Michael Jackson Tribute During Church Service

Some questions:
-What is a church service for?
-What should take place in a church service- biblically?
-Does this have a place in Church?
-Would this be okay in your church? Should it?

Michael Jackson Most Wanted Love

"I am going to say something I have never said before and this is the truth. I have no reason to lie to you and God knows I am telling the truth. I think all my success and fame, and I have wanted it, I have wanted it because I wanted to be loved. That's all. That's the real truth. I wanted people to love me, truly love me, because I never really felt loved. I said I know I have an ability. Maybe if I sharpened my craft, maybe people will love me more. I just wanted to be loved because I think it is very important to be loved and to tell people that you love them and to look in their eyes and say it."

-Michael Jackson

One cannot read these words without feeling a tremendous sadness for a soul that was so surrounded with hero-worship but remained so utterly alone.

-Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

-I John 4.9-10

Michael Jackson penned a song called Morphine. It is very telling of his final years. You can read the lyrics here and watch/hear the video (as long as it stays up) here.

You can read the entire article by the Rabbi here.

Some questions:

-How does this impact you?

-Do you think the lure of money and fame would have caused you to be an enabler to MJ?

-Does this make death a little more of a reality for you?

-Does how we live and what we believe in life really matter?

-If you had 15 minutes with MJ, what would you have told him?

The Outrage! Going From Gay To Straight

The title of his song [Luke was gay], implying that some gays can change to heterosexuality, was sufficient to destabilize the Italian gay movement. Gay activists threatened to block the festival, and Europarlimentary member Vittorio Agnoletto asked for a European resolution to stop Povia from peforming the song. Povia, himself, received death threats. The gay association "Everyone" denounced Povia to the Procura of the Republic for alleged "homophobia." These efforts failing, gay activists then asked the Festival organizers to "counterbalance" Povia with a song by a gay singer, about "the perfection of homosexual love." That effort too, failed.

I find it a strange twist in irony when a group of people who long for acceptance, who wish so terribly to move past tolerance and into open acceptance, do the very thing they despise to another group of people as they are seen as a hindrance to their agenda.

Tolerance is a politically correct term; it gets used the same way politicians use our political system: for self gain. It has no usefulness other than it is a way for one group to "progress" to where other groups have already socially/culturally arrived or always been. However, when a group that is contrary to your stance rallies around the banner of tolerance, they are threatened and all that can be done to marginalize them will be done.

This goes to show the true nature of humanity. It goes to show that we are in need of something, someone outside ourselves that can help us to understand and know what true love really is. Once we learn to love, tolerance will no longer be a banner that some will carry. However, I fear that us learning to love will not occur on this side of death.

Ht: Stand to Reason

You can read more here.
You can watch the video here (the quicktime version has subtitles for the lyrics).
***Another interesting story can be read here that shows the irrational lengths that one homosexual person went to enjoy the benefits of a heterosexual marriage.***

Some questions:
-Why would the oppressed turn to oppression- does this not contradict all that they stand for?
-What is a Christian's role in all of this?
-Is homosexuality a sin? Biblically is it a sin?
-In regards to the article, why do you think the crowd hissed at the pro gay speaker after the song was completed?
-

Playing For Change

Playing For Change: Song Around the World | Stand By Me from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

An award winning documentary "Playing for Change: Peace Through Music" is a documentary aimed at promoting peace through the medium of music. The above video was taken from the documentary and will be available for digital download in the near future along with other songs found in the documentary.

The video above displays a collective group of individuals, worlds apart, singing parts of the same song and playing instruments to build that very same song. What they get is an awe-inspiring original adaptation of song put together by common folk, just playing for change, all around the world. It is truly a neat thing to see and I am sure the film makers went away from this project with more than just a film.

Check it out above and you can check out their website here.

You can find more on the making of this here.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Not very often does someone come along and remake a classic and you know that you have something very special on your hands. World, meet child prodigy.

Who Likes Free Music?

I think I may have posted on this a while back when it was only an idea, but it has now come to fruition. Derek Webb, solo artist and former member of Caedmon's Call came up with the idea and implemented it a while back by giving away a free album as a download if you give him some of your information (email, zip code and three email addresses of friends). He used that information to find fan bases so he could plan his venues based on known fans who would come and support him. So basically he traded his music knowing that giving that away to his listener base would pay off at his shows; plus it allowed for others who would not spend the money to sample his music to do so risk free and he could gain another potential fan.

Since that time he has made a website and opened it up to other artists to share their work in the same way. He also gives you the choice to purchase the music at a price you set if you are not comfortable giving him (or the artist) your information.

So go check it out (you can listen to every song on the site for free to see if you are interested in it and if it would appeal to your friends).

