What makes a "GREAT" Christian song?

J Dan Brown

I wonder what any of you think of this. What do you consider the most inspiring and encouraging. What draws you to a song and really touches and shakes you, whether it's Praise and Worship, Contemporary Christian music or even what may make for your favorite old hymn? I have been thinking a lot about this lately, I don't know why.

I started playing guitar in my first band the same year that "The Beatles" first played on the "Ed Sullivan Show" on TV. It was 1963 and I was 14 and had been playing about 2 years and I was asked into a band mainly because I was bold enough to sing. From then until almost the next 20 years had passed, I played guitar and sang everywhere from youth center dances, Jr. High Proms, through High School Proms and then College Fraternity and Sorority parties. Eventually, I played for big cash money in Night Clubs in Loiusiana and even played solo street music in Golden Gate Park (long story!) in San Francisco, CA. I returned to Louisiana and married in '74. There was no Christian music then, outside of Southern Quartet stuff and Gospel from the Black Community churches. I was far from any church in anyway, but around the end of the '70s, my wife began to return to church and eventually brought home records of this brilliant young 25 year old songwriter named Keith Green. He had been raised Jewish and a child "Piano Prodigy." He received Salvation in the early '70s, and began a brief career writing about 100 great songs, ending in 1982 and I came to Christian Music and I have (or God has allowed me) yet to near match any one of them. Here is what brought me to Christian Music and back to Church and Christianity. Here is what I think is a truly great song. I think this is one of his first songs, wrote with two other pioneers Todd Fiskind and Randy Stonehill. (Forgive me if I have spoken of this song before and forgotten. It is worth mentioning again, anyway)

Until Your Love Broke through

A) Like a foolish dreamer trying to build a highway to the sky,
All my hopes and dreams would come tumbling down and I never knew just why.
Until today when You rolled away the clouds that hung like curtains on my eyes.
I've been blind and all these wasted years, and I thought I was so wise.
And then You took me by surprise.

Chorus)
Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed, until Your love broke through.
I was lost in a fantasy, that blinded me, until Your love broke through.

B) All my life, I've been searching for the crazy, missing part.
And with one touch, You just rolled away the stone that held my heart.
And now I see that the answer was as simple as just asking You in.
And now I'm sure I could never doubt Your gentle touch again.
It's like the power of the wind.

Repeat Chorus)

Blessed, by this and so many other great songs from the early days of Christian Music, Dan

PS: Tomorrow, the first Christian song I ever wrote

markm2553 · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:58 am Post subject:

You can hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h89-3_kIRDA

More about Keith Green:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6hOyx8LF4I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWqolYSEihM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I9dLO63YlA&NR=1

Bates15 · Moderator Joined: 19 Feb 2002 Posts: 1084

Keith rules! For shure the best songwriter I have ever heard of. Don Franisco is in his league to, but in a stroy telling way. Playes some cool guitar stuff to (Walking Wounded and the CD Live in London (is it on cd?!) That is my fav Francisco song. The text and the music are complete.

I just bought me the DVD with the KG story, told by Melody (his wife) Made me want to read his book again.

Then I whink the most moving song to me was a song Tommy Walker sang on one of his first CD's, I thing it is called It will be worth it all somde (at least that is the chorus line) The tekst and the way the music is so simple and leading made it my fav for months in row.

As for productions I have to go for the first Jars of Clay cd (self titled) It has the acoustics and the unexpected backbeats and a fantastic sound to it.

Fot the huge sound I like Ron Kenoly's Sing Out DVD (love to see the get down...)

And then loads more, but I'll get back on them Smile

George E · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:20 am Post subject:

When I hear a new piece of Christian music, I tend to mentally divide it into one of two piles. There's the "hymn" pile, which are songs that could be used in worship that the congregation can sing, and there's the "anthem" pile, for songs that can be performed for an audience, but not with easy group participation.

Then, I further mentally sub-divide the "hymn" pile into when they'd be appropriate during the liturgy. The hardest Contemporary Christian songs for me to find are sermon hymns that touch on the theme of the Gospel lesson for each Sunday. I often end up having to select traditional hymns and lead them with contemporary instrumentation. Fortunately, that often works out great.

It's funny, but I also started playing guitar and bass in the 1960's. One of the first exposures I had to what could be called "contemporary Christian" music was the folk mass "Rejoice", which I first head in 1963. It was written by an Episcopalian priest, and released on a phonograph record. It was done with a guitar, five-string banjo and string bass, and had a strong "Kingston Trio" folk-music vibe to it. I wasn't impressed.

But then I participated in celebrating it at a local church in 1967. They had an all-guitar rock band performing it with a girl trio leading the vocals, and it did impress me. It had more of a Phil Spector "girl group" vibe to the music. It had all of the standard liturgical songs, including the Kyrie, Sanctus, Sursum Corda, and even musical settings for the Lord's Prayer and Nicene Creed. There were several original hymns in the mini-hymnal that came with it, plus versions of traditional hymns that fit with the rest of the music.

