I Love Music, Too Bad I Have No Talent
I really wish I could sing - I mean better than carrying somewhat of a tune in church. I wish I could harmonize and sing on tune and even participate in the Family Camp Choir (Todd Guy would kick me out after the first practice.) I also wish I could play the piano better. I took lessons as a kid - just enough so I think I can sit down and play anything, but not enough so I actually can play without hitting a lot of sour notes. I would love to take drum lessons. I have never actually played any other drums except for my three year old's Christmas present set, but that would now be my instrument of choice.
And like most people, I love listening to music. I grew up in a house that was either playing Sandi Patti, The Watchmen, or the Maranantha Singers. My taste in music in junior high/high school was a little different than that. It started with Petra - This Means War, and then as I would listen to the top 40 on Sundays after church (I would race into the house to tape the last five on the countdown with my supercool double cassestte boom box) Gun's n Roses and Metallica started hitting the pop scene, and I had found my genre of music. In college I went through a classic rock phase and even bought the 4 CD set of Led Zepplin. I really enjoyed the grunge stage with Alice n Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. But then I realized at some point that the words of the music I was listening to were not what most would consider edifying to God, so I lapsed into an 80's love song phase. Interestingly enough, that is what brought Jason and I together - he noticed me opening up my newly ordered Forever 80's double CD set in the student center the summer after my sophmore year. He said "Hey, I have that set, too" and the rest is history. We spent the next two weeks watching VH-1 A to Z until 2 in the morning. What a story to tell the grandkids.
Anyway, all that to say that through the years, there have been several songs that many people my age know all the words to, or a good number at least, and I will have to admit I have no idea what the lyrics mean. So I am asking any of you who read this blog to please enlighten me on what I have been singing along to all these years. Below are five songs that have me baffled. And yes, the music in the Wuertley household and cars is mostly "Christian" in nature (thank goodness for Truth 94.3) - thanks to the awesome quality of music by today's Christian artists.
1.Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin. Pretty much any Led Zepplin song confuses me, but this one is so popular, even voted at times as the most popular rock song ever, that I must know, what in the world are they talking about?
2.Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. I love the music to this but I really don't get the lyrics.
3. Hotel California by The Eagles. My parents made me watch some beware of rock n roll series in junior high, and they talked about this song, but I don't really remember what they said, just that it was BAD, BAD, BAD!
4. Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes. Now I know supposedly what it is about, but I saw the VH-1 special about different songs and what they mean and they repeatedly denied that is what it is about. What do you think?
5. Buckets for Bullet Wounds by House of Heroes. This song is what prompted the post. My sister in law introduced this song to me, and we actually got to see it live at the Agape festival in Illinois (that is a topic for another post), and it does have a catchy tune. But the last words are this: "The wolf who comes to many homes just had pups in my kitchen. I sold them, here is the money?" Can anyone offer insight into this one? I freely sing along to this, because I'm assuming if they play it on Christian radio, it's more likely to be okay?
Those are my thoughts for today. Music just has such a powerful influence on people, and I think the words we sing can affect us more than we think - it's more than just boppin along to the catchy tune. I remember 7 or 8 years ago, Rebecca Gallegos sang in church "In the Prescence of Jehovah" and everyone was so moved that most were weeping and the pastor even cancelled his sermon to do an impromptu altar call - all inspired by that song. That's pretty big for College Church. Now I have heard that song several times since, and never has it had the same effect on an audience as it did that day. So I guess if words can have such a powerful positive effect, they can also have the same powerful negative effect.
I really wish I could sing - I mean better than carrying somewhat of a tune in church. I wish I could harmonize and sing on tune and even participate in the Family Camp Choir (Todd Guy would kick me out after the first practice.) I also wish I could play the piano better. I took lessons as a kid - just enough so I think I can sit down and play anything, but not enough so I actually can play without hitting a lot of sour notes. I would love to take drum lessons. I have never actually played any other drums except for my three year old's Christmas present set, but that would now be my instrument of choice.
And like most people, I love listening to music. I grew up in a house that was either playing Sandi Patti, The Watchmen, or the Maranantha Singers. My taste in music in junior high/high school was a little different than that. It started with Petra - This Means War, and then as I would listen to the top 40 on Sundays after church (I would race into the house to tape the last five on the countdown with my supercool double cassestte boom box) Gun's n Roses and Metallica started hitting the pop scene, and I had found my genre of music. In college I went through a classic rock phase and even bought the 4 CD set of Led Zepplin. I really enjoyed the grunge stage with Alice n Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. But then I realized at some point that the words of the music I was listening to were not what most would consider edifying to God, so I lapsed into an 80's love song phase. Interestingly enough, that is what brought Jason and I together - he noticed me opening up my newly ordered Forever 80's double CD set in the student center the summer after my sophmore year. He said "Hey, I have that set, too" and the rest is history. We spent the next two weeks watching VH-1 A to Z until 2 in the morning. What a story to tell the grandkids.
