Songs by Groovy

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G

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
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“From Paul to the Proud”
(A poetic paraphrase of Romans 1:1-2:9a)

From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, An apostle—called by the Lord,
Chosen to preach the gospel, foretold By prophets in the Holy Word.
Jesus was born a descendant of David, But rose from the dead as God’s Son,
An act of great power to prove Him divine— From Him I received a commission . . .
To lead all the world to believe and obey, Including you living in Rome,
Whom God also loves and calls to be saved, And with Jesus to make your new home.

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Grant you peace and grace.
I thank them for you, because the whole world Is hearing that faith you embrace.
The God whom I serve with all of my heart Is witness that when I pray
I always remember you, hoping that He Will let me come see you some day.
I long to be with you and share by the Spirit The faith that will help us be strong.
My brothers, how often I’ve planned to come, But something has always gone wrong.

How eager I am to evangelize you In fulfillment of my obligations
To preach the good news to all kinds of people In all of the Gentile nations.
For I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, Which has the power to save
All who believe, whether Gentile or Jew, Though once of Satan a slave.
It is written, the just shall live by faith, But the wages of sin is death,
Which is poured out on all who deny what is plain: That God has given them breath.

God punishes them because they are evil And blind to what clearly is true—
The fact of creation confronting them always No matter what they say and do.
They think themselves wise, while in truth they are fools And have no excuse at all.
Refusing to honor the power of God, They stumble in darkness and fall.
Exchanging the truth about God for a lie, They worship and serve only dust
That is made in the image of man and machine, Perverting true love into lust.

Burning with passion and shameful desires, Consumed by unnatural sex acts,
Men still choose to suffer and torture each other Rather than face the facts.
And yet God allows them to break all the rules: To murder, to hate, and to lie.
They invent new sins, while all the time knowing That demons deserve to die.

Do you, so proud, think you’re less to blame, While sitting in judgment on others?
Surely you see God’s mercy is meant For those who become Jesus’ brothers.
But you, hard-hearted, closed-minded and proud, Will one day God’s justice be meted.
When eternal life is awarded believers, Damned will be those He defeated!

Here is the poem From Paul to the Proud put to music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/from-paul-to-the-proud
 
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"From Paul to the Proud" ends by mentioning damnation,
and "Late Last Night (Revelation) envisions damnation or hell.
(Some Biblical allusions are in brackets.)

“Late Last Night (Revelation)”

Late last night a young girl dreamed
Her love would grow forever,
Then a wise man, who from ages long ago seemed
Took her to a state of never-never,
And he told her everything he’d learned,
Taught her how the silver cord to sever,
But they stumbled and fell into hell. [Matt. 23:33, Rev. 20:10]

Every song has now been sung,
The last wedding bell has long since rung,
And the prisoners have all been hung.
There is nothing more to create,
The universe is man’s estate,
The name of it is hate. [Pro. 8:13, Jam. 4:4]

There is no new game to try,
No new name to love or cry,
No reason to laugh or die.
No new dreams are born within,
And all that will ever be has been.
There’s no new way to sin. [Gal. 5:19, Rom. 1:28-32]

Each of us is god and so
There is nothing more to know,
No new place to go,
Not even in your mind,
For that was left behind. [Eph. 5:5, Rom. 1:22]

Late last night a madman died,
An obvious case of suicide
So they laughed at his graveside,
Saying, “What’s the use to be blue?
There’s nothing that we could do.
Thank God that he’s dead, too! [Matt. 27:39-43, 2Pet. 3:3-4]

For the last rites have been said,
The prophets are now all dead, [Matt. 23:34-35, Rom. 11:3]
And their gravestones have not changed to bread.” [Matt. 4:3]
But there was a young child, [Isa. 11:6]
And a sage with long gray beard, [Pro. 8:22-23, 16:31]
Who knew Satan’s priest should tell them—warn them [1John 2:18&22, 2John 7]
That his spirit had reappeared. [Matt. 28:6, John 20:29]

Each of them had seen the light [John 1:4-9]
Flashing far away in the night [2Thes. 5:2-7]
To return when the time is right [Heb. 9:28, Acts 1:7]
Some day beyond the end [1Cor. 15:22-23]
To start the world spinning again. [Rev. 21:1]

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/late-last-night-revelation
 
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"From Paul to the Proud" ended by saying those God defeated would be damned,
and "Late Last Night (Revelation)" envisioned damnation/hell on earth,
but this song, "Wouldn't It Be Fine" wishes for heaven on earth.

