I was watching a DVD last night entitled "A Night with Gowans and Larsson" which would have been around the mid 1990's before either of them became General where the both came to Melbourne and led a night with many of their great songs from their musicals and talked a bit about many of the songs/musicals and how they came about.
There are so many classic songs that they wrote together and General Larsson said that they have effected more lives in this 'hobby' of theirs than in their appointments!!
What length can we all go to, to change the world?? Are our minds limited to our 9-5 job? Are we able to strive to become weekend warriors? Listen to the Spirit - what is the Spirit telling the Church?
There are so many classic songs that they wrote together and General Larsson said that they have effected more lives in this 'hobby' of theirs than in their appointments!!
What length can we all go to, to change the world?? Are our minds limited to our 9-5 job? Are we able to strive to become weekend warriors? Listen to the Spirit - what is the Spirit telling the Church?
And here comes my favourite - what a testimony....
If crosses come, if it should cost me dearly,
To be the servant of my Servant Lord,
If darkness falls around the path of duty.
And men despise the Saviour I've adored.
I'll not turn back, whatever it may cost,
I'm called to live, to love and save the lost,
I'll not turn back, whatever it may cost,.
I'm called to live, to love and save the lost.
If doors should close then other doors will open,
The word of God can never be contained.
His love cannot be finally frustrated,
By narrow minds or prison bars restrained.
If tears should fall, if I am called to suffer,
If all I love men should deface, defame,
I'll not deny the One that I have followed,
Nor be ashamed to bear my Master's name
If crosses come, if it should cost me dearly,
To be the servant of my Servant Lord,
If darkness falls around the path of duty.
And men despise the Saviour I've adored.
I'll not turn back, whatever it may cost,
I'm called to live, to love and save the lost,
I'll not turn back, whatever it may cost,.
I'm called to live, to love and save the lost.
If doors should close then other doors will open,
The word of God can never be contained.
His love cannot be finally frustrated,
By narrow minds or prison bars restrained.
If tears should fall, if I am called to suffer,
If all I love men should deface, defame,
I'll not deny the One that I have followed,
Nor be ashamed to bear my Master's name
Gowans & Larsson - from Man Mark II
13 comments:
Interesting blog Simon,
I am glad they (G&L) admitted that it was just a hobbie for them.
These guys were responsible for some of the most poorly crafted music and lyrics ever penned in the name of God.
I am sure that they have touched some people with their music but I do wonder if we should all be told to "give up our day jobs"
I'll give them this though. They do write some catchy ditties that stick with you for life. (Just like annoying ads on telly)
What about......God of Piston, God of Wheel?
Great stuff!
Tunes that I would put in the "Achey Breaky Heart!" section of my musical memory.
ANON (I don't wanna be lynched!)
Hey!!!
What about some classics like "Burning, Burning" or "They Shall come from the East" or "There is a message" - some classic songs, both tunes and lyrics!!
Reveal yourself!! You should be ashamed!! ;) lol
Ashamed of what?
Having an informed opinion?
OK, maybe I should have prefaced all of my above comments with "In my opinion....."
I, like you, grew up listening to, playing and singing these tunes.....Just because they are sung to death doesn't mean they are classics.
Just because Shannon Noll is on the telly doesn't mean he is a good singer.
Just because "Crazy Frog" is the most downloaded ringtone ever doesn't mean "he/it" is a genius.
The boys from Led Zep and Metallica are a different story though.
Although I don't like the music that much I can appreciate that it was original and excellent for its time and genre...thus it holds up as being "classic"
My opinion (As someone who has studied music for 5 years and now makes a living out of it) is that G&L have a purpose to appeal to the masses but they should not be lauded as genuises. (what is the plural for genius??)
ANON.
(Still fearing a good old fashion lynching!)
Sorry for having MY own opinion then!
Everytime I open my mouth I get lynched these days - no one can say anything without someone else comming along speaking as if their opinion is the only correct one. Everyone thinks their opinion is gospel in todays society! They call it informed opinion, or because I have a degree....
If everyones own opinion is the correct one, is anyone ever wrong anymore - or is it the person who pushes their opinion the least?
I'll give up talking and saying anything anymore - maybe a monestry is the place for me! I think my blogging days are comming to an end!
SIMON (I'm here world - come and lynch ME!!)
Hey Simon
Dont take the comments of one person so much to heart.
WE value your contributions dont give in.
