Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Analyze the Lyric #2

















More gems from the Christian music world (CCM this time; we'll go back to cheesy praise choruses next week):

I know you trippin’ off of this production
To preach Jesus and promote zion
To claim the death and ressurection
Go get the bible if you think I am lyin’
‘Bout to take over the nation
Sinners become a new creation
To spread the gospel is my mission
Taking you to school and pay tuition

Look we done took over the malls
We’re everywhere
Going up and down the school halls
We’re everywhere
We done took over the courts
We’re everywhere
We done took over the sports
We’re everywhere
We drive the biggest cars
We’re everywhere
We are the biggest stars
We’re everywhere
We wear the baddest clothes
We’re everywhere
And we owning all of the stores
We’re everywhere

This gem comes from Canton Jones, a Christian artist. From another of his songs, "24":

(We ride on 24’s)
You ain’t never seen a church boy
ridin with the top down swervin
Everybody see me bend the curve

Every whip on 24’s
Every crib got 50 doors
don’t get nervous

Payin tithe
finally paid off

We ride on 24’s
we let them people know
Every city and state we go

Can’t keep that name on low
Roll eep and switchin lanes

Roll wit me and they rep
the name
Roll real don’t play no games

see the symbol on the chain
Rep tinted and ridin high
scream Jesus when we ridin by

Where you gonna be
when you die
Ima be in the sky

we ride 24’s don’t have
to sell no dro
Bust music to get that dough
preach the gospel to the po

Cadillac on 24’s
made back on 24’s
Bently Coup on 24’s
Chevy Hoop on 24’s

Drive dem then I giveaway
Why ause God said give away
But the more I give away I
got more coming back to me


Now. Ahem. Clearing throat here. Jones hails from the mega-church of one of the following three pastors. Is it:

A) John Macarthur
B) the aptly-named Creflo Dollar
C) John Piper

Discuss the implications.

5 comments:

Joe W. said...

I'm going to go out on a limb here and go with (B)-the aptly named Creflo Dollar.

Are there any prizes?

Marie said...

DING DING DING DING!

We have a winner!!

Ooh...I hadn't thought of prizes. How about an Amy Grant single of the same name? ("Everywhere I Go"). I haven't listened to her since college. Or maybe since the affair with Vince Gill. I must have the old cassettes around here somewhere...

Joe W. said...

Cassette tapes... I think I remember those. When I think of all the tapes I bought sooo many years ago, it was kind of like setting fire to a big pile of money.

It is heartbreaking to think of all the unfortunate events that happened in CCM over the years. Nevertheless, I can still listen to some of Amy's music. At least today I can. For many years, quite frankly, I could not.

"Thy Word" comes to mind - It makes me think of one particular morning. My grandmother, Queen Esther (yes, that really was her name), drove me to work. She was near the age of retirement and I was a teenager, so she always let me pick the radio station.

She liked her Gospel music - Andréa Crouch, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and Mahalia Jackson to name a few. I also liked Gospel (and still do), but I listened to a lot of CCM back then. That particular morning "Thy Word" played on the radio and my Grandmother really liked it - despite the fact that it was very different from what she usually listened to. Needless to say, it is one of those fond memories of a loved one who has since passed.

Back in the 80's, if I recall correctly, the top selling singers were Amy Grant, Sandi Patti and Leslie Phillips. Unfortunately, things got a little rocky for all three. Does that say something about the industry?

Looking back at it all, it seems pretty clear that CCM was a huge mistake. It did not bear good fruit. I'm not referring to any particular style of music here, but more to the motivation that seemed to fuel CCM - acceptance by the culture at large and that elusive crossover success. But I was right there with them; rooting for my favorite Christian singers to score one for the church and show the culture how relevant we were.

Marie said...

Me too. Sigh.

I still love Michael W. Smith (esp. the worship albums) and Steven Curtis Chapman, though.

Barbara said...

Perhaps Shai Linne or Timothy Brindle might disciple him. Hmmm....