“They ain’t spirituals,” Swamp Rabbit said. “Elvis was a rocker. Blind Faith don’t belong on no list with James Cleveland. Matthew Sweet got ain’t got nothin’ to do with Mahalia Jackson. You got gospel mixed up with rock ‘n’ roll.”

“Elvis grew up on gospel,” I replied. “Mahalia Jackson is gospel but she rocked harder than most rockers.”

He told me Randy Newman is an atheist. Bob Dylan was a Jew and then a Christian and God knows what now. And Steely Dan — sick pups, he called them.

“We’re all sick pups,” I said. “These songs soothe the sick soul. Say amen, somebody.”