Driving to Riverside this morning for my weekly visitation, about which more later, as my brain swirled down a free-associating rock and roll rabbit hole, I asked Siri to play Natalie Merchant‘s 1995 song “I May Know the Word,” which I experienced anew as a bracing hymnic challenge to the Bible-believing, humanity-loving church in our cruel times:I may know the word
But not say it
I may know the truth
But not face it
I may hear a sound
A whisper
Sacred and profound
But turn my head indifferent
This is from her album “Tigerlily.” You can listen for free here. That’s Jen Turner on electric guitar. Photo of the songwriter and singer by Claire Rosen.