Here are the lyrics:

“Wouldn’t It Be Fine?”

Wouldn’t it be fine if we made time
To sing a song for everyone,
But men are dif; its one big if.

Wouldn’t it be good if someone would
Make one world from every word.
A book so nice would be worth reading twice.

If I chose the perfect dance,
Would you walk with me for long
Or long for some new way to move?

Wouldn’t it be fine if passing near
The king of chaos were to hear
The sound from earth of one good time?

If the world went simply round
With purring sound, I think we could
See good from wrong and sing one song.

A trio rhymes in harmony
Like rivers flowing to the sea.
If love is such a happy tune
Everyone should soon sing along...

If I chose the perfect dance...
Wouldn't it be fine if passing near...
If the world went simply round...
Everyone should soon sing along...

But what’s wrong with you and me?

And here is the link to the music:

Wouldn't It Be Fine | Groovy Kerygma
 
"Wouldn't It Be Fine?" ends by asking what is wrong with us, and the answer is "sin".
"Until Set Free" is about our sin (cf. Robert Frost's poem about two roads diverging and Deut. 30:19).

“Until Set Free”

Sound of feet along the street,
Shadows everywhere,
And through the night a ray of light
Reveals a lady fair.
So fine is she, for all can see
The jewels in her hair.

Lovely dress and all the rest
Are priceless to be sure,
For what the cost when love she lost
And cannot buy a cure.
The heart when sold for want of gold
Can never more be pure.

For the warmth she needs, her hunger feeds
Upon the lips of men.
They praise her face and pretty lace,
And they even praise her sin.
They call her good and wish she would
Allow them to come in.

On a fateful day she walked away
From what she would not be.
Now the one who would have done her good
She never more will see.
For the choice she made a price she paid
Until she is set free.

Here is the link to the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/until-set-free
 
"Until Set Free" refers to the One who would have done her good, namely Christ (John 3:10, 6:35, 8:32, 14:6),
but also to the one she rejected because of lust for money (Luke 12:15, Rom. 1:28-29, Eph. 5:3&5, Col. 3:5,
1Pet. 5:2, 2Pet. 2:14, 1Tim. 1:19, 6:10, 2Tim. 3:2, Heb. 13:5) in "Once Upon a Time".

“Once Upon a Time”

Once a tiny thread appeared
Way down inside my head.
I thought she may have come to stay,
But then she blew away
Like a wisp of hair to someone new.

“Girl, I love you,
You send my mind spinning round and round.”
These are words I often hear,
But I know they aren’t sincere.
When the show is over I go home and read the news
Of another star’s divorce.

“I’ll love you forever,
And forever I’ll always be true.”
These are words the love birds sing,
But sometimes they don’t mean a thing.
When the rough gets going they give up and grow apart,
Breaking each other’s heart.

My mind is in confusion,
Her image shattered now.
Still I struggle hard to see
Beyond the disillusion,
In hope I might love again.

“Girl, I love you; I live only for you.
Girl, I’ll always love only you.”
These are words I want to say
Unless it’s just act one in a play,
Just a passing interlude in a world
Spinning round and round.

Her picture now is faded,
My letters sent in vain.
All is dark around me,
And all inside is pain.
Girl, I loved you (once upon a time).

You sent my mind spinning (once upon a time)
I loved you forever (once upon a time)
These were words I wanted to say (once upon a time)
This is what the love birds sang (once upon a time)
Girl, I loved you (once upon a time).

