If you know anything about me, you know I love music. Music has been my confetti when I'm happy and my pillow when I'm sad. One of my biggest complaints about the church before I became a believer was that the music in church didn't appeal to me at all and if the church would get rockin then maybe I would be more inclined to go. Of course the way I phrase it at 38 is slightly different from the phrasing I used as 16 or 17. Well not long after my dad died in a car accident the president of our schools bible club brought me some cassettes by Amy Grant, Leslie Phillips and Mylon Lefevere and Broken Heart and not too long after that the schools metal head Tommy let me borrow a tape by the band Stryper. And I was honestly amazed, for a kid that had grown up with some very rigid rules of what Christian music could be I was a little overwhelmed and it actually took me several months to get my head around the fact that this music was "Christian." Well that music was instrumental in leading me to the Lord. It also lead to a friendship with Pete that is still strong to this day. I've mentioned in previous blogs that we actually had a pretty successful DJ service that provided a Christian alternative for those who wanted to dance without having to worry about what they were listening to. Well it's been several years since we have actually DJ'd together but several times a year my youth or a friend will ask me to do something and since I really do enjoy it I usually say yes if my schedule allows. Last night I got to do the local Home School Formal, which is basically a prom for the home school kids in the area. This is the second year I've done it and I really enjoyed myself. I was joking with my friend James that I have to be careful with what I play, because some of the stuff that I play 10-15 years ago that I like and is good music just doesn't appeal to today's teens.
I kind of wax nostalgic when I think about how far Christian music has come. Gone are the days of Pete and I traveling to the local Christian bookstores to stock up on all the latest music. Gone are the days of us filling up the back of his trooper with trays of CD's. I fit more music than we ever carried on a 150gb portable hard drive with tons of room to spare. And these days I buy more music at Wal-mart or off the internet and I honestly couldn't even tell you the last time I went to a bookstore. I miss the buy 5 get 1 free sticker promotions that gave an incentive to buy the music at a Christian bookstore. The fact was, before it became more mainstream, Christian music had sort of an underground feel to it and it was the neatest thing to be able to turn someone on to a band like The Prayer Chain, Sixpence None the Richer, P.O.D., Switchfoot and countless others and also get the chance to talk to them about Jesus. I'm not saying that the increased exposure for Christian music is a bad thing, it just makes me realize that things are different than they used to be and that time marches on. So in honor of that I'm gonna throw some retro Christian lyrics out there.
I ain't knocking the hymns,
Just give me a song that has a beat.
I ain't knocking the hymns,
Just give me a song that moves my feet.
I don't like none of those funeral marches
I ain't dead yet!
There will be another contest starting soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
You Either Have It or You Don't
4 years ago
5 comments:
Music is so powerful isn't it!
Neat story - thanks for sharing.
And yeah - CDs are all "old school" as they call it.
Working on your header :)
Hoping I can come up with something you like. We shall see.
Don't know the lyrics - *wah*
Just wait - JC or Kathie or Tayva - those pushy winner people will show up soon!
I have no idea about the lyrics :(
I'll wait with Julie for the winner people to show up and, well, win!
you and Pete this, you and Pete that, what was I, the frickin' 3rd wheel? What happened to the "Secretary of Speakerwire"? Doesn't he get a mention. Who had to nearly freeze to death in the back of the Laser when new speakers were purchased and they wouldn't fit without the hatchback being open on the ride home from Frederick to Charles Town! :)
And what's up with other readers on this blog being sore losers from the last round of the contest....callin' people pushy and stuff. I don't get it. I get called names for retaining a little bit of information?
Geoff Moore and the Distance... Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music.
i haven't heard that song in ages. haha every now and again i'll here a DC Talk song or Newsboys and it brings back good memories. you know what christian artist i was introduced to? carmen. yes. it's sad. and slightly embarassing at times, especially since most of my christian friends would say DC Talk or Petra were their first into. to the Xn scene. i stopped listening to carmen once i was introduced to DC Talk.
you know what else is funny!!! i still remember the day faith and i went to the xn bookstore in CT and bought R St. James' "God" (cassett tape, of course) and while listening to it on the way home mom said "this music is pretty hard." hahaha little did she know what she was in for!
i remember when it wasn't easy to track down a xn album and now, most xn artists are mixed in with the mainstream pop/rock bins - i've even come across FIF albums! i don't know if that's impressive or shameful.
I'm a wee bit late in this, but D, I'm right there with you on the nostalgia train...
Growing up on So Cal, I was fortunate enough to be in the midst of some of the up & comers like Undercover, Bryan Duncan (broke my foot at his concert!), Russ Taff (when he went solo). Remember Steven Taylor ("Meltdown" and "Hero"?) Morgan Cryar. David Meece. Most of 'em performed in small concerts at my church...and we got in LOTS of trouble with the blue hairs for dancing in the aisles.
*sigh* I used to be so cool. I'm not ready to not be anymore.
Might have to dig out the cassette player for a stroll down memory lane...CDs were out of my price range back then! Thanks for bringing this back, D!!
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