What I liked in 2013 - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

Remember when I used to post church music every Sunday morning?  You don't?

I'm wounded.

Anyways, 2013 gave us plenty of new music in the gospel genre, for good and bad.  And usually when I talk about music by Hillsong it's because I'm making bad jokes about cliched worship bands and church v. concert comparisons.  I will say that out of the three or so albums the Sydney-based Hillsong Church has released every year over the past twenty years, I've heard some pretty bland ones.

When I saw that United (Hillsong's other band that's not called Hillsong Live) had a new album called Zion, I decided to get on Spotify and give it a shot, just to be sure it was mediocre.

I'll be willing to swallow my pride and say this is really good.  I enjoyed the entire album--do we still call them that?--especially "Oceans" perhaps because I was able to connect with the song's message as a sincere prayer.

So here it is.  Sorry, Hillsong, for all the things I said about you.

What happened to Sunday Morning Song?

Well, here's the short explanation: our church moved its Sunday afternoon service to Sunday morning.

So, among getting everybody ready to go and getting out the door, I don't think the SMS will probably ever be a priority.  I wonder what I should try instead?  Monday Morning Song?  That has a completely different ring to it.

Sunday Morning Song #10

I haven't posted many new songs on Sunday mornings, but I heard this a couple of months ago and really, really liked it.  Have you ever known a one of those "singing families"?  Most families don't have several members that both can sing and want to sing, but apparently the Walls family is one of the rare exceptions and the result is truly beautiful.

I'm sure there's some scientific explanation about similarly-structured vocal chords or something like that.  Whatever it is, you can't beat the family sound.  Plus, it has some very cool 90's-like style points like keychanging into the chorus and a guitar solo.  So it's a group full of teenagers that throwback to the vocals-are-what-counts days of 20 years ago.  My kinda song!

"Never Wanna Let You Go" by The Walls Group

Sunday Morning Song #9

Remember back in the 70's when story songs were cool?  I don't because I was born in '79, but I picked up on the fact years later when it wasn't cool anymore.  My wife was playing this song the other day when I got home from work and I was reminded of how much I like it.

The singer you hear, Dana Key, tragically died a few years ago at age 56.

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"Addey" by DeGarmo & Key

Sunday Morning Song #8

Happy Easter!

I've mentioned Aunt Liz a couple of times on the blog (here and here).  She was a huge part of my childhood and gave me a love for a lot of good things.

Richard Smallwood had an album called Textures in the mid-80's that Aunt Liz and Mom would play over and over.  I think the second song on side B was where you could find a song about the crucifixion called "Calvary" that was a rendition of a turn-of-the-century spiritual.

I couldn't find the original version online, but I found a live version that has the same words (and I don't know how they make this into eight minutes):

Calvary, Calvary
Surely He died on Calvary

Can't you hear the hammer ringing?
Surely He died on Calvary

Can't you hear Him calling His Father?
Surely He died on Calvary

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Joyful, grief-stricken, passionate, mournful, jubilant.

"Calvary" by Richard Smallwood

Sunday Morning Song #7

I posted a song by this band way back in '08 (which I still love).  On this special saturday edition of the sunday morning song, Third Day gets a little more love from the blog.

One special part of the Easter celebrations that churches have every year is the taking of communion.  I think I'm just now starting to understand why it's called that.  If you've shared in it, you might understand too, at least to some degree.  I'm not gonna get into all the Bible doctrine and stuff here; just enjoy the song.

"Communion" by Third Day

Sunday Morning Song #6

I didn't think anyone else really knew this song, but when I looked it up on YouTube i found dozens of people singing it, dancing to it, doing sign language, etc.  I guess I'm the one who's behind.

I read that Tiffany Lee (aka "Plumb") wrote this song about a time when she suffered from anxiety attacks.  I think I really liked this because the chorus is a prayer I've prayed myself:

How many times have you heard me cry out, "God please take this"?
How many times have you given me strength to just keep breathing?
Oh, I need you
God, I need you now

Anne-Marie has one more week of radiation and about four weeks ago things were going so poorly that I didn't understand how we could live through the next month.  What I found out was that we didn't have to live through a month, but day to day, prayer upon prayer, time on time.

"Need You Now (How Many Times)" by Plumb

Sunday Morning Song #5

Ohhhh, it's my favorite song.  I don't know if this is for Christmas or Easter or all-purpose, but this five-minute story of the life of Jesus is so beautifully done it had me pushing repeat on my Discman.  Seems like the perfect Sunday Morning Song to me.

"You Are the Living Word" by Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ

Sunday Morning Song #4

I know I've poked fun at the Gaithers for years and this is my peace offering.  The greatest thing the Gaithers ever did was give Lynda Randle a recording contract.  The greatest thing Lynda Randle ever did was record her version of this Andrae Crouch song.

Truth be told, I'd like this regardless of who was singing it.  It talks about a faith journey that's been made to experience everything and would learn to hold on to the few things that really matter.  I can relate so very much so it's my kinda song.

"Through It All" by Lynda Randle

Sunday Morning Song #3

Continuing in the Valentine's Day theme, I give you this song about a frustrated guy watching his friend divorce his wife.  It isn't churchy as the last two, but it is kinda preachy.  I don't know if you'd ever say this to the face of someone who's giving up on a relationship way too soon. ("I've heard you say you can't change a stubborn heart.  I can relate 'cause that's how I feel when I talk to you."  Ouch.)  However, this is what I want to say so it's my kinda song.

"Don't Give Up" by Sanctus Real



(This song very easily brings up a debate about what is called "Christian" music and what is called "Gospel" music, which I might have on a day beside this one.)

Sunday Morning Song #2

This Sunday mornings song is called "Sunday Morning" and it's by sister duo Mary Mary.

If you were raised going to church--especially if it was a Pentecostal church--you'll connect with this.  Ushers march, choirs sing, kids playing the tambourine.  This track sounds like The Clark Sisters landed on Mars, but it's my kinda song.

Sunday Morning Song #1

For years I've written about my love for gospel music on this blog.  (This came through, most notably, in the Gaither debate of 2010.)  Along with my new series of Flashback Friday posts, I thought I would start another: Sunday Morning Song.  Look for the SMS tag.

This Sunday morning starts with "I Won't Be Satisfied" by Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir.  The organ, the harmony, the echoes, the fro, the message.  That's my kinda song.  Wait for the 20-second fade-in: