Hare Krishna in popular culture
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Contributions to popular culture involving direct reference to the Hare Krishna mantra, or the Hare Krishna movement include the following:
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[edit] In music
[edit] Beatles influence
After coming in contact with the Hare Krishnas in 1969,[1], several of the Beatles took interest in the movement. This interest is reflected in songs later recorded by the band.
- The Hare Krishna mantra can be heard sung by George Harrison in his song "My Sweet Lord" within the backing vocals.
- The mantra was released as a single by the Radha Krsna Temple on The Beatles' Apple Records label (see Apple Records discography).
- The words "Hare Krishna" are included in the lyrics of several of The Beatles and John Lennon songs, such as "Give Peace A Chance" and "I Am the Walrus". "Hare Krishna" can also be heard in the backing vocals of Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy", which was produced by George Harrison and co-written by Starr and Harrison (although credited to Starr).
- "I Found Out," from John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, released in 1970, contains a verse on Hare Krishna, dismissing it as "pie in the sky." [2]
[edit] Pop music
- Stevie Wonder included the Hare Krishna mantra (sung by members of the Hare Krishna movement) as backing vocals in his song "Pastime Paradise" from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life.[3]
- Boy George's track "Bow Down Mister" includes the Hare Krishna mantra and other references to the Hare Krishnas. George was openly involved with the Hare Krishna movement in the 1980s and members of ISKCON appeared in several of his stage performances.
- Kula Shaker include various Vedic mantras and names of Krishna in their songs, especially in the famous "Govinda" track from 1996. Lead-singer Crispian Mills named their band after the Vaishnava saint, Kulashekhara.
- The mantra is used as lyrics in the musical Hair (musical) in the song "Be-In."
- Bill Oddie recorded a parody entitled "Harry Krishna" as the B-side to his "On Ilkla Moor Baht'at". After leading a group in chanting the traditional mantra, they proceed to chant puns such as "Hare Secombe", "Harevederci Roma" and "Hare Corbett, Sweep and Sooty".
- Nina Hagen recorded her own slow version of Hare Krishna mantras and has stated on her website that Sri Krishna is was the king of Jerusalem.
- Husker Du's track "Hare Krsna", from the 1984 album 'Zen Arcade', is a song about a female member of the Hare Krishna movement. It references the Hare Krishna mantra. [4]
[edit] Straight Edge subculture
In the 1980s, several bands and individuals from the punk-related straight edge subculture took interest in the Hare Krishna doctrines, leading to a number of prominent straight edgers becoming official members of the movement. Due to the influence of a Hare Krsna named Larry Pugliese, Krishna Consciousness found its way into the New York hardcore scene in the mid 1980s and became known as Krishnacore[5]. Pugliese established a house in nearby northern New Jersey for fellow devotees to live in, and sponsored free food distribution (in Tompkins Square Park)and clothing drives as well as concerts for the punks and skinheads hanging out in what was then a rough and tough Lower East Side.
Early devotees included John Joseph and Harley Flanagan of the band Cro-Mags, Ray Cappo of Youth Of Today, and Vic DiCara, former guitarist for Los Angeles band Inside Out, who established quite possibly the most famous of all of the newly dubbed bands, namely 108[6][7]. Krishnacore bands sang about Krishna and Krishna Consciousness the same way that a Christian band would sing about Jesus. Other notable Hare Krishna punk and hardcore musicians have include: Shelter, Cro-Mags, Run Devil Run, Request Denied, Poly Styrene, and Lora Logic of X-ray Spex.
[edit] In movies
- Hare Rama Hare Krishna, a 1971 Hindi blockbuster centers around hippie invasion of Kathmandu, Nepal. The film also features the all time Hindi hit song Dum Maro Dum which includes the chant 'Hare Krishna Hare Ram'.
The phrase "Hare Krishna" was also used in the popular television series, Seinfeld. Season 3, Episode 13: The Subway, where the character George is robbed of all his clothes and enters 'Monks' Resteraunt with just a sheet on and an extra shouts, "Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!" A scene in the movie, Osmosis Jones also contains a small group of cells chanting Hara Krishna. This is barely noticable but present.
The Hippie themed "Hair (musical)" contains the whole Hare Krishna chant as a song--and in the movie, Hare Krishna followers are seeing dancing about at a Be-in.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] External links
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