Nicole's Seventies Jesus post confirms my view that songs, and particularly christian songs, should come with used-by dates. Some songs are timeless but most aren't. Face the fact and ditch them before they become an embarrassment and make our faith seem silly.
Too harsh?
Are certain classic hymns then the equivalent of long life milk? Timeless?
ReplyDeleteAbout a year ago our night service had five songs with an average year of composition somewhere in the 1960s - and one of the songs was written in 2007.
The best hymns are timeless. But most aren't. I'd say more than 80% of an average hymn book should be discarded.
ReplyDeleteBut hymn books are thick and 10-20% still gives up heaps to work with.
I used to have to stop myself from falling into a fit of giggles everytime I went to my in-laws church where every single song was written before I was born, and they weren't all hymns. Our last visit included one song that was written somewhere early 90s.
ReplyDeleteThe long life milk analogy doesn't work, Nathan, because long life milk should only be used in times of desparation, unlike classic hymns. I'm no fan of long life milk (18 months in a country with no fresh milk does that), but I do like classic hymns.
Yeah. I'm with Stuss. If a song tastes like UHT milk, it's time to ditch it. A good song will always feel fresh.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the hymns. Most are just. plain. terrible and should be burned. Same with lots of choruses. There is a particular era of choruses and hymns that make me cringe every time, and I find them appearing way too often, and usually badly played to boot . I always inwardly groan, outwardly blush and resist the temptation to roll my eyes and whisper bitternesses to my husband, which is a little less obvious to others than crawling under the chair, but equally as unconducive to an attitude of worship!
ReplyDeleteShow no mercy, I say.
I think I don't totally agree. I find a lot of new Chritian music more cringe-worthy than the ones I grew up with. To me those ones feel timeless, whereas a lot of modern ones feel like they are trying so hard to sound hip and modern that, well, they don't.
ReplyDeleteYou know that 'As the Deer' song, or Amazing Love by that Kendrick guy? They kind of get scoffed at now, but give me either those over 90% of the newbies we sing.
And as for hyms, I think most of them are pretty awesome too. So many have been given these dud new tunes that suck the life out of them and make them bland dirges.