samedi 1 mai 2004
The five worship songs I skip over in my MP3 player
I don't remember where I found the link to this list of the top five worst worship songs, but it got me thinking about what I've sung over the years. I'm not a music expert or anything, but I know what I like and don't like. And not that I'm getting all picky about the songs I sing to God (I adore both traditional and contemporary styles), it's just that some don't really put me in a worshipful mood. Again, not that I have to be in one to praise God, but I'm a human with tastes and preferences... why I am defending myself on my own blog? :)
So here's my personal list, with songs that are pretty current and mostly well-known. Feel free to add your own.
5. Sing a Song by Third Day
Lance actually posted a little ditty about this song on his blog, which he analyzed a bit more than I will here. My beef is that it seems unnecessary to state that you're singing a song in the lines of a song which you are singing. I hope we don't sing this one in church because I'll be screaming in my head, "I am singing!!" Maybe I won't sing it, but I'll merely think the lyrics over. Then I can say that I do "want to sing a song" without having to sing it but with every intention of doing so.
4. Breathe by Marie Barnett
I'm not a big fan of repetition. It's an okay song, with lots of room for reflection but I sometimes feel sleepy when we sing it. I usually check my watch to see how long the song will carry on and it almost always does for another 5+ minutes, even if there are only six lines to the whole thing. The nice thing is that after you've gone through it three times in a row, you don't have to worry about PowerPoint too much (I did PPT for worship for years so I think I can say that).
3. In The Secret (I Want To Know You) by Andy Park
I always think about women singing to their boyfriends/husbands when I hear this song. Cause you know, I wouldn't mind hearing my boyfriend's voice or seeing his face either. I also get irritated when songs go by two titles, such as "Amazing Love (You Are My King)" or "Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)." It's fine if you have someone doing PPT that knows all the different titles to songs, but if you're in a bind and the person doesn't know what you're referring to, it can be a mess.
2. Every Move I Make by David Ruis
I've heard this song used for kids ministry promotions (thanks Willow Creek) a few too many times. I can't even hear a normal version of this song, sung with adult voices, without picturing the Willow videos in my head. I've also heard country versions of it which make no sense because it's a fairly fast action song. It always comes back to the squeaky voice rendition, reminiscent of the Chipmunks going "La la la la la la, la la la la la la la la" (actual lyrics).
1. Your Love is Extravagant by Darrell Evans
I'll have to agree with Sara on this being the 'worst' but for different reasons. The first time I ever heard this song was in chapel where I honestly thought that it was a fellow student's songwriting attempt for a music class. I'm sorry but I feel extremely uncomfortable singing this to God. Now Darrell has some great worship songs out there but I don't quite know what to make of this. These are the lyrics:
Your love is extravagant
Your friendship mmmm intimate
I find I'm moving to the rhythms of your grace
Your fragrance is intoxicating in our secret place
Your love is extravagant
Spread wide in the arms of Christ
Is the love that covers sin
No greater love have I ever known
You considered me a friend
Capture my heart again
First off, God's love is extravagant, very much so, but I'm not knocking that. Yes, friendship with Him is intimate but 'mmmm'? That makes me think of a good meal, or a noise you make in the middle of a telephone conversation you're not listening to. Ignore the fact that I picked on a word composed of one repeated letter. Next line: Poetic-sounding, but what exactly does it mean? Does grace have rhythm? I'm confused, I'm singing that I'm moving to it but am I? Horrors, what if I'm out of rhythm?! The last line of that verse is something I cannot sing without bursting into a fit of giggles. God's smell intoxicates me in a hidden place? Why would anything of God intoxicate me? God does not cause confusion or take away from the clarity of mind, and if He were to do so with smell, I would be the most befuddled Christian. And when I hear the second verse, Yoda appears in my head. Good old Yoda, speaking in backwards compound sentences :)
Honourable Mention: Meet With Me by Ten Shekel Shirt - just 'cause
I hope I didn't come across as ungodly in writing this. My point is only in that you actually take the time to pick apart what you've just sung to God. I'd rather be slightly too critical than mindless and devoid of brain activity when I'm offering my praises to Him. My mind is a part of the living sacrifice and I want to make sure that what I sing with my mouth won't be something I disagree with in my head.
I like this comment that was left on that page:
"Singing about 'dancing in a river while hugging the creator of the universe that sings over me because I'm so special that Jesus will hug me forever while I imagine that angels' wings are brushing my tears away with a la la hoo yah peaceful easy feeling' seems to me to make a mockery of worship." - gaw
Yeah, that's it, mouth shuts now (fingers stop typing, wind sings, birds glide gracefully, atoms split).
Libellés : songs
