Some songs that arrived at my college radio station had a remarkable number of attributes, all converging to make it nearly irresistible to the eager young music fans that took turns on the airwaves. “Religion Ruined My Life,” from the 1990 album I See a Noise, was one of those songs.

To begin with, I See a Noise was a solo album by Brian Ritchie, a fellow Wisconsin native. Perhaps more importantly, Ritchie was a member of Violent Femmes, then fully in possession of the title of Poet Laureates of Teen Angst. They were coming off a comeback album that was much-loved at our broadcasting outpost in the middle of America’s Dairyland, making us especially eager for any recording that involved any part of the trio’s lineup. Playing a song off of Ritchie’s solo album was like saluting a favored compatriot.

Then there’s the matter of the song’s scathing dismissal of religion. For a big batch of proud outcasts hovering around the age of twenty, seeking out transferable rebellion from the music we played, few things could have been better in the “family values” era of national politics. Ritchie’s litany of infractions against him by the pious are relatively benign (Sinéad O’Connor threw harder punches for more damnable sins), but the clarity on his statement was enough to make us believe we were properly fighting the power.

And it was funny, too. It’s no wonder we played it with such frequency and pride.

Listen or download —> Brian Ritchie, “Religion Ruined My Life”

(Disclaimer: I believe I See a Noise — and maybe all of the Ritchie solo catalog — to be out of print, at least as physical items that can purchased from your favorite local, independently-owned record store in a manner that compensates both the proprietor of said store and the original artist. The song is shared in this manner in this space with that understanding and an urging to go out and get some Violent Femmes albums. As I’ve noted previously, buying records is good for the soul. Although I believe sharing this track qualifies as fair use, I do know the rules. I will gladly and promptly remove this file from my little corner of the digital world if asked to do so by any individual or entity with due authority to make such a request.)