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Here's some additional info about the three songs played as part
of 12/12/02 Thursday night conclusion of the "Christianity &
the Arts" series. -- Bob Bennett
| Song: |
"Lions
of the Colosseum" |
| Writer(s): |
Pierce
Pettis |
| Artist: |
Pierce Pettis |
| Album: |
Chase
the Buffalo
(High Street/Windham Hill: 7290210317-2) |
| To
Buy: |
Out-of-print
- Check eBay
and GEMM.com |
Comments:
Pierce
does several masterful things in this song. The most
notable thing is the twists and turns he employs along
the way. Initially,
the "lions" are portrayed (and, in a possible
first for any art form, they're actually quoted)
in their traditionally understood guise of maiming and
killing Christians.
However as the song progresses, the "lion"
identification changes from outside enemies of the
Faith (and faithful) to those within the Household who
bring dishonor and disrepute to the Faith by a variety
of means... most notably, addictions to money
and power and a not-so-subtle ignoring of the
poor. Especially
powerful is the two-for-one imagery Pierce uses
in referring the tearing of a body and the tearing
apart of the Body. A
stroke of utter genius and insight as far as I can
tell! Pierce, perhaps more than any songwriter
I know, has a unique knack for addressing spiritual
and even religious topics within his lyrics that
do not feel like cheap salesmanship or obligatory.
Only the most obstinate and cranky religious
person could listen to his music and miss his
worldview... and yet, Pierce has consistently recorded
for general market labels and plays primarily outside
church. His
insight and storytelling gifts are simply that
good as to appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners.
If I had to choose one Pierce Pettis "desert island disc",
I'd cheat and try to hide as many extras as I could! |
| Song: |
"Eternity
in Our Hearts" |
| Writer(s): |
Carolyn
Arends & Spencer Capier |
| Artist: |
Carolyn
Arends |
| Album: |
Travelers
(Signpost Music) |
| To
Buy: |
http://www.carolynarends.com/catalog/index.html |
Comments:
The
CD booklet refers to Ecclesiastes 3:10-11: "I have seen
the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything
beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in
the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what
God has done from beginning to end."
There is a simplicity in lyric writing
that belies a lack of craft and rewriting.
There is also a kind of simplicity that
is deliberate and elegant without a syllable wasted.
"Eternity" is just such a song. The longing for home
(belonging, peace, innocence) as well as an accompanying
sense of displacement and longing... these things
seem hard-wired into our common humanity. This
song is a gentle and gorgeous reminder of why that is
and why it's part and parcel of being a Christian.
I recently spent twelve nights in concert across Canada
with Carolyn and my good buddy Steve
Bell. In addition
to her recordings, she has two books out at present.
One time I made an offhanded comment to
Steve (with Carolyn in the room): If finding the
spiritual applications to aspects of our everyday
lives were like a game of "Where's Waldo?", Carolyn
always knows where Waldo is.
A little twisted as a description, but
Steve and I thought it was pretty funny... and pretty accurate! |
| Song: |
"Here's
to the Day" |
| Writer(s): |
Milton
Brasher-Cunningham & Billy Crockett |
| Artist: |
Billy
Crockett |
| Album: |
Any
Starlight Night (Urgent or Walking Angel) |
| To
Buy: |
Check
out Amazon.com or
eBay.com |
Comments:
This
song is pregnant with imagery and phrases that remind
us of our longing for acceptance and community, caring
for the poor and giving voice to those who cannot
speak resolutely for themselves, our hopes for
peace (individually and collectively).
As I mentioned in my discussion with Chuck,
although I had heard this same song dozens upon
dozens of times over more than ten years, I had
not quite noticed how the songwriters tied together
past and current celebrations of the Lord's Supper with
the "ultimate" Lord's Supper where all the faithful
throughout all time will sit together at His table,
physically present with Him.
And the invocation to "remember" being
the recurrent theme. Not
only to remember His blessed sacrifice, but the
joy of His resurrection which results in our ultimate
resurrection and the prospect of knowing Him (and
each other) as completely as He knows us. Billy
Crockett has been responsible for some of the
most artistic, literary and sensitive music ever written
about the journey of faith in Christ.
Which means, of course, that the genre
of contemporary Christian music (a.k.a. "CCM")
has provided relatively little encouragement to
such great gifting. Billy
is currently on a "mostly not performing" sabbatical,
turning his attention to academic studies and
assessing what may come next.
Anything you can find by him is worth listening
to. You can thank me
later! And toss up
a prayer or two that, if it pleases the Lord,
Billy would feel the creative fire burning as well as the
gratitude of those of us who have listened attentively
and benefited from his faithfulness. |
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