, go there if you wish to speak with Him.”

Alongside Last Temptation’s engaging narrative, top-notch acting performances, amazing Martin Scorsese-direction, and challenging theological ideas, the film’s music is also incredible. Check out the lead track above and enjoy a couple more below as well as a scene from the film made all the more powerful because of the music:

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And don’t forget to check out our previous installments in this ongoing series of music recommendations and best-of debates:

1. What's in your wallet... er... music library?

2. Who Is Generation X's Greatest Black Musician? Here's My Vote

3. Generation X's Greatest Black Musician? Rihanna, In My Humble Opinion.

4. Rihanna is an Xer-Leaning Millennial! Try Again, Mike!

5. I Didn't Do My Due Diligence, or How I Have to Pick a Favorite Black Gen X Musician For Real This Time.

6. Why Rap & Country Are So Challenging and Why I Much Prefer Tupac Shakur to Will Smith

7. Music. The GotD Frontier

8. As a Gen-Xer, the 1980s is My Favorite Musical Decade

9. These 2 Hypnotic Sitar Albums Saved Me Last Night as the PTSD Demons Struck Back

10. The Thousand Year Charm Offensive of Frank Zappa

11. 6 Songs That Give Me a Burst of Great Memories

12. Take a Bite Out of 'Burnt Weeny Sandwich'

13. 6 More Songs Filled with Good Memories

14. 'It Just Shocked Me, How Anything Could Be So Beautiful...'

15. My 13 Favorite Early Beatles Songs

16. From Jazz to Pop: Why I Love American Music

17. My Pick for the Finest Album of the Twentieth Century

18. My 13 Favorite Middle Period Beatles Songs

19. My Favorite Rock Song of All Time

20. "Kung Fu Panda" and How to Tell a Story with Music

21. My 13 Favorite Final Beatles Songs

Check out “Mike’s Music Morning,” borne from these debates:

1. The Inaugural "Mike's Music Morning" post

2. How Many Licks Does it Take to Get to the Center of My Music Collection?

3. Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends.

4. What music evokes an emotional response for you? What song really twangs your heartstrangs?

5. What Reminds You of Mardi Gras? For Me, it's Always Music and Food

6. Would you like a little slink with your Wednesday?

7. Who Is Your Favorite Film Composer? Here are 6 of My Favorites

8. How Could I Have Forgotten Ennio Morricone's Greatness? My 7 Favorites from the Italian Master

9. Which is Better? David Lee Roth "Van Halen" or "Van Hagar"??? I want an "Eruption" of comments here, people.

10. My Top Ten Heavy Metal Songs

11. What Are Your Favorite Covers? Here Are a Few Great Ones From Unexpected Places

12. What's Your Favorite AC/DC Track?

13. How Do We Deserve People Like Dave Grohl??? Today, on a Very Special Episode of MMM...

14. What's Your Favorite Queen Song? How About Bowie?

15. ♪♫ "Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day" ♫♪

16. A Love Letter to the Music of "Cowboy Bebop"

17. If You Formed a Rock Supergroup From Anyone in History, Who's on the Roster?

18. Counting Down My 10 Favorite Songs from my Favorite Album of All Time, The White Album

19. Who Is Your Favorite Female Rock n' Roller?

20. How 'bout Them 80's? What Are Your Faves?

21. Who Watches the Watchtower

22. What's Your Favorite Driving Song?

23. Who's Your Favorite Rock Drummer?

24. The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown! Classical Music Challenge! Part One

25. Who Else Out There Loves Prince Rogers Nelson? (Requiascat in Pace) - A Tribute

26. Please Enjoy: Cat Stevens Made My Favorite Classic Song to Listen to In the Morning

27. Spring has Sprung! Part Deux of the Classical Music Challenge!

28. "Now For Some Real User Power."

29. How About Them Acoustics?

30. Can We Talk About Danny Elfman For A Minute?

31. Try My Playlist of 10 Catchiest Tracks for Sweet '60s* ✨Vibes✨

32. Is This the Best Pop Music 'Hymn' of All Time? Is This Its Best Cover?

33. 5 Shades of Gray

34. This Black Keys Music Video Is So Simple and So Effective

35. Every Girl's Crazy 'Bout A Sharp-Dressed Man

36. Let's get spicy!

37. On This, the Last Day of March, Let Us Talk About Women

38. Soothe Your Mood with These 10 Forgotten '90s Alt-Pop Jams

39. 8 of the Most Fantastic Music Videos From One of My Favorite Filmmakers

40. Look! Up on the 'Stack! It's a Bird! It's a Plane!

41. He is Vengeance! He Is THE KNIGHT!

42. Happy (Future) First Contact Day!

43. The Best Song from 'Prince of Egypt'