Worship Leaders Network | Worship Leader Forum | Worship Leader Resources & Jobs
Why turn a hymn into a rock-n-roll song? Rant
I'm not much of a Beatles fan. Once during a phone call when I was stuck on hold, I was treated to the tune "Let It Be". It had been reduced to a series of electronic beeps in two part harmony. Whoever did that arrangement was probably a computer programmer that used a mathmatical formula of tones and timing to come up with their version of the song. It had about as much character and feeling as a bucket of toxic waste. I cant stand it when I hear a classic rock song that has been turned into Muzak. I feel it is even worse when somebody tries to turn a hymn into a rock-n-roll song.
Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" is the most demon inspired song I can think of. What would happen if someone like Hanna Montana recorded it? "There"s a lady who knows..... Boom Boom Clap, Boom De Clap, De Clap". Satan would spend the next thousand years puking his guts out all over the halls of hell. Why do this same thing to a song inspired by God?
Hey, If you only love modern praise and worship that's cool. If you don't like hymns that's OK too. If you like songs with a "bop-a-bop-a-bop-a-bop-bop" rhythm, find some that were written that way. I'm not saying hymns should only be played on an organ. Be respectful to hymn writers. Play their music the way they wrote it and tell their story's. In doing so you can treat your congregations to some of the best music ever written.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Alain Vitray on -
I got here by googling "rock and roll hymns." Although you make many good points which prove definitively that some attempts at rocking classic hymns fall flat. I am at this moment listening to Paul Baloche's version of "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" I grew up singing this hymn. I have always loved it and this new version blows me away. You see, I'm 64 and I was also brought up with Rock and Roll. This Fall our church choir did "Awesome God" (in a choral arrangement) and it went over quite well. Tomorrow evening we will preform a Christmas Piece arranged by the Suwanee project in latin. I am also involved in a little ad hoc group working on a mass sing-in of "He Reigns." I write this to indicate that my musical taste are broad and varied and I take my gems where I find them. Have you listened to any of the reggae/ska versions of "By the Waters of Babylon?" They sound inspired to me and reflect that similarity of the experience of the Hebrews in Egypt and the African in America that is sometimes called "soul."
For me it all depends on the theological soundness of the lyric (some leeway is permitted, after all it is a song not a sermon.) and the prosody. The tune, rhythm, and mood must suit the theme and the lyric well
I would like to throw in a cautionary footnote that in times past graphic description of evil was permitted if it was clearly intended as a cautionary. So maybe "Highway to Hell?" or "Momma Told Me Not to Come" (just kidding.)
-
Permalink Reply by Stevo on -
I really didn't like what Baloche did to that hymn. In fact, I'm not finding many modernized versions of hymns that sound good - it's just personal preference I guess. It's kind of like imaging that kid on American Idol doing his own version of Gimmee Shelter. But it should never stop us from trying new things out. Now it isn't uncommon to find a hymn that has had more than one melody applied to it over the years. Sometimes, the one you grew up with isn't the original!
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Alain Vitray on
-
It is, after all a matter of taste. I am rather unfond of some of the tunes in my hymnal written during the fifties and sixties. They sound like cinema background melodies to me. And things like including lyrics about air travelers in "Eternal father strong to save" leave me non-plussed. That's why our choir performs a variety of music. I am sure that if we ever play an anthem that requires a trap set and amps to be set up in the sanctuary some of my brothers and sisters will leave shaking their heads and wondering about the state of my sanity.
-
Permalink Reply by Toni on -
Wow - talk about resurrection from the dead of an old thread.
The pop music of 150 years ago wasn't all good, and sometimes it doesn't do any harm to re-do a hymn, especially of the new feel brings a fresh feel and isn't just twee. I know 3 or 4 versions of Be Thou My Vision that range from slow ballad through African beat to rock, all of which work well. Some hymns benefit from a reggae beat, livening up and injecting humour into a dry, cliched tune.
There's no reason on earth than they can't be adapted or changed provided it's done well.
-
Permalink Reply by Stevo on
-
I should qualify - while there are many modernized versions of hymns I don't like, there are many I do like. I think "sing a new song" incorporates everything from a fresh new song to a re-freshed old song.
-
Permalink Reply by Cory Zipperle on -
Preferences in arrangement are purely for our own delight. Somebody had a creative idea, they exercised it, the Christian thing to do is to encourage them - and not poop on their idea because it doesn't match our preferences.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- Next ›
Welcome to
Worship The Rock - Worship Leader Forum & Social Network
© 2013 Created by Phil Williams.