Here is the link to the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/until-set-free
 
"Until Set Free" lamented the moral ruin of one corrupted by lust for material wealth (cf. Matt. 23:37, Pro. 11:22)
[The first verse cited in post #5 should have been John 4:10 instead of 3:10.]

"Ode to a Young Woman" celebrates the spiritual beauty of one on the right path with good fruit (1Pet. 3:3-4, Gal. 5:22-23).

“Ode to a Young Woman”

Young woman, pretty, virgin lady,
What fire, makes your face, so radiant?

Is it the admiring glance of Apollo’s fading rays?
Or the spirit of love and joy within you?
Or is it the way you smile?

…Whatever it is, it magnifies your charm,
And your warm, softly sweatered breast,
Covers, a tender heart.

Young woman, pure in mind, and body,
What god, made you sweet, and innocent?

...Whoever he is, I praise him for your charm.
And your long, softly-flowing hair,
Whispers, to my trembling heart.

I love you, Eve at dawn in Eden…

Thank God, that He made, a young woman!


Here is the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/ode-to-a-young-woman
 
In "Ode to a Young Woman" a young man celebrated beauty and love in the original garden of Eden on Earth,
and in "Someday" a dying man contemplates going to the ultimate garden of God in heaven.

“Someday”

Sleepy, I’m so sleepy, Let me rest on your shoulder.
Peacefully, you close by me, Until the night is over.
And dream we will come To the garden someday.

Someday, I will leave you, Don’t say, “It’s not true!”
Remember the good times, Not the things we didn’t do.
The past is behind us, The future soon, too, someday.

Someday, maybe soon, You will love again.
If you cry my name in your sleep, Just say, I was a friend.
For if he knew how close we were, It might hurt him–someday.

Though time will tell us when to go, We never will know why
We wander far away, girl, Through clouds that mist the eye.
Physicians and politicians Can’t save their pawns’ souls, someday.

So, stay by me a little while,
And let me see your pretty smile
As I drift off, away from you… someday.

Here is the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/someday
 
In "Someday" a man contemplated being separated from his loving wife by death,
and in "When You're Alone" a living man is without love and spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1).

“When You’re Alone”

Rushing rivers and flashing floods race to the sea,
But if they want an easy journey, they won’t follow me.

I’ve wandered far away,
Searching for a reason to stay,
Hoping I might find someone
Who will share their peace of mind.

The storm comes; people hide inside before too late,
But since I can’t escape my dreams, night is a much worse fate.

I’ve wondered what is love,
Is man created or God above,
Hoping I might find answers,
But fearing I will search ‘til the end.

Sadness is when you’re alone,
Where you don’t belong.
Sorrow is even in a throng
When love is gone.

Time passes, children grow, And old lovers die,
But since I’ve never lived, Death might as well pass me by.

Here is the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/when-youre-alone
 
"The Power of Love" describes a man who is spiritually dead made alive by divine love (Eph. 3:14-21).

“The Power of Love”

Before you came I was swallowed by caverns of darkness.
Hiding from reality, I did not even seek, a reason to live.
Lips so silent, but eyes so wild,
My insides were ripped into pieces of fire.
Flames formed one torch; troubled waters,
Came to rest in your smile.

Have you ever dreamed, ten thousand times?
Loud but shy, you laugh and stare,
Wanting to talk, with someone who cares,
Not just to be, one of the crowd.

Many so wise told of glory in smoke and in tablets.
Dreams, freer than peace of mind, hell had my soul…
Then one night in the clouds I breathed,
Your hand cooled my head, woke me from the dead,
And I turned from a sunless, freedom to fight,
For love, seasoned with sweat, and trued with tears.

Have you ever dreamed, ten thousand times?
Loud but shy, you laugh and stare,
Wanting to talk, with someone who cares,
Not just to be, one of the crowd.

Through, the clouds, of death,
I saw you standing there…
Smiling with haloed hair…
Your hand led me, to a garden,
Full of flowers, where,
Praying, I trembled all over,
In wonder, at the power, of love…

Of your love… divine love…
In wonder, at the power, of God’s love.

