Mining Secular Music for Biblical Nuggets

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Watchman22 said:
GWH,
I don't know if there is a name for it, but when I listen to music, it tends to stick in my head for days.

Does that happen with you?
Click to expand...

Yes, it does, both music and lyrics.
The lyrics for "Wouldn't It Be Nice?" stuck in my head from the time it was first published on Pet Sounds
until I had it played on a record player at my wedding in a friend's apartment in 1973.

Then the lyrics probably helped inspire my song, "Wouldn't It Be Fine".
Here is the link:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/wouldnt-it-be-fine

I hope y'all like it enough for it to stick. :cool: :love:
 
GWH said:
Yes, it does, both music and lyrics.
The lyrics for "Wouldn't It Be Nice?" stuck in my head from the time it was first published on Pet Sounds
until I had it played on a record player at my wedding in a friend's apartment in 1973.

Then the lyrics probably helped inspire my song, "Wouldn't It Be Fine".
Here is the link:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/wouldnt-it-be-fine

I hope y'all like it enough for it to stick. :cool: :love:
Click to expand...

Well the reason I asked if lyrics stick in your head, is because when I first started the continually surrendered life ( faith ) things started to happen. One of those things was the mind of Christ.

When the mind of Christ started to take hold, I found myself having to make a decision. That decision was to allow that mind of Christ to anchor itself without disruption into my mind. But when I would listen to music of any sort, it would take "space" from that mind of Christ, and I greatly disliked that. So I made the decision almost 38 years ago to not listen to music, to make as much room as possible for That mind of Christ to flourish.

I don't see myself as anything special or different than anyone else, so how did you deal with that choice between letting music take up space that could be given to Him?

Music and what happens when the mind of Christ takes hold is two different things. Music is filtered through the mind of another human being, a human being we don't know much about. The mind of Christ isn't filtered at all, coming from the mind of Christ Himself.

How did you, or did you come to recognize that choice at some point?
 
Watchman22 said:
Well the reason I asked if lyrics stick in your head, is because when I first started the continually surrendered life ( faith ) things started to happen. One of those things was the mind of Christ.

When the mind of Christ started to take hold, I found myself having to make a decision. That decision was to allow that mind of Christ to anchor itself without disruption into my mind. But when I would listen to music of any sort, it would take "space" from that mind of Christ, and I greatly disliked that. So I made the decision almost 38 years ago to not listen to music, to make as much room as possible for That mind of Christ to flourish.

I don't see myself as anything special or different than anyone else, so how did you deal with that choice between letting music take up space that could be given to Him?

Music and what happens when the mind of Christ takes hold is two different things. Music is filtered through the mind of another human being, a human being we don't know much about. The mind of Christ isn't filtered at all, coming from the mind of Christ Himself.

How did you, or did you come to recognize that choice at some point?
Click to expand...

I think some music is good and inspired by the mind of Christ,
while some music is bad and contradicts the words of Christ.

What I wonder about is recreational activities of all sorts,
which in music would be the songs in my Romance album (link below).
I have concluded that fun is fine as long as it is not immoral.
How much space it should take up is a matter for each individual to decide.

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/album/romance

What do you think about these?
 
Watchman22 said:
No thanks GWH, this thread isn't for me.

.
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Well, I hope music lovers on this thread will have time to listen to "Pilgrimage" and be blessed.
(Retirement is good for providing time :^)
Feedback/discussion also could be edifying.
Here again is the link to my concept album:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage-2

And here again are the album liner notes to enhance enjoyment:

1. "Wouldn't It Be Fine?" (a folksy tune) imagines a happy and peaceful world via metaphors including a song for everyone, a book worth reading twice and the sound from earth of one good time, but it asks a surprising question at the end.

2. "From Paul to the Proud" (in the gypsy genre) answers that question with a paraphrase of Romans 1:1-2:9a, which describes a corrupt and condemned world.

3. "Late Last Night (Revelation)" (heavy metal) describes in detail the hell mentioned by Paul. Satan is the king of chaos cited in "Wouldn't It Be Fine", and hate is the answer to the question it asks.

4. "Until Set Free" (a slow ballad) also answers that question with "sin" as symbolized by a woman who sold her soul because of lust; she is us. Her choice alludes to the road of life diverging or crossing a bridge because of the price that is paid: spiritual death.

5. "Once Upon a Time" (another slow ballad) is sung by the woman's soulmate, who would have loved her forever, but after trying to reach her, his heart crossed the bridge of no return.

6. "Someday" (the slowest ballad) contemplates dying, perhaps in the near future, and departing from one's soulmate,
dreaming of the day when love will be renewed in the eternal heavenly garden of Eden.

7. "When You're Alone" (thrash metal genre) portrays the agitated mental state of someone who has never found love, who feels alone and despondent, having no desire to live.

