“… They ain’t necessarily so,” goes the song in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
“If we could stop coming at the Bible postured as though we’re the ones that own it… to prop up, whether it’s theologies, whatever makes us comfortable, whatever makes us powerful, whatever gives us influence…”
(Marty Solomon)
These are excerpts from Marty Solomon’s remarks made on a podcast.
… It doesn’t matter if we’re a PhD theologian, if we’re a believer or not a believer, if we claim to speak for God or don’t know anything. Anybody that comes to the scripture… should come to it knowing this book is meaning to provoke us, transform us, confront us, teach us something new… If we would read the Bible that way, we would quit using it to justify nonsense… It should all be making me a more loving, more whole, more self-reflective person… If we were truly coming to the Bible with an authentic “I’m here to be changed,” I can’t imagine that the fruit would be what we’re seeing today.
(c) 2025 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
EthicalDative 
An interesting idea!
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Thanks, Sue. I grew up around a vinyl LP of “Porgy and Bess.” At one time knew must of its lyrics by heart. The song I recall is “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” So true, no? 🙂
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Yes it’s a perfect song with perfect lyrics. I also loved ‘Summertime’, my go-to song to sing when it’s warm and sunny!! There’s such an emotional pull in all of the Porgy and Bess songs and I imagine the lyrics were pretty subversive for the times (and are still!)
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Whoa! My first encounter with another Porgy and Bess fan! “Summertime” is sublime. At one time I sang and played it (badly) on guitar way too much. Another LP we had at home was “An American in Paris” opposite “Rhapsody in Blue.” These works imprinted themselves on me at a receptive age. You’re right about the lyrics and the idiom. I’ve wondered more than once what Porgy’s status might be in these modern times. Not that I follow opera, but I’m not aware that it’s active in any company’s repertory. For some reason I compare it to Bernstein’s Westside Story, which I’ve heard in later life. Still warm more to the Gershwin, but maybe it’s apples and oranges. Out of curiosity I revisited Janis Joplin’s cover of Summertime and couldn’t get through it. But encountered this one by Willie Nelson which wears well enough. https://music.apple.com/us/album/summertime/1070299909?i=1070299930. He doesn’t drown it like poor Janis did.
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How nice to share the delight of Porgy and Bess! I will take some time to listen to a few versions now you have alerted me to them, thanks Jim. It is interesting that it isn’t performed now – perhaps it would bring up some uncomfortable history, especially in the US??? Cheers Sue
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