Dear friends,
I know that some of you are actively involved in the writing, producing, and performance of music. Others are responsible for leading congregations in times of worship every Sunday.
To you all I deeply apologize. I’m sorry.
I openly acknowledge–and warn you–that the following videos may damage your innate and practiced abilities, and impede you in various ways from using those abilities for an indeterminate period of time.
I’m sorry. I can’t help myself…
I’m an addict.
I simply must post thoughts and share videos on horrible ‘preaching’, and equally as horrible ‘worship’. I can’t help myself…
Please, please: Michael, J, Kyle, Jake, and any other musicians who frequent this site forgive me for what I am about to unleash upon your souls.
In describing these songs (and the Pino travesty) I use the term “worship” though I’m sure other/better words could be used to describe them, and the state of “Christian” music over the last few years; however, vulgarity is probably not profitable in this discussion, so I shall resist. If you are having a bad morning this is your last warning. Click the mouse to somewhere else or suffer the consequences.
Worst Worship Ever IIa:
HT: I’m not sure if I should thank BWIII for bringing this to our attention
Worst Worship Ever IIb:
Brian,
I respect the ‘conversation’ you are trying to have, and wish you serenity amongst the crap you must experience from ultra-conservatives who cannot even recognize their own presuppositions, and must vex you so…
But this song man… egad. Around the horn part I started to look for a pen on my desk to repeatedly stab myself in the ears with. Luckily–for my body–there were none handy; unluckily–for my soul and psyche–this music is now in my head.
Filed under: Worship
Wow. Please, please, please tell me that the first video is old. I mean I do know churches that would try such stunts, but thankfully they are few and dying out.
I heard the second song before, well a bit of it. I didn’t get to the bridge (part with the horns) because it didn’t really appeal to me. But to be honest I’m super picky about worship songs when I am leading. I don’t stray far from my tradition (Vineyard) and from those I pick shorter (more words means more chances to really get screwy) and songs with inclusive language (yes I switch up she and he under my breath when I’m worshipping in other settings, that can really make folks next to me squirm – no need to do that when I’m leading).
With lines such as:
Does it really matter if it is old or not?
Zap!!
My sister and I recently watched a movie on the IMAX screen and before the film started they play this incredibly cheesy laser light demonstration with a lame voice over and horrid dance music to highlight the theatre’s features. I said:
“In a world where they’re screening movies in 3D, they do a laser light show with music made on a casio keyboard as a presentation? Who thinks this is cool???”
An 8 year old boy who was unaware of my comment stood up at the end of the little 3 minute demo and yelled “That was SO COOL!!!”
*defeated*
I don’t even care anymore. If people want to like this stuff, let em. I know the first song is old and that there may not be too many places where it would be accepted anymore (although there may be a few) but I know for a fact that the second song would totally sell a lot of people.
Now musically, again, I don’t really care. He’s just a bad songwriter. The melody is vapid and lazy and the writer decided to go into some sort of Mexican stand off “bridge” within the first 40 seconds of the song (can you have a bridge before your first chorus?). But… Dave Matthews sells millions of albums to stoned hippies who think he’s awesome because he can put 47 different chords into one verse too so what do I know…
The thing is, I don’t necessarily disagree with the sentiments of the second song. I think it’s presented horridly, the words used are a little cheap and the phrase “I am an atheist” is used in such a way in the song that you can pretty much hear the writer patting himself on the back saying “well aren’t I just clever and edgy!” But really, the message of the song is one that I can get on board with. Horrible song. Decent intentions.
I’ll give an example of this from a band that I actually really like. Live’s 6th album “Birds of Pray” has a song on it called “Heaven”. It got massive radio play and was in the top ten on Billboard. The even played it at Willow Creek in Chicago when I went there once. The sentiment of the song is great. A refreshing change from all the Club Culture crap on the radio. But the song is just radio rock filler. Utterly boring. The message is ultimately redeeming though.
I don’t know if McLaren’s music is redeemable, but whatever.
Also, I’d just like to add that the first “song” is almost note for note, the intro song to a cartoon I used to watch as a kid called Samurai Pizza Cats. Take that as you will…
*headdesk*
Jake,
You have been reading too many of the lyrics by New Direction.
Though “Birds of Pray” may now be in the running as our next album title.
“…can you have a bridge before your first chorus?” Yes, apparently, you can.
As to the question of whether you should or not…
jesus is my friend!!!
j-j-j-jesus.
the guy on the orange guitar was rocking out.
The Casio keyboard she’s jamming on is AWESOME!
I am Kyle’s pastor and I know that He did that Jesus is my friend song last Sunday for service… I am upset he did not wear that outfit… What’s up with that Kyle? Wear the outfit!!!
[Agathos: What kind of strange hold does Kyle have at your church that pronouns referring to him get capitalized?
If he needs to Kyle can borrow my own "Tongues of Fire" uni-tard for any future performances!]
Sonseed is about as masculine as that Rusell Crowe bible school video you posted.
Though I think I’d rather listen to them than anybody who has brought in for the YC “youth” conference over 10 times.
YC Meeting: “Let’s see….this website says kids love bands like Shadow’s Fall, and that 50 cent fellow. Let’s bring in Rebecca St. James”
There’s something about the Christian culture where no matter how unrelevant or untalented a musician/group is (as long as they don’t play metal) they can get on stage and do their thing.
Much like preachers I suppose. But the fact that it can’t just be it’s own thing, it has to be pushed as a viable alternative to the devil’s music, makes it worse.
I remember almost every Sunday growing up there had to be somebody singing to some taped backing track. (Well…if they weren’t acting out a Carman song that week.) And never once did it sound like anything popular. Not that I would dare tell the 3 girls with big hair doing their signature number how bad they were.
Christian music is labeled so, not because of musical content or style – but because of lyrical content, and that makes it even more of a problem.
zap!
I love that the WordPress traffic generator thingie links to this on this particular post:
These discussions make it really clear why bands from Sixpence None the Richer, to Creed, to Evanescence, to Switchfoot all vehemently deny being “Christian bands” — I always thought it was to boost album sales and sell more expensive concert tickets, but it’s obviously because they don’t want people to think they’re this suckadelic.
But admit it… that first bunch is exactly what Devo and Talking Heads would’ve sounded like if they got together and smoked a bowl of jehovajuana….
can’t get past ZAP
it’s a good thing that jesus taught the lead singer “how to turn his cheek when people laugh at him”…cuz i’m definitely laughing now! maybe that’s the point of the whole song, it was an effort to create an environment that would test his ability to withstand “persecution”! now it all makes sense!
Been enjoying your Worst Worship ever slots… Think you’ll appreciate this exercise praise!!!!
http://meinmysmallcorner.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/coming-back-to-the-heart-and-lungs-of-worship/