Anyway, all that to say that through the years, there have been several songs that many people my age know all the words to, or a good number at least, and I will have to admit I have no idea what the lyrics mean. So I am asking any of you who read this blog to please enlighten me on what I have been singing along to all these years. Below are five songs that have me baffled. And yes, the music in the Wuertley household and cars is mostly "Christian" in nature (thank goodness for Truth 94.3) - thanks to the awesome quality of music by today's Christian artists.
1.Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin. Pretty much any Led Zepplin song confuses me, but this one is so popular, even voted at times as the most popular rock song ever, that I must know, what in the world are they talking about?
2.Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. I love the music to this but I really don't get the lyrics.
3. Hotel California by The Eagles. My parents made me watch some beware of rock n roll series in junior high, and they talked about this song, but I don't really remember what they said, just that it was BAD, BAD, BAD!
4. Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes. Now I know supposedly what it is about, but I saw the VH-1 special about different songs and what they mean and they repeatedly denied that is what it is about. What do you think?
5. Buckets for Bullet Wounds by House of Heroes. This song is what prompted the post. My sister in law introduced this song to me, and we actually got to see it live at the Agape festival in Illinois (that is a topic for another post), and it does have a catchy tune. But the last words are this: "The wolf who comes to many homes just had pups in my kitchen. I sold them, here is the money?" Can anyone offer insight into this one? I freely sing along to this, because I'm assuming if they play it on Christian radio, it's more likely to be okay?
Those are my thoughts for today. Music just has such a powerful influence on people, and I think the words we sing can affect us more than we think - it's more than just boppin along to the catchy tune. I remember 7 or 8 years ago, Rebecca Gallegos sang in church "In the Prescence of Jehovah" and everyone was so moved that most were weeping and the pastor even cancelled his sermon to do an impromptu altar call - all inspired by that song. That's pretty big for College Church. Now I have heard that song several times since, and never has it had the same effect on an audience as it did that day. So I guess if words can have such a powerful positive effect, they can also have the same powerful negative effect.
posted by Deb at 8:03 PM
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6 Comments:
You are quite the blogger, Deb! Great topic - and, yes, weird that it correlated so well to my comment on Holly's blog. Must be a family thing.
Wish I could help you out on the lyrics and meaning, but you must remember that I lived a sheltered life in jr. high and high school...well, ok, college too.
My parents didn't like it when Joel and I started listening to the radio in the 80's: "Nobody," "Part Time Lover," "Savin' All My Love."
The Hell's Bells film scared me so much that I use to think I saw Ozzie Osborne at the end of my long closet. Yikes!
Jim has some thoughts to share, so he may post them on our blog (since I just went way over the unofficial comment limit).
I'm on a mission. I have NO clue what those five songs are about. Hotel California I think is some reference to some drug? BUT.... I know Jason will have some answers and you know I'll be asking him tonight. I totally agree with your comment on music and its effect. I can remember excitedley playing "The Greatest Love of All" for my mom and her saying in her best mommy voice, "Is the greatest love of all really inside of YOU???" (i.e.... you know it's Jesus not you, right??) HA@!
Jim says you should call your blog "Not-so-deep Thoughts" and then share whatever you want.
Sorry for the 2 comments in a row, but Jaena must've commenting at the same time, so I must respond. HELL'S BELLS.... This was just cruel and unusual punishment! I mean, Holy cow! They were showing that stuff to us in 8th grade and I couldn't get to sleep at night. BTW- I think "Part Time Lover" is an AMAZING vocal by ol' Stevie Wonder. I tell all my music students to listen to ANYTHING they can of him.
Jason said he, too, saw the Hell's Bells video - maybe that was what is was called that I saw; I don't remember. I do remmeber going to the music store in the mall and trying to locate some of the groups they were talking about - probably not what my parents were hoping I would get out of the video.
Okay, I didn't feel overly sheltered, just immersed in Country music. I've only heard of one of those songs. So I will be of no help to you. I enjoyed reading though. I'm a little freaked out by all the commenting going on with my sister-in-law. I feel a little left out. :)
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