JT
Hey Simon, if you keep getting lynched maybe you should just start going even more controversial. you have nothing to loose. give us a controversial blog for people to get really upset about.
and person with a degree, i wish i was just like you. you are my hero. i wish i could have gone to uni to get a degree in music so i could tell other people what is good and bad... do you have a fan club website? i would like to join it if you do. oh, and by the way, perhaps you could tell me which songs of your are in the song books and are sung in salvo halls all over the world? thanks your fav admirer
oh, and im not ashamed of my views that i have learnt in uni, so im going to put down my name
JAMES THOMPSON!
You beauty!
I got my Lynching for sharing too Simon!
(Simon, Your's was a passive aggresive lynching but a lynching none the less.)
I am happy that people are having a heated discusion about music....it is good and wholesome.
Who are we if we cannot debate the validity of someones art?
Hey, I was only mentioning my credintials because I thought it might help put forward my case.
Do I think my opinion is more "right" than yours?
Not really....
.....More informed???
5 years of learning to play, write and critique music must count for something eh?
Just as I would not like to second guess a doctor (who studied medicine for 5 years) about the state of my health.
I can tell him how my sore stomache makes me feel but I cannot really explain why I feel the way I do as well as him.
Although criticising any Art is largely subjective it also can be critiqued using objectivity.
I guess I was trying to say that because these songs are/were at saturation point in the Salvo culture doesn't mean they are "good".......but I admit that if you like them then that's fine too.
James, I have no music in the Salvo song book and am by no means a "famous" or even an incredibly accomplished musician. (although, I am pretty confident some of my handiwork is in your CD collection or iPod James)
I do love to argue about music...so I am loving this.
ANON
you have intrigued me anon. im so curious now! Who are you? I would love to let you know if i have some of your music on my iriver...
well, i studied music in society for 2 years, ive played instruments since 1995, and i have a fairly decent cd collection. i listen to the radio every day, and although i dont always catch the words to songs i like the tunes that make me tap my hands on my steering wheel that poses for a drum kit.
what makes a song a good song? is it the sound? the complexity? the lyrics? what do you think?
when speaking of Christian music how do we rate how good it is? can we rate how good it is? is it theological lyrics? one song i like at the moment is "How Great is Our God" Maybe you can help anon, is it possible for a song to have an anointing on it? every time we sing that song its like the presence of God becomes so clear...
therefore, if a song is great by how it makes us feel, how it gets us to God, or how it encourages or challenges us, brings us to God etc, then surely that counts for something compared to something learned in uni?
what do u think anon? also, please let me know who u r, im busting to see if i do know ur music...
Hey James,
I know many songs Anon has written in my song book, even though they say they don't!! Maybe he/she DOES know what they're talking about but are just being modest!! I've got a few of Anon's songs on my ipod too - so there you go!! Wow, we're in the blogging prescence of a genius!
But on a side issue - I'm not sure I'd like to go to a doctor who's only been studying for 5 years though!!
Yeah, I thought you would catch me on that Simon,
7 years ???
James,
I like being anon!
You have seen me play and I am sure you have heard to stuff I have written.
mmmmwwhhaaaa!!! this is fun!
I sometimes do workshops for worship musicians and often talk about the 2 aspects of using music to take people on journeys towards God.
I think it's a 2 fold thing.
It's a bit like any ART. There is the "Art" side (maybe 10%) and then there is the "Craft" (90%)
Unless you are adept at your craft you are gonna struggle to make something inspirational and excellent.
I know that G&L works for some people but I don't think that they are master craftsmen...and thus I don't think that they are terribly inspirational.
ANON
At the end of the day I don't care if their music is briliant, crafty, or even catchy, but their musical have changed many lives so in my books that's great - it might not work for us now, but I believe it was a God thing, so I can't argue with that!
I thank God for them, and I'm sure all the people that can call Heaven home now because of them also thank them. Whatever works, it will take different forms for different generations.
What's working for our generation -will it be talked about the same way as what we are bout G&L by the next generation - most likely!!
If it's God centred, I don't think anything else really matters.
Interesting discussion, but "Mr Informed Opinion's" 5 years of musical education have apparently only been enough for him to inherit an elitist attitude towards popular culture, but not an understanding that of all the bands to name drop in defense of originality, Led Zeppelin are probably not the way to go.
Harsh perhaps, but anyone who says "these guys were responsible for some of the most poorly crafted music and lyrics ever penned in the name of God" better have an "Imagine" or "What's Going On" up his own songwriting sleeve to back up such elitist crap.
Let me see:
a) Name drops popular, but not current rock bands in an attempt to show musical credibility, but admits he doesn't actually like them.
b) Doesn't like G&L because their songs are too catchy.
c) Makes a living from music, but it can't be in the popular music field (see points a and b).
There is only one conclusion: Mr Informed makes a living writing music for that most popular form of entertainment: brass bands.
excellent points and the details are more precise than somewhere else, thanks.
- Joe
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