Old vs New - Worship Music - Page 2

Dagwood · #11 11-30-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob's Ladder

Digging4Truth,

I enjoy the older songs though I'm young!

I don't understand various songs they sing now. My responses to the songs are in red.

Example:

1) I'm a friend of God (Whatever! I'm more than a friend!)

2) I'm a Pentecostal (Who gives a cow patty? They should rename that song to "praise the me!" )

3) God chaser (Who's your God? My God doesn't run from anyone!)

So many songs have become a tradition or they don't know what the heck they're singing!

I never cared for #1 in your list but agree with your comment on it...

#2? LOL, well let's just say I brought that song up a long while back, one I labelled with the "I/Me/My" syndrome and, boy, did I EVER catch the tirade of criticism (at least from one person) for calling it such! Oh, well. It's the truth. And that's my opinion of that.

But, I agree with your response to it, "praise the me!," as if one should roll out the red carpet for us, right?

As for #3? Never heard of it.

Sweet Pea · #12 11-30-2011, 01:39 PM

I agree with the thought that alot of the older songs don't really "lift Him up" in praise and worship - some of the do. I agree with whoever said sometimes they like to sing the old songs for personal enjoyment and personal time with God. (Brings back some good memories sometimes.)

There are MANY of the newer worship / praise songs that I love; however, I have to say that many of them are hard to sing as congregational songs. We don't all have the range that some of the singers have. And.... if we don't listen to KLOVE or some other "Christian" radio station on a daily basis, we don't know the melody.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!

Some of them are too wordy and the melody doesn't flow.

I did find it interesting, when talking with a lady and inviting her to church, one of the questions she asked was about our "worship". She stated quite emphatically that she didn't want to go to a church that had a "band" and singers on the platform singing "all this new stuff". She wanted a traditional song service.

The "new stuff" was for her enjoyment and listening pleasure, but not for church. ??? Go figure!

CC1 · #13 11-30-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I really do not like hymns and hate all the old Penecostal songs we used to sing written on the plastic sheets and sitting on the overhead projector.

But having said that I really had a soft spot for old Imperial songs (especially from the Russ Taff days).

The Imperials was one of my favorite groups through the ages EXCEPT for the Russ Taff days. The guy sings like he has cotton balls stuffed into his cheeks.

CC1 · #14 11-30-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

As the music director at our church I like to choose songs that offer praise and worship. I'm not into songs that tell of all the nifty things we're going to get from God as to encite jumping about over how God is or will give us stuff.

This is the reason I use newer songs. The modern songs I use are focused on praising and/or worshipping God.

When I think back on the old hymns of my youth most of them revolve around what good thing I got... I'm going to get etc and I don't consider that to be in the spirit of praise & worship that I seek for in songs.

For instance...

I'll Fly Away... Not really praise IMO. Mostly excited about getting out of here.
Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus... Pffft. No way man.
What a Mighty God We Serve... it's pretty "Praisey"

Victory Is Mine... Oh please. That is all about what is "mine"
Heavens Jubilee... More "gonna get outa here".
It's All In Him... Yeah... that's about Him. I can go for that.

So... I was just wondering what some of you thought about this subject and if any others who work with music use similar criteria.

Also... any older hymns/songs that are praise/worship oriented rather than "look at the cool thing God Did/Is going to do for me" kind of jump around songs would be helpful in me working more of the older songs into our song list.

Diggingfortruf,

I have always enjoyed contemporary and black gospel music. However the last 20 years or so every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they are a songwriter. The result is that probably around 80% of modern praise and worship songs are pitiful. Many, maybe most, have great lyrics often taken directly from scripture.

However any sense of melody or a "hook" has been lost most of the time. It seems most contemporary Christian songwriters are obsessed with seeing just how many words they can cram into a chorus. Arghhh!!!!!!!!!!!

For every "Revelation Song" there are a hundred mediocre songs. I would guess on average 3 out of the 4 praise and worship courses sung at my church each Sunday (and my daughter is one of the praise and worship singers) is mediocre at best.

What is interesting is that they have started singing one old hymn pretty much every service. I was surprised when this started that the young congregation, probably 70% under the age of 30, really get into them and seem to actually participate more when the are being sung. One example would be the song "In Christ Alone". While it is no barnburner the lyrics are very powerful and the melody has enough of a hook to pull people in and bring them to one mind and one accord.

RandyWayne · #15 11-30-2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

Diggingfortruf,

I have always enjoyed contemporary and black gospel music. However the last 20 years or so every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they are a songwriter. The result is that probably around 80% of modern praise and worship songs are pitiful. Many, maybe most, have great lyrics often taken directly from scripture.

However any sense of melody or a "hook" has been lost most of the time. It seems most contemporary Christian songwriters are obsessed with seeing just how many words they can cram into a chorus. Arghhh!!!!!!!!!!!

For every "Revelation Song" there are a hundred mediocre songs. I would guess on average 3 out of the 4 praise and worship courses sung at my church each Sunday (and my daughter is one of the praise and worship singers) is mediocre at best.

What is interesting is that they have started singing one old hymn pretty much every service. I was surprised when this started that the young congregation, probably 70% under the age of 30, really get into them and seem to actually participate more when the are being sung. One example would be the song "In Christ Alone". While it is no barnburner the lyrics are very powerful and the melody has enough of a hook to pull people in and bring them to one mind and one accord.

