Hill Blasts Catholic Church

Lauryn Hill took aim at the Catholic Church while playing a Christmas benefit concert at the Vatican's Paul VI Auditorium on December 13th.

In the middle of her performance, Hill criticized priests who abuse children. "I realize some of you may be offended by what I'm saying," Hill said, according to Italian press reports, "but what do you say to the families who were betrayed by the people in whom they believed? . . . God has been a witness to the corruption of his leadership, of the exploitation and abuses by the clergy." Hill went on to say that there was "no acceptable explanation for defending the church."

The Pope was not in attendance for the performance, though this morning he spoke to an audience and said that Catholic priests must be "confronted and corrected" for scandalous behaviour. Neither the Vatican or Hill's label, Columbia Records, commented specifically on her tirade.

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

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