The site is called NoiseTrade.

Unpatriotic?

DENVER - Mayor John Hickenlooper's annual State of the City address may get more attention for what wasn't included than what was.
At the start of the event Tuesday morning, City Council President Michael Hancock introduced singer Rene Marie to perform the national anthem.
Instead, she performed the song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," which is also known as the "black national anthem."
When she finished, the audience responded with mild applause. The national anthem was never performed.

She says she wanted to express her love of her country by mixing the lyrics of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" with the melody of the "Star-Spangled Banner."
"When I decided to sing my version, what was going on in my head was: 'I want to express how I feel about living in the United States, as a black woman, as a black person,'" said Marie.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Does culture trump nationalism? Does it even matter?
-Is the Star Spangled Banner (national anthem) outdated or culture specific?
-Is this unpatriotic?
-If you asked someone to sing the national anthem and they sang something other than, how would you react?
-Is what she did wrong?

Music Recommendation

I don't usually promote artists or give my opinions on music very often. Today I will break that trend and recommend to my readers an artist by the name of Jamie Barnes. He is based out of Louisville Kentucky. I don't recall exactly how I ran across him (I am sure it was somebody else's recommendation), but I have since come to really enjoy his music.

His music is folky and is overlayed with a smooth, airy vocal that ties it all together with a smoothness that soothes. So far, I really like Conflict Diamond (hearable on his myspace page) as well as Vampire Movie (hearable on his myspace page) and his rendition of Joy to the World.

You can check out his website here.

You can download a free copy of his rendition of Joy to the World here.

His music myspace page contians free songs to listen to and one for free as a download here.

Do you have any music recommendations?

Steven Curtis Chapman Video With Daughter Maria

In case you did not hear, Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter Maria Chapman died two nights ago when her brother accidentally ran her over in their driveway. She was 5 years old. I can't even begin to imagine what the brother must be going through. May God grant him (and his family) much grace!

Here is the video.

Some questions:
-What would you say to the brother who has to live with this for the rest of his life?
-If you were his family, how would you minister to him while still grieving the death of Maria?
-How does Satan use guilt in circumstances such as these?

The Death of Larry Norman & The Christian Music Label

Below is an excerpt from a journal entry by my favorite singer/songwriter of all time: Robert Deeble. Never heard of him? That's okay, now you have. Read below and note his comments about the entity that is "Christian Music".

i read this morning that larry norman died...

its strange he was one of the weirdest people in music. Larry is best known in the genre of Christian rock, a genre that I have fiercely avoided. Not for any denial of my own spiritual beliefs (I consider myself a Christian) but for the sick commercialization that accompanies it. Several of my albums had been partly distributed through that industry and what I witnessed behind the scenes was so traumatic that I pretty much washed my hands.

Larry's music focused on his belief in Jesus but never at the sake of denying reality around him. As Frank Black of the Pixies said recently of Larry "People might think of him as a so-called Christian singer or songwriter or whatever, but he's an individual. He has his own kind of thing going on. He's not all slicko, you know? He's real." Touring with bands like the Who and the Stones Larry's "Jesus talk" eventually wore out its welcome and he found himself in a subculture in LA that became a loose collective of artists who lyrically mingled life with a wonder for God...

Frank Black and Jason Carter filmed Larry in the hospital before his death and he looked pretty bad... ( video link ) but for a better picture of this who this strange man was search the record piles in your local thrift store until you find a edgar winter looking dude in his twenties all bellbottomed and crazyeyed, reaching out for something just beyond his grasp.

You can read more here.

*Of note: I would have never found Robert Deeble's music if it had not been added to the Downstream: A Weathervane Compilation (a "Christian Music" compilation). "Rock a Bye" is included on that album, and Robert Deeble does a duet with Victoria Williams (a guru in both Christian and secular circles). Simply beautiful.

Some questions:
-What are your thoughts concerning "Christian Music"? Christian Music Labels?
-Do you think Robert Deeble brings up a good point concerning the industry?
-If you bothered to click on Deeble's link above, what are your thoughts concerning his lyrics? His musical style?

When The Lights Go Out

That is the title of a new song collaboration between Derek Webb and his wife Sandra McCracken. It is a great melodic blend of passionate vocals and upbeat tempo with driving, meaningful lyrics. What is more, this the first collaboration on a CD project by Derek and Sandra and it is duo I think I will be wanting to hear more of in the coming years. The album is called Amersand EP.