In 1972, I had the opportunity to lead the band doing the music for a Rejoice service at my own church. I had some of the people from my own recently disbanded band, including our keyboard player. When we played the music, it had more of a Moody Blues vibe. It was a different sound from the other versions I had heard, but it was still a meaningful worship service.

I stopped playing guitar myself soon after that, but I did listen to Christian music on the radio sometimes. What struck me most about the Christian songs from that era, and the Christian songs of today, is that so many of them only scratch the surface of the richness and fullness of the Gospel.

To me, what makes a "great" Christian song is defined as what it isn't. I'd start by disqualifying Christian-themed songs that miss the point. There's an unfortunate trend for "Jesus is my boyfriend" style pop songs. When I hear them on the radio or the CCM channel on my cable TV system's music feeds, I tend to just tune them out as background noise, or change the station. I couldn't even begin to list the names of the artists who fit that category, as my brain tends to just shut down when those songs come on.

I also don't find myself spiritually elevated by many of the 7-11 Christian songs. I think everyone is familiar with those. They only have seven words which are repeated 11 times.

I really like Christian songs that are paraphrases of psalms and other Biblical songs. The one and only song I've ever written that I'll actually let anyone else hear is a version of the prayer of Simeon from Luke 2:29-32. That's called the "Nunc Dimittis", and is traditionally sung as a psalm after communion. When I lead contemporary worship services, I use my version of that every time as part of the liturgy.

These are my paraphrased lyrics, including the extra words usually found in the liturgical "Nunc Dimittis":

Lord I'm your servant let me go in peace
Your word has been fulfilled.
Lord I'm your servant let me go in peace
Your word has been fulfilled.
I've seen your salvation, The light that lights the world
I've seen your salvation, The glory of Israel
Lord I'm your servant let me go in peace
Your word has been fulfilled.
Glory to the Father, Creator of all that is
Glory to the Son, Savior of us all
Glory to the Holy Spirit, The Lord, the giver of life
As it was when time began
As it is right here and now
And as it'll be forever, Amen

As you can see, it's not really very appropriate as a general purpose hymn, but I think it fits well into the liturgy as a post-communion psalm just before the congregation is dismissed. We sing that psalm, receive the benediction, sing an uplifting closing hymn, then have the dismissal dialogue, (Leader: "Go in peace, serve the Lord." Response: "Thanks be to God!".)

There's also a great musical version of "The Magnificat" that's perfect as a sermon hymn for the third or fourth Sunday in Advent.

Brian Doerksen's "Come, Now is the Time to Worship" is a great call-to-worship hymn. It's a little short as a hymn, but is great to start a liturgy. I like using Rich Mullins' "Step by Step" as a call to worship, though I found it a little too short. Since our service is at 5:00 PM, I wrote extra verses to cover noontime and evening.

Verse 2
I will seek You at the midday
And I will listen to all that you say
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will serve you in every way.

Verse 3
I will seek You in the night time
As you take away all of my fears
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You the rest of my years.

I hope Mullens doesn't mind.

For Sundays when commitment is the theme of the day, the traditional hymn "Take My Life And Let It Be" works really well done in a contemporary musical style. And, it has six good, solid, message-filled verses which I think is important for a really great hymn. A hymn might not need as many as six verses, but only one verse and a chorus, repeated several times, is a little to "mantraish" for me. On the other hand, using all nine verses of "When the Saints Go Marching In", with a chorus between each verse, can be a bit much.

I just wish I could find more sermon hymns. In the traditional hymnals, all the hymns are listed by their overall theme to help select which ones are appropriate for each Sunday. There are hymns for each of the seasons of the church year. There are hymns about stewardship, fellowship, commitment, witness, discipleship, as well as praise. It seems like the writers of Contemporary Christian Music ignore all of the categories of hymns other than praise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that praise isn't important. But worship is not only where we gather to praise God, it's where we gather to receive God and God's Word. I wish more writers of CCM songs would expand their horizons beyond just praise.

J Dan Brown · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

Wow George, thanks for sharing all of that. Very thought provoking. I too seek out strong Sciptural base, whether paraphrased or actual, and think that a Bible story told well has worth. I, like you, grow weary of too prolonged and simplistic praise an worship. There is also nothing at all lacking in stuff like "Just as I Am", "Softly and Tenderly", "Washed in the Blood" or "Arise and Sing" and hundreds more, either. I think there is a need for what I call "Evangelistic" Christian. More geared to the lost, or maybe reminding the saved of when they were the lost. Wasn't Mr. Green like that, Bates? He was constantly writing songs trying to shock and wake up this fallen planet, from the unsaved to the sleeping Christian who had adapted the "Token" gestures, but had experienced little change of thoughts or lives.

I remember Don Francisco, Bates. My wife listened to a couple named Steve and Annie Chapman and I liked Rany Stonehill, although I didn't understand some of his purposes. I listened to a rock group named "Bethlehem" in the late '70s who even did some Christian "Blues." I remember some of the early Phil Keaggy had vocals and I remember when Steven Curtis and Bruce Carroll first had LPs. Of couse back when nearly every "Country" and "Folk" artist had a "Gospel" LP. From Hank to Loretta to Elvis and to Joni M., Judy C. and Burl Ives.

