Posted on 11/14/2014 5:52:29 PM PST by NKP_Vet
Patti Smith is to play this year's Vatican Christmas Concert in Rome next month.
The punk singer will perform live at the Italian city's Auditorium Conciliazione on December 13 following a personal invitation from Pope Francis, according to The International Business Times. The entire event is set to be broadcast live on TV.
Smith's booking has evoked a mixed response from Christian groups, with Catholic organisation Portosalvo apparently describing the decision as "blasphemous", following the singer's 1975 song 'Gloria', which famously featured the lines: "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine".
The singer met Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square last April, where the pair shook hands.
The Vatican Christmas Concert will also feature a performance from "singing nun" Sister Christina Scuccia, who recently won Italy's version of The Voice and covered Madonna.
(Excerpt) Read more at nme.com ...
Robert Mapplethorp (Mr Pisskryst himself) was her bo and big influence, so maybe the Pope is celebrating her religious leanings?
he’s sick...he’s got dementia...this is what happens...nothing makes sense...
Sinead O’Connor was not available?
Now that’s some funny right there.
I was rather surprised. I thought, you can’t mean rock and roll Patti Smith who used to write reviews for the Rolling Stone, can you, not THAT Patti Smith. But yes, it is she. In a way, I like that Pope Francis is reaching out to other kinds of people, and inviting them to join us. I will probably be in the minority here, but I think more good than bad can result from these social gestures. I bought Patti’s album ‘Horses’ years ago, back when she was front page news.
She reminds me of the lead singer of the Pretenders, in that they are both sort of unpretentious, earthy and seem to be honest in their expression. Yes, Patti said something rude back in 1975, but come on, is there no room for forgiveness or second chances?
Why does the Pope do things like this? Is his choice of music a translation error?
I saw her two years ago. I’m not that familiar with her. But, I’m pretty sure she was very inebriated. And probably not on alcohol.
Very talented artist. Gilda Radnor did a perfect spoof impression of her.
She mentions Jesus and grandma in the lyrics of that song, but she probably won’t sing it for this event.
my dad was NYPD for 23 years and a large part of the middle of his career was spent patrolling Central Park at a time when they had the Central Park Music Festival during the summer...great concerts (Zeppelin played there in 1969) and I spent a lot of my teen years there during the summer seeing all kinds of bands (Average White Band, Todd Rundgren, Earl Scruggs, Atlanta Rhythm Section)...
my dad told me a story about what a pig Patti Smith was and how she pulled down her pants then peed on the stage during her concert...
And Jesus dined with tax gentile collectors. Quite controversial in those days.
Yes, she sure does have her demons.
I’m having a little trouble buying this. Patti Smith? “Heroin”?
Naw.
Did he invite the Dead Kennedys as well?
I thought she was a junkie?
Several of the most underappreciated and under recognized musical geniuses of their time.
I'm a Todd Devote' to this day. I saw him last in the "New Cars" concert where he takes the Rick Okasik(sp?)role as lead singer. 38 Special was the backup band.
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