Jesus Christ gets his due? Hard to say, but he was mentioned tonight.
The overwhelming interest in this morning's post draws me to look at tonight's American Idol - Idol Gives Back edition, beginning with the familiar Zschech Darlene version (Hillsong Australia). In an earlier post, I included her version, but below I am including Don Moen's.
According to Wikipedia:
"Shout to the Lord" is a popular worship anthem, written by singer/songwriter Darlene Zschech in 1993, published by Hillsong Music Australia. It is sung regularly at many Christian churches, festivals and youth gatherings.Tonight, the words seem to reflect the original. Did American Idol producers bow to pressure from Christians? Was this in the contract from the start? I don't know.
American Idol Waters Down 'Shout to the Lord' - Modern Christian Praise Song
7 comments:
I geuss I'm not as overcome by this event as others. Perhaps part of it is I never watch American Idol or any of the other reality shows. Something still makes me uncomfortable with the idea of using an idol in a positive sense. But more than that, this really isn't a great song.
Yes, I've been moved in the Spirit in singing it. But it is far, far, far from the best Christian music has to offer. What happened to our music that sang,
"Give a cup of water,
in the name of the Lord.
We need to give away,
all the things we have stored.
Too much time
spent thinking on ourselves,
when all around us,
people crying out for help."
or the prophetic 20 years ago
"It was written long ago,
it comes as no surprise,
that wear the oil flows the most
is where the tension lies.
We are shadows of an empire
that has reached to conquer outer space.
But now we struggle here at home,
just to save the human race.
Soldiers in Afghanistan,
sanctions to Iran...
we're running out of time.
Look out Babylon,
you better change your tune.
Look out Babylon,
you'll have to pay our dues.
Look out Babylon,
the bride is waiting for the groom."
or
"Ever since she can remember
what her calling should have been.
To serve the Lord was her desire,
when she was only 17.
Till she fell in love with someone else,
that she could touch and see,
now she lives a life as
Suburban Josephine."
or
"I'm sitting by the TV,
and I think I might hit the sack.
Life's pretty easy
when you're just kicking back.
I've heard about the starving millions
on my TV and radio.
I know many are called
and I'd like to go,
but I'm much too busy to cope."
That's all Christian music. We were once so capable of better.
Compared to the Gospel, this Shout to the Lord is a weak thing indeed. It is neither technically brilliant, nor a clarying call to Jubilee. It allows Christias to sing and feel good about themselves and their God, without having to change. And bonus- now the rest of America gets to see it, and we get our ten minutes of fame! But truly, if millions came to Christ through hearing this song, would that be any good, if they came to this kind of Christianity? It is no wonder that Americans think little of the faith, when we consider this as our anthem, rather than something calling for a radical change in lifestyle and culture in order to care for the poor, free the oppressed and imprisoned, and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
I thought it was interesting that only Brooke, David, and Kristy sang that part.
@bdul muHib: You summarize the situation well.
I was speaking at a banquet Sunday night, and the musicians before me played, "It Is Well With My Soul." You know the hymn. It occured to me how that song needs to be true. Whether American Idol is singing, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," or "Highway to Hell," is less important than my own devotion to our Lord and Savior.
If every radio station played nothing but hymns, but I was still apart from Christ, what good am I to notice the radio? The greatest public relations for Jesus is not a bumper sticker, or song on AI, but whether I love Him, and my neighbor.
Thanks for these video clips and your posts about Christianity and music. From a UK perspective, I am amazed that even a watered down version of a song of praise to Christ managed to get on mainstream TV. Believe me, over here would out cry from the Humanist Society and the Muslim community. As far as the song itself goes, I think it's pretty poor but that's merely a matter of taste. I'd have happily heard the Gospel choir in the background do the whole song themselves then, maybe, it would have sounded good.
As I've said before, I am of the, possibly misguided, opnion that nearly all contemporary Christian music is aesthetically very poor. That doesn't mean it makes it poor bad worship, though. That's down to what's in the hearts of those singing the song, surely? I'm not into all this hand waving, swaying along to acoustic guitars myself. It's like when you're a kid and your dad is trying to be hip - it always falls flat for me. Because I'm so in love with music from country to the blues to reggae to hip-hop to jazz and rock and beyond, I prefer my worship in a more trad. style. I like a nice Wesleyan hymn or similar that you vcan belt out with gusto. My personal favourite is John Bunyan's 'To Be A Pilgrim'.
Of the clips you have put up below I liked the guy with the guitar who played the instrumental (says it all!)...his other song was OK but bit drippy for me. The Elvis was interesting but I'd rather listen to his original 'How Great Thou Art' album where he sings old white gospel with some real feeling. My own favourite Gospel performers are old artists like Rosetta Tharp, Blind Willie Johnson, The Rev, Gary Davis and Aretha Franklin on her brilliant 'Amazing Grace' album. It's notable that all these people straddled a difficult line between the sacred and the profane...but, for me, there is true spirit in their performances. The very best reletively recent overtly Christian music was made by Dylan. I think he's still playing 'Christian' music today.
What is worship? I'm not qualified to say but my feeling is that worship can be carried out alone but communal worship is important too. Worship is prayer, is song, is meditation, is walking and thinking about The Lord and His creation. It's probably lots of other things as well. Can a non-Christian perform a song of worship? Who am I to say what's in their heart? I think they can at the very leaast inspire worship in others. Much of it's in the ear of the beholder. I think I can hear God in much marvellous nusic that isn't religious at all.
Noooooooooo need to have changed it....we all heard Jesus loud and clear. We know He is the Lord and worthy of our Shouts, songs and praises.
I am rejoicing. I am so happy....can you imagine what God must be feeling?
He deserves all praise.
He is worthy. I trust the song was a big blessing to all who heard it....it is magnificent.
We live in an awesome time right now when tens of millions of people hear the name of Jesus lifted up in the same week all over the world. God is so totally up to something big right now. How obvious does it get? Oh so cool.
See last night's post about Carly Smithson's version of "Jesus Christ Superstar," sung on American Idol last night. I ask about blasphemy and theological consistency.
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