Back in '82 I had been listening to Christian music for about 5 or 6 years and had recently felt called to play, sing and write exclusively Christian music. I had been trying to write, but nothing that made sense came easily. I was catfishing on Saturday down on Red Chute Bayou on a bridge oin a very remote dirt and gravel road, chicken liver blood all on my clothes and hands, but catching few Ictalurus punctatus or furcatus. I got to thinking about what all my friends were thinking about my renewed faith, and telling myself how they would never get it and would be in the World's snare forever. Like a flash, this song came to me, all the words and the fingerpicked tune and I grabbed a pencil and wrote it on the back of a work order sheet of where I was an electronics tech and to this day have changed nothing from 25 or so years ago. I realized many months later that this gift from Heaven was meant for me as well as those friends and was that final nudge I needed for the Sppirit's use.

“I Can See It in Your Eyes”
(J. Dan Brown/ 1982)

A) My friend it’s good to see you, I haven’t seen you for a while.
How’s your life been going? There seems some damage to your smile.
So you’ve wrecked your life again. It looks like you could use a friend.
I know Someone you need to meet, Who could show you what your life might have been.

B You’re gonna say you’ve heard it all before and it would never work for you.
But how can you know until you try to know the only One that’s true.
And though you’ve blown your life apart, He could heal your crusted and broken heart.
The Father sent Him for you too. He’s waiting for you, but you have to make a start.

Chorus)
‘Cause I can see it in your eyes! You’re just a prisoner in disguise.
You’re just a prisoner of this world and all it’s lies.
He would be your closest friend. Open up your heart and ask Him in.
Jesus is the answer, my friend!

C) Why, you may count yourself unworthy, but I’d be tellin’ you the truth.
You don’t have to fix yourself, before my God can make His move.
And so you’ve blown your life apart, He can heal your crusted and broken heart.
The Father sent Him for you too. He’s waiting for you, you just have to make a start.

Chorus)

Blessed, that the Father shared this with me, Dan

music wasn't part of me · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:50 pm Post subject:

for me it's lyric lyric and lyric. Before i accepted Jesus, I listened to rock music and alternative...because I was looking for the cool guitars and the Hard Loud Drum beats, As long as it's ROCK, I'd take it whatever the lyric said (which mostly about rebellion and violence)

but now, my music has changed drastically, i gave up listening the fast-beat or the extremely cool guitar licks, words started to change me.

I notice this :
When I listen to a song, I don't really know if it's God or not untill I try to sing it myself,saying out the lyric

J Dan Brown · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:23 am Post subject:

Music, I don't think that there is anything evil or wrong in loud beats or wild guitars in themselves. Some young Christians would not ever hear good words if they weren't called to the music by their past. My own daughter and her husband (with boys 12 and 10) listen to much wilder Christian Rock than me and my beloved listen to like Third Day, Jars of Clay and even more intense, loud and driving type music I can't be fond of. I find no fault in the music though, as long as the words are sound.

On my first CD I allowed a guy to place a very heavy metal rock version of a Dallas Holm song called "Rise Again." He was helping me with the recording so I allowed this and also for him to write music to one of my sets of lyrics called "You Touched My Heart" mostly to distract him to get the rest of it like I wanted. They came out very wild for me, and both ended up on the CD and many have told me how it really touched them and this guy's later band played it in Nightclubs with my lyrics and with the loud music, no one probably heard my lyrics except subconciously, but then who cares as long as something evil isn't disguised within it.

Blessed, by any music for God's purposes, Dan

markm2553 · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:57 am Post subject:

Rock music and great Christian lyric:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Es-ZYUU6zc

One I like to play live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plwpdgae6UI

Psalm 36, Your Love O Lord, one of our Youth group favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mP4LhdE4vc

And Rick Mullin's song rocked out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oybROi7Ehg

music wasn't part of me · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject:

J Dan Brown · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:22 pm Post subject:

Music, I think I owe you an apology for what I said about the "evil of music, in itself, this morning." In a discusion about it with my wife going to the city this AM, she pointed out that specific types of music could remind one of an unsavory past, things best forgotten or an unpleasant memory or experience. She said that she has problems with certain types herself, like if if has a wandering, minor jazz beat, it reminds her backgrounds of passionate lovemaking early in our marriage when we listened to wordly music like Loggins and Messina and Derek and the Dominos. Some styles bring up her first marriage, "hippie" days of drug use and "Rock" festivals, and she would prefer not to be reminded.

Now I, on the other hand, as a four decade musician don't seem to get lost in any type or style, and it doesn't seem to dredge up unwanted emotions, and I am made less careful and guilty about it.

But if you have unwanted feelings, like my wife, when listening to a certain style of music, whether it be beat and tempo or volume and screech, it is wise for you to stay away from it, until your Christian maturity can handle it, if ever.
Blessed, by straightening that out, Dan