I recently downloaded some tracks from Mogwai's performance at All Tomorrow's Parties 2000. Among these tracks was a "new" song (the reason for the quotes will soon become clear), a 15-minute blast of noise and strings that contained a faint whiff of Godspeed You Black Emperor!, and positively smacked of "Avinu Malkeynu". Whatever, I thought, Godspeed's "Gathering Storm" sounds more than a bit like "Amazing Grace", but clearly I am hearing things, the Molasses (a Godspeed offshoot) cover of "Amazing Grace" notwithstanding. However, in both cases, the truth has been staring me bullseyed in the face. By whatever name the internet has called it, by whatever the the songs' final/working title, be it "Jewish", "My Father, My King" (the literal translation from the Hebrew is "Our Father, Our King"), or anything else, ladies and gentlemen, freaks and geeks, Mogwai have covered "Avinu Malkeynu". At the (huge, but tantalizing) risk of sounding sacrilegious, this is one of the best things to ever happen the Jewish people. What could be more flattering than one of the world's top bands paying tribute to a deeply religious Jewish spiritual? This never happens to Christians, sure they have their Xmas music, but Xmas music is a novelty, it's practically secular. That's why all the best Xmas music has been made by Jews (Spector, Berlin, etc.), you certainly don't have to down with Jesus to understand it and enjoy it. On the other hand, throughout the rock era, the Christian *religion* has been spat on consistently, from Madonna dancing semi-naked in a field of burning crosses to Lennon's "bigger than Jesus" comment. Mogwai's "Avinu Malkeynu" is a towering tribute. There is not an ounce of kitsch present. To the best of my knowledge, none of Mogwai's members are Jewish, so how they were aware of the song's existence, let alone had the sharp judgment to understand it's tremendous poignancy within the Jewish religion, is a mystery (and they are far too astute, far too intelligent to cover such a song without fully gripping it's meaning, there's a reason they covered "Avinu Malkeynu" and not "Adon Olam" or "Eyn Keloheynu"). I suspect that when most people think of Jewish music, or perhaps even Jewishness in general, they think of humour. When this song is (hopefully) released on their next album, the world will be hit with the most straight-faced sample of Jewishness that has ever been unleashed in the name of human entertainment, a track free of irony, free of a Yiddish accent, free of "Seinfeld" references, free of big noses and scavenging for dimes on the street, no, it will be a track that will make everyone understand why devout followers wail this tune in synagogues each fall, singing and shaking and swaying and hungry with tears welling in their eyes, a track that will sit heavy on every listeners' sternum even if they disagree with the notion of a second Messiah still forthcoming, a track that will fill the (presently) empty folder of popular culture that is entitled "Jewish spiritual music, that is, a primer for everyone who has no idea what goes on during a Jewish religious service, who can't see the faith beyond the funny-looking caps". And it will be loud as all hell.