Here are the lyrics:

When the Lights Go Out

I see her in that dress right before I knew her name
She slowly walking to me right before our lives were changed
Maybe I’ve gone crazy maybe I’m still in love
Each night I change what happened I change how it was

When the lights go out
You can hear the sound
Of your heart beat slow
And the memories glow
When the lights go out

That summer raised my lifeline
It’s the only thing that’s real
I’m frozen in the subway
Just a cog in the wheel
If life is for the living and love is for the strong
I don’t know how I got here but I know where he belongs

When the lights go out
You can hear the sound
Of your heart beat slow
And the memories glow
When the lights go out

In the middle of this circus
You’re the thing that gets me through
So I dive beneath the surface and close my eyes and see you

When the lights go out
You can hear the sound
Of your heart beat slow
And the memories glow
When the lights goes out

You can hear the sound
Of your heart beat slow
And the memories glow
When the lights goes out

When your heart beats slow
And the memories glow
When the lights go out

Currently the CD is not available for sale just yet (it will be) but I believe you can order it (and an immediate download of the songs) on Derek Webb's website. Very much worth the 6 bucks they are charging for it.

You can buy it and listen to samples here.

Jonathan Coulton: Creative, Free Music

My name is Jonathan Coulton and I’m a musician, a singer-songwriter and an internet superstar. This site is chock full of music, news and me-related merchandise - if you’re not that familiar with who I am and what I do you can use the link [below] to get started.

You can listen to every one of his songs right there on his website. Browse around and get a feel for his personality. He loves making music and doesn't mind giving it away for free or for donations or by way of bartering. There are videos that fans have made to go along with his music. And as a note, his music is not lacking in talent or creativity and it is licensed under the creative commons licensing protocol.

You can check it out here. (smiley face icons mean they are free!)

***While most songs are pure genius, some are not suitable for children due to language or mature subject matter***

Sellotape Pencils In The Wind

Sometimes you find something and it "sticks" in your head... for days. This was one of those things. It is a song performed by Flight of the Conchords (some of their content is pretty risque' so be forewarned- this one is safe though). Enjoy!

Don't Steal That Song, It May Not Be Legal!

Music fans around the world faced confusion today as it was announced they would be able to download unlimited, free songs without breaking the law.

A revamped online file-sharing service had vowed to offer a catalogue of 30million free songs that are compatible with iPods, but record labels have denied they had granted permission to share the songs.

...Warner Music said it had not authorised the use of its tracks by Qtrax - and later Universal Music Group and EMI followed suit, saying they did not have licensing deals with Qtrax and discussions were continuing.

You can read more here.

An observation:
-As quick as it came, in all probability, it is gone.

Steal That Song, It's Legal!

With CD sales in free fall and legal downloads yet to fill the gap, the music industry has reluctantly embraced the file-sharing technology that threatened to destroy it. Qtrax (the site is currently down so I linked to the google cache page of the site so you can still see it), a digital service announced today, promises a catalogue of more than 25 million songs that users can download to keep, free and with no limit on the number of tracks.

The service has been endorsed by the very same record companies - including EMI, Universal Music and Warner Music – that have chased file-sharers through the courts in a doomed attempt to prevent piracy. The gamble is that fans will put up with a limited amount of advertising around the Qtrax website’s jukebox in return for authorised use of almost every song available.

The singer James Blunt gave Qtrax a cautious welcome. “I’m amazed that we now accept that people steal music,” he said. “I was taught not to steal sweets from a sweet shop. But I want to learn how this service works, given the condition the music industry is in.”

You can read more here.

Update: Qtrax is back up. Check it out here.

Some questions:
-Would you deal with Digital Rights Management and advertising for free music?
-What do you think about this? Blunt's statement?
-If you currently use iTunes or another service, will you move to Qtrax?
-Does this seem right to you?

Caedmon's Call Overdressed CD

I preordered the Overdressed CD by Caedmon's Call and received it last week. It has quickly grown on me. There are four songs in particular that really cause one to think. 1. Trouble by Derek Webb 2. Expectations by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame (I will comment more on this one later.) 3. Hold the Light by Andrew Osenga and Randall Goodgame 4. Ten Thousand Angels by Sandra McCracken (this is only on the special prerelease edition)

Here is a blurp from Expectations:
"That boy had the highest of expectationsAnd he heard that Jesus would fill him up. Maybe something got lost in the language. If this was full, then why bother? This was not the way it looked on the billboard, Smiling family beaming down on the interstate..." (Click on Expectations above to see the full lyrics.)


Here is a video of Derek Webb singing Trouble:



Some questions:
-What are your thoughts about the 4 songs posted above- especially in how it relates to their lyrics?
-Do you plan to purchase this cd?
-What are your thoughts of Derek Webb's guest appearance on this album?
-Do you think that most Christian music is lacking when it comes to lyrical integrity in how it relates to theological truths as portrayed in scripture?