Decades ago record companies disallowed songs by black artists to be released by the original group - preferring, instead, to release versions of the song done by a white artist. These versions, called "cover" songs, were in some cases sucessful - but were almost always terrible. I still remember seeing black and white footage of Pat Boone trying to perform Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" Pat looked and sounded ridiculous.
But - the record companies could not allow a black artist to be seen and heard - that would never do. Ahhh - the foolishness of those early years. We have learned not be prejudiced - right? WRONG!!! There are still "cover" songs, done in most cases - not by the record company, but by the artist themselves, or by a well meaning radio network.
The song "Reality" by the Newsboys, which is about the dangers of being a runaway. During the song, the runaway reads two letters to his parents. Without exception, stations play the entire first letter. The second letter, however, contains the lines:
"My career as an acrobat hasn't begun
But I'm busy giving blood and shoveling elephant dung"
--- talking about how desperate the runaway's position is in a small traveling circus. These lines are omitted on the Salem radio network's two satellite services: Morningstar and Word in Music. Our question is - why? Is "dung" considered a nasty word? I think telling teenage runaways that they may end up having to sell blood or do menial janitorial work is VERY relevant.
Actually - this can be used as a sure fire giveaway that your "local" station is actually a Morningstar or Word in Music affiliate. That and the programming of "Salem Radio Network News".
Not a secret between the two of us, but a song by DC Talk. This song is about the Biblical principal of seeking reconcilation with man (or woman in this case) before approaching God. It has a beautiful interlude in the middle, during which the following lines - the real Biblical meaning of the song - are presented:
"In my pursuit of God I thirst for holiness As I approach the Son I must consider this Offenses unresolved will keep me from the throne Before I go to You my wrong must be atoned" |
This song became a mainstream hit as well, and of course secular stations carved those lines out. But - surprisingly - so did Morningstar and Word in Music!!!! Again I ask - why? For a time, I was somehow included on the Christian AC music program directors mailing list, and I asked about this song and about "Reality" directly to the Word in Music program directer. His reply was that he had just joined the organization and would check into it. The ultimate result was that "Reality" stayed as it was on both networks, and "Between You and Me" was changed to a version that had the musical interlude inserted without words on Word in Music, and to the full version with the words added on Morningstar. Interesting!
A very interesting sideline - WMMO, the Orlando secular "soft rock and roll" station picked up "Between You and Me", and plays the FULL VERSION - including the Biblical principle!!! WMMO is committed to musical integrity, refusing to put compression on their sound or change the original song in any way, which explains why they didn't edit the song. Are secular stations more open minded to the gospel message than even Christian networks?
I am afraid the answer to my question above is emphatically "yes". I was able to suggest to a local alternative station that the song "Liquid" by Jars of Clay was produced by the same producer as "Flood", and therefore of similar quality. I warned him, however, that it was very evangelical, and his Marilyn Manson fans might not appreciate it! He responded with a cryptic "Let's let the audience decide" - and added "Liquid" to his playlist!!! It was picked up by other alternative stations such as "99X" in Atlanta.
"Liquid" - one of the most evangelical songs ever produced, and not especially hard rock - was never picked up by Morningstar or Word in Music, but was picked up by some of the very stations playing the most anti-Christian songs. They are interested primarily in making money, and will do it with songs that have good musical quality, even if they are Christian songs.
Christian stations, caring more about "musical style" than musical quality, will totally reject evangelical messages in songs just because the style is wrong - thereby rejecting the very audiences that generate the most revenue for secular stations: the teenagers. There is this mindset that Christian rock cannot support itself, because teenagers will not sit down and write those big support checks every month like "Grandma Pharisee" will.
Christian artists are so afraid of the Christian music establishment and its prejudice against rock music that they often produce more than one version of their song so they won't offend Grandma Pharisee.