8. "The Power of Love" (Indian genre, with a sitar) describes the despondent one without love as discovering being loved by Jesus and rescued from meaningless existence, replacing nightmares with visions of the heavenly Garden.

9. "Spirit of the Lord" (Negro Spiritual genre) rejoices because of blessings bestowed by the Holy Spirit.

10. "Redeemed" (redeems "Hey Jude" in the Japanese genre) also rejoices because of being blessed with a better life by divine love.

11. "Ode to a Young Woman" (slow ballad) is a sort of bookend, a postlude that alludes to the prelude, in which a young man rejoices because God made Eve in Eden (a soulmate until set free in heaven).
 
A random song from my old repertoire that represents three stages of divine revelation:
1. general revelation, 2. OT, and 3. NT. (I left the chords in.)

Song of My People

[G] G e C D
1. Abraham, Abraham, where are you coming from, Abraham?
I’m coming (e) from the land of darkness (D), Lord. I’m coming (C)
D D7 G e C D G (etc.)
to you my God . Abraham, Abraham, I will be your God.

2. Israel, Israel, why have you strayed from me, Israel?
You say you don’t need my guiding hand,
You say you don’t want my love, Israel, Israel, I will be your God.

C e C D
Gather ‘round, listen now to the words of a carpenter,
Who walked (G) the earth working miracles (e),
Who died (G) for us on a cross (D).
C e C D D7
“Take my hand, walk with me. I will be your God.”

3. Sons of men, sons of men, where are you coming from sons of men?
We’re coming to you out of darkness, Lord.
We’re coming to you, our God.
Sons of men, sons of men, //I will be your God.// (Repeat //)
 
A redeemed secular song:

“Where Do You Fit?”
(Tune: The Who’s “And They Say We are in Love”)

Where do you fit in the history of sin,
with lust in your eye, and a passion for gin?
And how do you feel when the new day comes,
Does it matter one bit if you see her again?
And you say it’s love, but who do you love?

Look how you walk, full of hatred and pride;
Your money buys much, that can’t be denied,
But tell me right now, don’t put on your act:
Is your life worth two cents; are you happy inside?
You say you love God, but who is your god?

You never think of the future or past;
The time that you get, you’re spending too fast.
Like a woman in childbirth, you think that your pain
Will be over soon, it surely can’t last.
You say Christ was good, but who nailed Him to that wood?
Yes, Jesus loves you, but do you love Him, too?
 
GWH said:
Just curious: Is anyone aware of any contemporary Christian or current worship music that paraphrases long passages of Scripture,
or is this song the only one that does that?

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/from-paul-to-the-proud

Thanks for your feedback.
Click to expand...

I guess we could consider this song to be an example of mining Biblical nuggets for para-Christian songs.
Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" seems to have mined John 8:42-44 or Josh. 24:15 for his para-Scripture song.

Perhaps the OP for this thread could be considered as mining Scripture for secular and para-biblical songs?
For example, Kansas might have mined Eccl. 1:14 for "Dust in the Wind", and of course "To Every Thing" by Pete Seeger
reflects Eccl. 3:2-8.

Feel free to post other examples and include YouTube performances.
(I don't have a YouTube account or know how to do that for the songs I just mentioned,
so if someone else can do that, it would be appreciated/welcomed :^)
 
We have mined secular music, para-Christian songs, and CCM until it looks like the mine has played out,
because even I cannot think of anything new to share per the OP.
Thanks to all who helped dig for biblical nuggets, GWH 🎶📖
 
GWH said:
We have mined secular music, para-Christian songs, and CCM until it looks like the mine has played out,
because even I cannot think of anything new to share per the OP.
Thanks to all who helped dig for biblical nuggets, GWH 🎶📖
Click to expand...

It might be appropriate to end by remembering what Paul said regarding music in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16:

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs; sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."
"Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

Psalms refers to Scripture songs, hymns to songs based on Scripture, and spiritual songs to para-Christian music.

Scripture songs include the following:

I Will Enter His Gates (Psa. 110:4)

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter His courts with praise,
I will say, “This is the day that the Lord hath made,”
I will rejoice for He hath made me glad.

He hath made me glad; He hath made me glad,
I will rejoice, for He hath made me glad.

The New 23rd

Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything thing that I need.
He lets me rest in meadows green and leads me beside the quiet stream.

He keeps on giving life to me and helps me to do what honors Him the most.
Even when walking through the dark valley of death, valley of death,
I will never be afraid, for He is close beside me.
Guarding, guiding all the way, He spreads a feast before me
In the presence of my enemies, He welcomes me as His special guest.

With blessings overflowing, His goodness and unfailing kindness
Shall be with me all of my life. And afterwards I shall live with Him
Forever, forever in His home, Forever in His home, Forever in His home.

Others?
 
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