Southern Gospel Music Song Lyric
A columnist I highly respect, John Crenshaw, recently posted a column that has been sparking quite a bit of discussion around the web: Fifteen Things I Don’t Like about Gospel Music.
On some of his points, I find myself nodding in agreement. If his numbers are correct, the National Quartet Convention really ought to be more than 28% male quartets. I don’t care for patriotic songs, either—unless the lyric uses the patriotism to set up the Gospel message. “Statue of Liberty” and “Let Freedom Ring” are two of the best songs our genre has introduced in the last half-century.
But several of his fifteen points are things I do like about Gospel Music. I love children singing on stage. I love encores. And I do love versions of “Oh What a Savior” besides Rosie Rozell’s; in particular, I’m a fan of Larry Ford’s, Dallas Rogers’, and, yes, Ernie Haase’s versions of the song.
And I agree with Michael Booth.
In an acceptance speech at the 2009 Singing News Fan Awards, Michael Booth challenged his peers, sitting in the artist circle around the stage, to spend fifteen minutes in each concert sharing the Gospel message with their audiences.
Perhaps there are a few groups out there whose sole desire is to entertain. And so I’ll just leave them out of this discussion. But for the rest—and that’s probably most, since the sacrifices of eking out a living barely above minimum wage (if that) and putting up with the hassles of the road quickly weed out anyone who expected to get rich and famous, and live an easy life—Booth’s message couldn’t be any more timely.
In a world where moral relativism is the flavor of the day (the view that truth is not absolute), the absolute truth of the Gospel has never been more needed. It’s not like Gospel songs are palettes into which audiences can inject their favored form of spirituality. The Gospel is an all-or-nothing proposition. Either Jesus is God, or one of the most misguided lunatics that ever lived. Either He died for our sins, or He didn’t. And we’re either heading to Heaven or hell.
Probably 95% or better of the audiences at Gospel concerts are there because they agree with the message and like the music. But there are often people in the pews or theater seats who are just there because they like the harmonies or because they were invited by a friend. And since they (almost always) come into the concert knowing it’s a Gospel concert, there may never be a better time to share the Gospel message.
Now should the songs share that message? Of course. But that’s not enough. Whether or not an “altar call” is performed, it is quite appropriate for groups to slow down the program and take several minutes to urge their audiences to consider the message in the songs and apply it to their lives. And it’s not just about salvation, either; some in church pews have drifted far from their first love, and there is always room for growth for those who are on the right path.
It is far better that we muster up the patience to hear five, ten, or fifteen minutes of preaching than that a single soul that could have responded to the Gospel message would walk away unsaved.
I spent the morning rockin’ out to Anastacia, because, sometimes, I just need the music. I love letting the music encompass me, enter me, and take me away to unknown places. It’s just about equal to writing.
So, I’m rockin’ away, dancing like a maniac (maniac, maniac – sorry Flash Dance moment) in the kitchen, and I’m playing the same song over and over and over and over again . . . and again, and again, and again, and the dogs are looking at me like I’m crazy, and the cats, well, they’re cats, and they just can’t be bothered.
Finally, I quit playing the song over and over and over again and let the next song play, then the next, and the next until . . .
You’re so . . .perfect, heaven blessed
Never, felt a, love like this
Why you? Why now? So helpless.
Sounds so, crazy, I must confess
There ain’t a thing I wouldn’t sacrifice
Cause I won’t let you go without a fight
Pieces of a dream unfolding,
what happened to the fairy tale?
Words of love never spoken
Things in life don’t always fail
I’ll protect you, and I’ll guide you, and I’ll give you all the love that is mine
Just know,
that in time,
you’ll be fine
Places, faces, I’m to blame
I promised, forever,
our love won’t change
Be strong, hold on,
don’t let go
What’s a perfect ending?
no one knows
There ain’t a thing I wouldn’t sacrifice
Cause I won’t let you go without a fight
Pieces of a dream unfolding,
what happened to the fairy tale?
Words of love are never spoken, things in life aren’t always fair,
I’ll protect you, and I’ll guide you, and I’ll give you all the love that is mine
Just know, in time,
Yeah
Pieces of a dream unfolding,
what happened to the fairy tale?
Words of love are never spoken, things in life aren’t always fair,
I’ll protect you, and I’ll guide you, and I’ll give you all the love that is mine
Just know,
in time,
You’ll be fine
You’re so, perfect, heaven blessed
You see, there’s a story in the song . . . somewhere. I knew it the minute the song started playing. So, over and over and over again . . . and again, and again, and . . . well, you know the drill.
There are parts of this song that can so describe Margarita Nights – pieces of a dream unfolding, what happened to the fairy tale? OMG! This is THE song . . . for Margarita Nights. Those few words - 11 - are what Margarita Nights is all about. 11 Words, People! Eleven!
Yet there is so much more to the song then just 11 words. There is another story still forming in the cavernous, highly imaginative, recesses of my mind. There’s such a story wrapped within the lyrics of this one, simple song. I. LOVE. IT.
I LOVE WRITING! I love finding inspiration in the world around me and the words of a song.
I don’t know what story will unfold. Sorry, my membership in the Psychic Friends Network lapsed. Guess I should have seen that one coming! Ha!
I just know that there is a story in the lyrics, beyond what the writer of the song, beyond what the lovely and talented Anastacia sang. There is a story that only I can tell. There is a beginning, middle, and end, forming in my mind, haphazardly perhaps, scenes written out of order, and no true outline in sight.
So, I love writing. I love music for the inspiration I find.
How about you? What story does the song sing to you? What sparks are even now kindling in the depths of your imagination? What moments of your life, of stories you have written, or yet to write, are enmeshed in the lyrics, in the song?
What happened to happily ever after?
Well, I don't have the answer to that question . . . yet! Do you?
P.S. You really should check out Anastacia's album (CD) Heavy Rotation. OMG! Fantastic. The title song is one of my favorites (and the one I played, and probably will continue to play, endlessly). There's so much passion in her songs, and some pain, hidden beneath the lyrics, and . . . well, so very much more. There are so many stories I want to tell, based on the songs she sings. There are so many stories I'm going to tell!
S