Here is the music:

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/the-power-of-love
 
A song in the vein of 1Pet. 3:3-4, 1Tim. 2:9-10 and Pro. 31:30?

“The Perfect Pet”

Her hair was long, fair as the sun;
Her lips were pink and shiny,
And her skin was pure, like a young babe’s.

(Her skin was pure, like a young babe’s.)

Her eyes were blue, they sparkled like dew;
Her form was thin and curvy;
Her lashes had curls, her teeth were like pearls.

(Her lashes had curls, her teeth were like pearls.)

She was so fine–proud she was mine,
Yet to myself I wondered,
Was she a dream ‘neath make-up and cream?

(Was she a dream ‘neath make-up and cream?)

Then came the day that proved my worst fears,
For much to my chagrin,
Last night while out on a date, the rain
Washed away her perfect skin,
Her eyebrows, eye lashes–and then,

Her golden hair, fell on the floor,
A lens popped out of one eye,
The poor girl’s figure came all unglued–
Her legs burst out of her hose,
And pimples appeared on her nose!

(And pimples appeared on her nose!)

So disillusioned was I then, it nearly broke my heart;
Rather than seek another love, I decided to play it smart.
I pawned her picture to buy a pet rock,
And though it is not nearly the same,
At least I’m fairly sure, I guess,
The rock won’t dissolve in rain!

(The rock won’t dissolve in rain!)

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/the-perfect-pet
 
Not sure how this silly sing-a-long song jibes with the concept album I have shared.

“Born to Lose”

I loved a gal; her name was Sue.
When she cried, she went “boo-hoo”.
Nothing wrong with that I know,
But she married my friend, Joe.

Born to lose, but I don’t care;
If I did, I’d have gray hair.
Born to lose, but I don’t mind;
May sound crazy, but that’s my kind.
Born to lose, but that’s okay,
Don’t need to win to like to play.

I had a dog, his name was “Noodle”;
He liked a short, black-haired French poodle.
That dog was NOT my best friend;
Noodle and the poodle left last weekend.
Born to lose…

I made my last payment on a new used car;
I washed it and I waxed it, and I didn’t drive far.
I loved that car, I was proud to say,
But a semi ran it over on the north freeway.
Born to lose…

I had a gal, her name was “Mary”;
Not a bad looker, quite the contrary.
I lost her in the month of June,
And just now I lost the tune–
Born to lose…

I found ten dollars on the street one day,
Just as a pretty girl was walking away.
I caught up to her and held out the money;
She kicked me in the shin and said, “Don’t be funny!”
Born to lose…

I’ve never won a prize and never won a race;
I’ve never kept a job or kissed a pretty face,
But another type of life, I would not choose.
I guess it’s just a habit I’ll never lose.

Born to lose, but I don’t care;
If I did, I’d have gray hair.
Born to lose, but I don’t mind;
May sound crazy, but that’s my kind.
Born to lose, but that’s okay,
Don’t need to win to like to play.

https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/born-to-lose-2
 
FYI, these poems were written and songs composed when about nineteen in 1968 as I was teaching myself how to play guitar well enough to do Smothers Brothers imitations with my best friend for church and school groups.

I always wished for a garage band to provide better instrumentation, and recently this prayer was granted via Suno with the help of my geeky son, so now I am able to share them with you.

Hope you enjoy them, and feel free to pass them on. If anyone would like to provide feedback, that would be welcomed. Otherwise, happy trails! :cool:
 
GWH said:
Not sure how this silly sing-a-long song jibes with the concept album I have shared.
Click to expand...
It might have potential to progress to Reborn to Choose, or something like that.
 
sorion232 said:
It is interesting to see different musical styles being used in this context. Usually, these forums are pretty conservative about what they consider "appropriate," so a track with a more modern or groovy vibe always sparks a debate.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your noticing the various music genres in my collection of para-Christian songs:

