I've been hassling Von a good chunk of the week about Pearl Jam. Today he's posted a great video and I'm throwing in my spiritual pick as well. I love this song and unfortunately YouTube doesn't have a real video of it. This is something some people put together, but the tune is Todd Agnew's. This song always leaves me in tears. Better go, need Kleenex.
I have a HUGE grudge against christian music (maybe I'll post about that sometime), but a pseudo "red rain" influenced cover of Amazing Grace is a pretty good way to go.
If you are going to label your music Christian, I believe it should be better than most stuff out there. This is pretty good. :)
Posted by: von at June 3, 2006 07:07 PMWonder what grudge Von has against Christian music?
Posted by: Paula at June 3, 2006 08:02 PMPaula, in short, it's just not good. Hardly ever. It's rare for me to find a Christian band that isn't ripping off or copying something "worldly." Something truly original, and very good. Something like matisyahu, but I'm not sure he get's included as "Christian" music because he's a Jew.
Like I said, If you label your band as Christian Music, then by that standard I would think it should be inspired by your love for God. In that case it should be better than "worldly" music. Not just a rip off of what the secular world is doing.
Posted by: von at June 3, 2006 09:29 PMI also just realized that I didn't really tell you what "grudge" i had. It's so complicated. I'm going to have to write it up... :)
Posted by: von at June 3, 2006 09:31 PMYea Von, I'd have to agree with you on that one. I've yet to really find a Christian band that floats by boat. My kids like that Jewish rapper guy, and he IS A GREAT, POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE!!
(gentle ribbing)
(/gentle ribbing)
Yeah, he's the real deal I think. In one interview I read, he said that he's constantly having to push girls away at shows that try to hug him and stuff. He said he didn't feel right because he is married, etc.
Posted by: von at June 3, 2006 09:56 PMI'm no fan of "Christian" music either. My problems with it are many, but mostly: a.) most of it is crap, b.) 99.9% of what I hear from "Christian" bands is "praise" music, or some other such happy stuff that I have a hard time relating to.
Points a. and b. are tightly linked. I think the South Park episode where Cartman started a Christian band and then just took crappy contemporary love songs and changed a few words so the love song was to Jesus was dead on. Too many of the songs sound like that. The music is bad, and the lyrics are worse.
I find if far easier to relate to song like Tourniquet than 99% of what I hear coming from the Christian music scene. A song like Tourniquet is just far more real (at least to me).
I think some of the best Christian songs come from secular artists who happen to be Christian. Their songs are just more "real" to me. More from the heart, something I can relate to, it is hard to describe. Johnny Cash's Kneeling Drunkards Plea is a perfect example.
Posted by: Ken at June 4, 2006 12:07 PMBTW - I really liked that video... I think it really added to the song...
Posted by: Ken at June 4, 2006 12:17 PMI'll have to try that Matisyahu guy...
Posted by: Nettie at June 5, 2006 03:45 AMThat was a funny episode of South Park, of course, most of them are.
Posted by: Stacy at June 5, 2006 09:39 AM