This is exactly where the greater Contemporary Christian Music scene has gone the past 10-15 years. It's all gone Hillsong! If there is any way to take a song which has promise musically, someone in the CCM scene has found a way to raise the boredom factor by 2 or more notches with some of the most uninspired melodies and beats I have ever heard in my life. It is like they never progressed beyond the chord progressions found in a 1st year guitar students lesson books.

As I get depressed about the current state of CCM, I may have to put my Queens Greatest Hits CD (actually three of them) in for a quick listen in order to get over my funk.

Digging4Truth · #16 12-01-2011, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob's Ladder

Digging4Truth,

I enjoy the older songs though I'm young!

I don't understand various songs they sing now. My responses to the songs are in red.

Example:

1) I'm a friend of God (Whatever! I'm more than a friend!)

2) I'm a Pentecostal (Who gives a cow patty? They should rename that song to "praise the me!" )

3) God chaser (Who's your God? My God doesn't run from anyone!)

So many songs have become a tradition or they don't know what the heck they're singing!

We agree... you've just washed "new songs" with a wider brush than I'm willing to. When I say I prefer the new songs I don't mean that I like ALL new songs nor do I shun all old songs.

For instance... I'm A Pentecostal... over my dead body. That song would never get sang under my leadership. I truly abhor that song.

God Chasers... I've never heard it but it doesn't sound very "praisey"

Friend of God... We sing that one. Great song.

The verse says "Who am I that you are mindful of me... that you hear me when I call. Is it true that you are thinking of me, how you love me it's amazing" Man... that's good stuff. That's good positioning. I like a song that puts us in a position of praise and adoration. Who am I that God is mindful of me...

But then the verse says... I am a friend of God... even though I'm not worthy. Even though I'm nothing that he should be mindful of... I am a friend of God.

And... on the issue of being a friend of God...

David was a friend of God.
Abraham was a friend of God.
Moses was a friend of God.

John 15:15 says... Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Man... I'm happy to sing that, although I am not worthy, HE has called me friend. I don't deem myself as God's good buddy... HE is the one that calls ME friend... man I'll hang onto that for as long as He offers it and I'll sings my praise to Him for it.

As the bridge says...

God Almighty, Lord of Glory, You have called me friend. WOW... as the end of the verse alludes... The way He loves me? It's amazing. It's grace actually... Amazing Grace.

Hoovie · #17 12-01-2011, 07:28 AM

I like the confessional type hymns

There is a Fountain http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/f/tfountfb.htm

also

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Sweet Pea · #18 12-01-2011, 07:31 AM

Digging 4 Truth - Thank you for your explanation of why you like "Friend of God"

- you put into words everything I have thought about that song. I know some people who don't like it, and couldn't understand why I did. Now I can explain to them more clear.

Digging4Truth · #19 12-01-2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

Diggingfortruf,

I have always enjoyed contemporary and black gospel music. However the last 20 years or so every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they are a songwriter. The result is that probably around 80% of modern praise and worship songs are pitiful. Many, maybe most, have great lyrics often taken directly from scripture.

However any sense of melody or a "hook" has been lost most of the time. It seems most contemporary Christian songwriters are obsessed with seeing just how many words they can cram into a chorus. Arghhh!!!!!!!!!!!

For every "Revelation Song" there are a hundred mediocre songs. I would guess on average 3 out of the 4 praise and worship courses sung at my church each Sunday (and my daughter is one of the praise and worship singers) is mediocre at best.

What is interesting is that they have started singing one old hymn pretty much every service. I was surprised when this started that the young congregation, probably 70% under the age of 30, really get into them and seem to actually participate more when the are being sung. One example would be the song "In Christ Alone". While it is no barnburner the lyrics are very powerful and the melody has enough of a hook to pull people in and bring them to one mind and one accord.

This is true. And, even of the newer songs, it's slim pickin's some times. But you search through new and old and find something that praises and worships God.

I do like to try to have an older song most services. It honors our elders and it keeps some great old songs in the memory of everyone. We surely don't what to lose them. That's really part of the reason for opening the thread... with hopes that someone would remind me of some great old songs that I haven't thought of so I can sing more of them.

My daughter is our keyboardist and she likes some songs that, while I do like them personally, I recognize that their modern complexities (whether that be lyrically or musically) don't lend themselves to ease of worship... so we don't sing those. So all of these things are issues that we must be mindful of. I am attempting to train her to recognize the usefulness of songs from all angles.

Also... she used to start songs with verses & choruses at altar call... generally speaking... you don't do that. At altar call you want a song that goes along with the message... that can take a background... and that most everyone knows. This is necessary so that people don't "think" too much about the song while prayer is going on or the pastor is speaking. If you start singing verses then people move their focus from the spirit/prayer/pastor to the song and that isn't our pupose at that time.

Anyway... all that to say... yeah. I hear ya. And I agree.

I'm not giving a broad brushed approval of all new songs. I just want praise & worship and I find a lot of what I'm looking for there.

Digging4Truth · #20 12-01-2011, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

Digging 4 Truth - Thank you for your explanation of why you like "Friend of God"

- you put into words everything I have thought about that song. I know some people who don't like it, and couldn't understand why I did. Now I can explain to them more clear.

You are welcome. I do like that song. We have only recently started singing it. But I also realize that not all people like the same thing. But sometimes it helps when you take the time to spell out what you see in a song.

As our praise team says... "If it don't preach... It don't play"