Country music's culture war

Celebrations of sin stand next to exaltations of grace on the record charts | Gene Edward Veith

Last year's American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, has a record out that has been dominating the country music charts for weeks: "Jesus, Take the Wheel." It tells the story of a young woman's desperate prayer during a car crash, leading to a reflection on her own life. The song ends with a prayer for Jesus to "save me from this road I'm on."

Finally knocking off "Jesus, Take the Wheel" as the No. 1 record was Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going." Where he is going is heaven, where he yearns to see his loved ones. At the climax of the song, with Dolly Parton singing descant "Hallelujahs," he looks forward to when he sheds his sins and struggles, "And I see my Maker's face. I'll stay forever in the light of His amazing grace."

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April 01, 2006, Vol. 21, No. 13

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