The Newsboys are not afraid to let you know - they are not ashamed of Jesus Christ. This Christian rock song became an instant hit among Christian teenagers, who have had enough of anti-Christian bigotry in their schools, and anti-Christian rock bigotry in their churches! Any pastor should be very encouraged to see 10,000 teenagers joining in with the Newsboys proclaiming to the world that they are not (or no longer) ashamed to be identified as Christians. I have seen the same result every time this song is performed in public. I have even seen it performed live on the beach at Daytona to a very curious secular audience, some of whom joined in the spirit and also identifed with the powerful message. Take careful note: TEENAGE REBELLION RE-DIRECTED IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION!!!!!
You have to realize that being discovered to be a "Jesus Freak" is the kiss of death (in terms of being cool) for a teenager in a totally secularized, peer- pressure filled, popularity-driven state (public) school. You can end up going from popular to being beaten-up in one day. It certainly means giving up friendship and dates with the ones considered to be most desirable in the school. So a powerful public statement like that from young people is extraordinary. The Newsboys tried to enhance that theme - titling their next project "Going Public" - encouraging teens not just to express their faith at a concert, but to "come out of the closet" with it - full time. DC Talk also picked up this theme with their "Jesus Freak" project.
In spite of the enormous popularity of this song, and the incredible impact it had, very few Christian stations played it - because it was a "rock" song. Eventually, Morningstar and Word in Music played a toned down, non-rock cover version that was recorded by the Newsboys themselves. Played to an over 25 audience, it still has some power, but not nearly the impact it would have to teenagers - who might not have even given the toned down version a second listen. Christian stations were "ashamed" of one of the most effective evangelical tools to teenagers ever recorded - because it had a rock beat.
--- named Rebecca St. James recorded a rock song about her discovery of the power of God - simply entitled "God". Her normal style of music (unusual for a 17 year old) is very laid back and mellow - perfect fare for most Christian stations. To get her song aired, she had to do a cover version without the rock elements. But - the problem here is that her peers - teenagers - normally do not listen to her music. When she finally does a song the vast majority of them could identify with - Christian stations do not play it. Too much electric guitar -----
This song by DC Talk is primarily about the conflict a youth will have in publically confessing that he is a believer in Jesus. The words are reproduced here in their entirety:
"Separated I cut myself clean From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams Been apprehended by a spiritual force And a grace that replaced all the me I've divorced I saw a man with tatt on his big fat belly It wiggled around like marmalade jelly It took me a while to catch what it said Cause I had to match the rhythm of his belly with my head Jesus Saves is what it raved in a typical tattoo green He stood on a box in the middle of the city And claimed he had a dream What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak What will people do when they find that it's true I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak Cause there ain't no disguising the truth Kamikaze my death is gain I've been marked by my maker A peculiar display The high and lofty they see me as weak Cause I won't live and die for the power they seek There was a man from the desert with naps in his head The sand that he walked was also his bed The words that he spoke made the people assume There wasn't too much left in the upper room With skins on his back and hair on his face They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate The Pharisee's tripped when they heard him speak Until the king took the head of this Jesus freak [ repeat chorus ] People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger That my best friend was born in a manger People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger That my best friend was born in a manger [ repeat chorus twice ] What will people think What will people think What will people do What will people do I don't really care What else can I say There ain't no disguising the truth Jesus is the way" |
What a masterpiece! I am NOT talking about the music - the words. A lot of meaning squeezed into those lines. A lot more than in most hymns (have you really read some of those things lately? A lot of them are LAME or even have bad theology).
Stylistically, this song is both hard rock and alternative. As such, it received very little airplay. I cannot confirm this - but I have heard that the video was on MTV. What a marvellous opportunity we have when we can produce something that goes right into the heart of popular culture and preaches truth!
The gospel music association awarded this song a Dove award for song of the year, in recognition of its message and creativity. Perhaps they are trying to make up for the 12 years in a row they honored Sandy Patty - to the unfortunate exclusion of really deserving artists like Amy Grant and Leslie Phillips. I think everybody was deeply humbled by Sandy's fall. We are NOT to cast stones at Sandy - we are all sinners saved by grace. God, however, made his musical statement very clear - a fire destroyed the bulk of Sandy's Dove awards. Perhaps God would have preferred some of the other promising - but rock - artists to be recognized. Perhaps their music, coming from pure, non-adulterous hearts - was more to HIS liking, regardless of its style.
