Well, here we are again! Last year the Church Drunk Stations of the Cross Playlist arrived just in time to hunker down and ride out a few days weeks months eternities of pandemic lockdown, and now the 2021 version drops on a Good Friday where our hope is comprised of one part resurrection, one part vaccination, and one part quiet desperation. We’ll get there, people! And after the long and winding road that we have been on, let us remember that the Stations of the Cross will always be the longest and windingest road of them all…but we don’t have to walk them alone.
We first shared one of these back in 2017 as a simple way to pray the stations throughout Lent and Holy Week. Then, we updated it with new soundtracks for 2018, 2019, and the pandemic special for 2020. While the stations are a centuries-old tradition that can be prayed anytime, they take on new meaning during Lent, and especially on Good Friday. The idea behind providing this soundtrack each year is that we can combine music (good) and prayer (good) to make something hopefully better than good that can help us pray through the day without necessarily needing to put the rest of life on hold. Or, if you’ve got time to spare, you go big and strike a meditative pose and lean into an hour or more of musical musing on the way of the cross. This is a choose-your-own-adventure form of prayer!
If you Spotify, here’s a full playlist you can use. And we always love to hear what you think of our choices for our stations – this stuff works for us, but maybe you need a different vibe. Hit us up in the comments with your favorite songs for particular stations, and any suggestions you’ve got for how to make improvements. And if you think this list is just the worst thing ever, then by all means feel free to make your own!
Station I: Jesus is Condemned – “End of the World” by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Station II: Jesus Carries the Cross – “He Bore It All” by Dailey & Vincent
Station III: Jesus Falls the First Time – “It Ain’t Easy” by Delta Spirit
Station IV: Jesus Meets His Mother – “Embryonic Journey” by Jefferson Airplane
Station V: Simon Helps Jesus Carry the Cross – “Save Me” by The Commonheart
Station VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus – “For, Ever” by Keston Cobblers Club
Station VII: Jesus Falls the Second Time – “Casimir Pulaski Day” by Sufjan Stevens
Station VIII: Jesus Meets the Holy Women – “Missed the Boat” by Modest Mouse
Station IX: Jesus Falls the Third Time – “I Remember Everything” by John Prine
Station X: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments – “The Blood Inside Your Heart” by The Once
Station XI: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross – “This is Love” by The Hunts
Station XII: Jesus Dies – “River” by Leon Bridges
Station XIII: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross – “And We Remain” by Johnnyswim
Station XIV: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb – “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty