For the concluding post I felt it more appropriate to finish with another piece of music rather than more ranting. To tell the truth, there are about eight more bits i'd like to play on here, just from the top of my head, but i've opted for this; a gentle remix of an absolutely incredible record. Enjoy...
28 March 2008
26 March 2008
The Song of the Soul. Pt.7
Ok, here's where it gets even more personal for me. I don't want to negate anything i've already said, but if the education i'm currently undergoing is teaching me anything, it's to critique ideas, theologies and such according to their context. That includes oneself, ie. what might lie behind why i think this way?
I've already admitted to being completely unmusical in practise, but there is also something that sits alongside that (though i'm not sure which is the horse and which is the cart), it's that i'm contemplative in nature. This means that when it comes to times of worship it works much better for me to be sat quietly thinking about God and life an' that. If there's music playing however, which there always is because it seems that that's the only way we know how to worship God, it ties me in knots immediately.
As soon as the band (or organist, or pianist etc) strike up i'm all over the place. Do i stand and sing with everyone else (even though standing is uncomfortable and the mere consideration of singing shifts my focus entirely from God and places it firmly on myself)? What about the fact that attempting to engage with the music in any way (for the most part) leads me not to the feet of Christ, but rather to a place where i wrestle with it? I find myself fighting to work out what i agree with or don't, plus all the things discussed in pt.5 racing through my mind, all serving to distract me from God's greatness.
Alternatively I could attempt what would be most natural to me, i could sit and be still before God. This however brings with it a [sometimes justified] paranoia. People looking down at me, wondering if i've lost my faith or if there's just something desperately wrong with me. "I noticed you weren't singing, are you ok?". Yes i'm fine, do you want me to actually engage with God, or do you want me to make it look like you think it should?
Anyway, long story short, can we please either use other resources in worship more, or use music better? It's killing me.
I've already admitted to being completely unmusical in practise, but there is also something that sits alongside that (though i'm not sure which is the horse and which is the cart), it's that i'm contemplative in nature. This means that when it comes to times of worship it works much better for me to be sat quietly thinking about God and life an' that. If there's music playing however, which there always is because it seems that that's the only way we know how to worship God, it ties me in knots immediately.
As soon as the band (or organist, or pianist etc) strike up i'm all over the place. Do i stand and sing with everyone else (even though standing is uncomfortable and the mere consideration of singing shifts my focus entirely from God and places it firmly on myself)? What about the fact that attempting to engage with the music in any way (for the most part) leads me not to the feet of Christ, but rather to a place where i wrestle with it? I find myself fighting to work out what i agree with or don't, plus all the things discussed in pt.5 racing through my mind, all serving to distract me from God's greatness.
Alternatively I could attempt what would be most natural to me, i could sit and be still before God. This however brings with it a [sometimes justified] paranoia. People looking down at me, wondering if i've lost my faith or if there's just something desperately wrong with me. "I noticed you weren't singing, are you ok?". Yes i'm fine, do you want me to actually engage with God, or do you want me to make it look like you think it should?
Anyway, long story short, can we please either use other resources in worship more, or use music better? It's killing me.
18 March 2008
17 March 2008
The Song of the Soul. Pt.5
What follows is me approaching my most negative, but
- i believe it to be justified
- i am attempting to do this in a self-aware manner
and
- i will look to follow it with something on more of an upward swing.
Here are some reasons why i believe lots of worship music to be (at least) second rate:
One of the biggest factors is that Christian music (without getting into a discussion on how one defines it) is just that - Christian. What i mean is that where other music, and art in general for that matter, is about exploring and expressing this human condition of ours, Christian music does that but from a fixed point and within fixed parameters. That is to say, it's doctrinally bound; if a writer sits down to compose something there's enormous pressure for it to be 'right'. Sometimes however (in my experience, more often than we think), what is deemed to be 'right' is at odds with what is honest.
Another problem this person writing may have is, if one lyric appears to be too open to a wrong interpretation, there needs to be a qualification of what was meant in the next line (a problem of not such great importance in music that isn't doctrinally bound, since half the purpose is allowing it to be interpreted differently). What this means is that from the off, lots of Christian music is artistically compromised.
Why does so much of it seem so cliche: 'I just wanna love you Lord' - and so lacking in nuance, while cheap analogy abounds?
Obviously i'm not speaking of hymns here, but rather what are referred to as 'modern worship songs' - so we turn to hymns. What we find here in most cases however, are incredibly militaristic depictions of Christianity and God - victory, banner, army, weapon, marching, enemy, defeat, trample, slain, powers and triumph. Whilst we could argue the toss over the rights and wrongs of militaristic content and spiritual metaphor, there's no escaping the rampant patriarchy dripping from hymn books and still running amok in modern worship songs. I know that they (hymns) are a reflection of their day and therefore the patriarchy is of that era, but a.) it has carried over to today's worship and b.) congregation members more aware of the desperate importance of inclusive language wincing every second line, is not conducive to worship services.
The rhymes, seriously! There should be a prohibition on rhyming 'lost' with 'cost', 'king' with 'sing', 'face' with 'grace', and 'love' with 'above'. If Christian publishing houses had any integrity they'd have made this move a while back now.
Two final digs, combining as a knock-out blow:
Stuff that's written today is written (rightly so, to a point) to be easily imitable in local churches. The idea is that even untalented musicians should be able to play and lead it, and unmusical congregations should find it easy to sing along. What transpires is more artistically compromised music.
Also, so much of it seems quite theologically weak. This is a real problem when so many Christians seem to get their theology not from biblical reflection in discussion with their worshipping community, but rather from worship songs.
Right, i'm done, suffice to say that all of this combined adds up to one dimensional and shamefully diluted musical experiences and expression... and in the name of God? Is that appropriate? It's no wonder "the devil has the best music".
**News Flash**
We interrupt scheduled programming to bring you this report...
And that's all i have to say on the matter. We now return you to our scheduled broadcast 'The Song of the Soul'.
And that's all i have to say on the matter. We now return you to our scheduled broadcast 'The Song of the Soul'.
14 March 2008
13 March 2008
The Song of the Soul. Pt.3
The gist of the discussion had in this interview centred on, what to me at least is, the fact that music IS a deeply spiritual experience / medium / encounter / expression / entity. It is a thing which reaches into our inner most being and causes us to identify long laid dormant thoughts, emotions and groanings.
I’m blown away by the idea that a combination of sounds, often though not always with words, can present us with ideals which make us want to soar, or comfort hurts and longings that they have so gently realised within us. I cannot begin to fathom how a combination of notes can be a ‘happy’ chord or a ‘sad’ chord, or the way they mess with the chemicals in our brains to that end. If we have this ready an access and control over a mystical tool such as music, despite having very little real understanding of it, how much more wondrous must God be who is not as recreationally available? Hence, music always points me to God.
So far i’ve spoken mostly of the spiritual prowess of ‘secular’ music (and this is where i begin to vent). How come then, that Morcheeba and Gorillaz lead me more into the presence of God than Matt Redman (for instance)? Why is it that Babyshambles (narcotic associations and swearing included) more readily brings me to a place where i can at once, and much more easily, express myself and be in awe of God, than most ‘worship music’?
I’m far more likely to be alerted to just how broken our world is by Jack Johnson and faithless (and in a different way to that of the spice girls) than stuff i’m going to hear in church. What’s more is JJ and faithless’ stuff is more likely to provoke action in response to that brokenness than stuff i hear in church too. Is there something wrong with me, or is there something wrong with the way we use music in worship?
I’m blown away by the idea that a combination of sounds, often though not always with words, can present us with ideals which make us want to soar, or comfort hurts and longings that they have so gently realised within us. I cannot begin to fathom how a combination of notes can be a ‘happy’ chord or a ‘sad’ chord, or the way they mess with the chemicals in our brains to that end. If we have this ready an access and control over a mystical tool such as music, despite having very little real understanding of it, how much more wondrous must God be who is not as recreationally available? Hence, music always points me to God.
So far i’ve spoken mostly of the spiritual prowess of ‘secular’ music (and this is where i begin to vent). How come then, that Morcheeba and Gorillaz lead me more into the presence of God than Matt Redman (for instance)? Why is it that Babyshambles (narcotic associations and swearing included) more readily brings me to a place where i can at once, and much more easily, express myself and be in awe of God, than most ‘worship music’?
I’m far more likely to be alerted to just how broken our world is by Jack Johnson and faithless (and in a different way to that of the spice girls) than stuff i’m going to hear in church. What’s more is JJ and faithless’ stuff is more likely to provoke action in response to that brokenness than stuff i hear in church too. Is there something wrong with me, or is there something wrong with the way we use music in worship?
The Song of the Soul. Pt.1
Prepare thyself, i am about to unleash another mini-series, this one on the subject of music. My spleen will be vented and bile will spew forth. This subject is one which has a defining role in my identity, and certainly in my identity as a Christian.
I've considered blogging on this in the past but haven't got round to it. The catalyst this time was taking part in an interview for another student who's doing her dissertation on the spirituality of popular music (Hi Ingrid). Doing the interview was brilliant, and the only way we could fit it into the day was if we dodged chapel - also brilliant!
To start i need to play my hand open, this will be at the root of most of what i say. My name is andy and i'm a frustrated musician. I'm frustrated because i can't play a thing and i can't sing a note. All the while, my appreciation of music knows no bounds, music is one of the best and most powerful and fascinating things in all of God's creation. I just can't do any of it.
In this interview the first question was 'What sorts of popular music do you like?' and masses (a mass of?) joy ensued when just considering answers. Simply naming genres, sub-genres, bands, singer songwriters and producers was like being bashed in the mind with great audio flashes that carried with them huge emotional resonnances and points of spiritual connectedness.
blur, aimee mann, bob marley, radiohead, moby, hard-fi, van morrison, arrested development, jack johnson, the neptunes, bill withers, brand new heavies, kanye west, portishead, jamiroquai, nina simone....
Give it a go, who does that for you? Consider the joy a gift from me.
I've considered blogging on this in the past but haven't got round to it. The catalyst this time was taking part in an interview for another student who's doing her dissertation on the spirituality of popular music (Hi Ingrid). Doing the interview was brilliant, and the only way we could fit it into the day was if we dodged chapel - also brilliant!
To start i need to play my hand open, this will be at the root of most of what i say. My name is andy and i'm a frustrated musician. I'm frustrated because i can't play a thing and i can't sing a note. All the while, my appreciation of music knows no bounds, music is one of the best and most powerful and fascinating things in all of God's creation. I just can't do any of it.
In this interview the first question was 'What sorts of popular music do you like?' and masses (a mass of?) joy ensued when just considering answers. Simply naming genres, sub-genres, bands, singer songwriters and producers was like being bashed in the mind with great audio flashes that carried with them huge emotional resonnances and points of spiritual connectedness.
blur, aimee mann, bob marley, radiohead, moby, hard-fi, van morrison, arrested development, jack johnson, the neptunes, bill withers, brand new heavies, kanye west, portishead, jamiroquai, nina simone....
Give it a go, who does that for you? Consider the joy a gift from me.
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