Oh - if you hate Christian rock, relax, the following year - "Butterfly Kisses" was song of the year. But I forgot, any artist that has secular hits, (like Amy Grant) has "sold out" to the devil and the evil and tainted world of secular music. We must all start throwing stones at Bob Carlisle now that Butterfly Kisses has become a mainstream hit. Got a rock?! Wait a minute, its is also a hit on country stations - country is all right, they only talk about adultery and drunkenness, not drugs and rebellion. Right?!
To Morningstar's credit - I have heard the full rock version of "Not Ashamed" on their affiliate more than once - even in the mid-day, when the audience is supposed to be mellow 35 year old housewives taking care of 2 1/2 small children. They have even played Steve Taylor's "I want to be a Clone" What is going on here - Morningstar is supposed to be the mellow AC format and Word in Music is supposed to be the CHR format. What gives???? I'll tell you - the AC format is changing, and AC station managers - at least the ones I know locally - are thankfully recognizing this.
Oh - does that demographic seem ridiculous to anybody else but me? Most 35 year old women I know are anything but "mellowed down" - they are older more responsible versions of their teenage selves. They still love the same rock and roll they grew up with, and their little children are joyfully dancing to it. And they control, for the most part, the radio listening in the home!!! The secular stations know this, and are cashing in on it - BIG TIME. Are Christian program directors really so incompetant that they think a Christian audience is substantially different in musical taste just because they love God and go to church?! Get real and give the audience what it wants! Or they will tune you out - BIG TIME. What are your ratings this week compared to your mainstream competition?
For them: ratings = money.
For us: ratings = salvations. PERIOD!!!!!
So go have your little AC or inspirational station with preachers sprinkled in all day (and nobody listening) and see if it honors God when you get to heaven. You had better effectively use of His resources - or he may entrust that resource to somebody more fit to use it. Remember the great commission. That means young people too - not just the old fogies and preachers who write fat checks! What station in your town is programming Christian rock full time? Nobody? You better think about changing your format - God loves the future of His church. Do you love them enough to reach them at their level of need instead of yours?
We all know about that supposed campaign by Madeline Murray O'Hair to stop Christian radio. It was never true, and costs the FCC thousands of dollars and man-hours each year. But I submit - if we don't start serving our audiences, the athiests in Austin are the least of our worries. In the United States, the airwaves are a public resource, and stations are to operate in the public interest. You and I know that preaching the gospel of Jesus IS in the public interest. But Joe Agnostic out there does NOT know that. With only 100 FM frequencies available, and every special interest group clamoring for special consideration and equal access - it is only a matter of time before a serious challenge really IS raised against Christian broadcasting.
If you don't agree with anything else I have said, please consider this: if there are 5 Christian stations all doing exactly the same thing - there will be voices that say that there should only be one Christian station! The licenses of the other four should be turned over to other special interests for their viewpoint to be heard. However, if there is a Christian talk station, a Christian elevator music station, a Christian rock station, a Christian country gospel station, and a Christian black station - all of them are serving different community needs and can justify their existance.
UPDATE! ("I hate it when I am right all the time" - Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park) The FCC has found a clever way of ending the licensing of new Christian stations forever. They have decided to auction all new FM station applications. Can your church or ministry afford to go head to head in an auction with the big boys like Chancellor Media or Clear Channel Communications? This new ruling happened without so much as a whimper from the Christian community. And you broadcasters KNEW what was going on, and you, too were silent. What's the matter? Didn't want new Christian stations on the air competing with you? Afraid WAY-FM would come in - do what you are supposed to be doing - and take all your revenue??? It is time for damage control! Whatever you do - do NOT sell out to the devil like Moody did. Every station lost now is one that will NEVER be returned to the Kingdom of God.
You cannot serve two masters - God and money. You will love one and hate the other.