From Paul to the Proud - folk, medieval (cf. Blackmore's Night)
Late Last Night - metal (cf. Metallica)
Wouldn't It Be Fine - pop (cf. Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice")
Until Set Free - ballad, folk (cf. Dylan & Cohen)
Once Upon a Time - indie folk (?)
Ode to a Young Woman - progressive (?)
Someday - dirge (cf. Dirge ?)
When You're Alone - thrash (cf. Slayer ?)
The Power of Love - raga, Celtic (cf. Enya)
Burger Queen & The Perfect Pet - humor (cf. Ray Stevens, Weird Al)
Born to Lose - country, humor (cf. Ray Stevens, Morgan Wallen?)
Loser - humor (cf. Weird Al)
 
That's weird! What happened to sorion232's post?!
Anyway, I was also going to thank him for mentioning the "groovy" vibe.

As Larry Norman, a founder of CCM asked, "Why should the devil have all the good music?":

Some people say rock 'n roll is of the devil, I don't believe that
It came from the church, belongs to the church
There's a good world that God has created here, He's given us everything
The devil has tried to steal it
I don't know why the devil should have anything, anything
Not your soul, not your life, not your marriage, not your future, not your music

One, two, one two three
I want the people to know that he saved my soul
But I still like to listen to the radio
They say rock 'n roll is wrong
I'll give you one more chance
I feel so good I'm gonna get up and dance

I know what's right, I know what's wrong, I don't confuse it
All I'm really trying to say is
Why should the devil have all the good music?
There's nothing wrong with what I say
You know, Jesus is the rock and He rolled my blues away

They say to cut my hair, they're driving me insane
I grew it out long to make room for my brain
But sometimes people don't understand
What's a good boy doing in a rock n' roll band
And there ain't nothing wrong or satanic or communistic with blues licks

If you've got scriptures, show me to my face
Why should the devil have all the good music?
There's nothing wrong with what I play
Jesus is the rock and He rolled my blues away
Yes He did, all right

I'm not knockin' the hyms, just give me something that has a beat
No I ain't knockin' the hyms, just give me something that moves my feet
I don't like some of those funeral marches, I ain't dead yet

Jesus told the truth, Jesus showed the way
There's one more thing I'd like to say
They nailed Him to the cross then they laid Him in the ground
But they should've known you can't keep a good man down
You can't keep Him down
Yeah devil, you can't keep Him down

All I'm really trying to say is
Why should the devil have all the good music?
There's nothing wrong with what we play
Jesus is the rock and He rolled my blues
Jesus is the rock and He rolled your blues
Jesus is the rock, He rolled our blues away!
 
Now that y'all have had a chance to listen to my songs, I would like to share how they are spiritually connected as a concept album, hoping that this will enhance your enjoyment/appreciation upon a second hearing.

"From Paul to the Proud" introduces the testament by paraphrasing God's reproving of humanity's sinfulness. The line "they stumble in darkness and fall" connects with the line "they stumbled and fell into hell" in the second song, "Late Last Night (Revelation)".

In "From Paul..." the lines "To murder, to hate and to lie" and "They invent new sins" connect with the lines "There's no new way to sin" and "The name of it is hate" in "Late Last Night".

Also, in "From Paul..." the lines "Do you so proud" and "But you, hard-hearted, closed-minded and proud" connect with "Each of us is god" and "Thank God that he's dead, too" in "Late Last Night".

Finally, in "From Paul..." the lines "Will one day God's justice be meted" and "Damned will be those He defeated" connects with "But there was a young child [NT], And a sage with long gray beard [OT], Who knew Satan's priest [Anti-Christ] should tell them--warn them That his spirit had reappeared... To return when the time is right Some day beyond the end [Judgment] To start the world [heaven] spinning again."

Additionally, both songs describe corruption of the world via atheist philosophy and immorality, with "From Paul" focusing on the past until the present and "Late Last Night" envisioning how the present will end in the future. The "madman" is Christ, the prophets are the saints, and the gravestones not changing to bread references Christ's first temptation (Matt. 4:1-4).

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