New songs for modern missional worship, rich in Christian teaching and contextualized in modern culture. Contemporary hymns, psalms, songs of lament and praise written by members of the Louisville, KY-based Sojourn Community.
This old story is about the lost art of song interpretation, a bad side-effect of the rise of the singer-songwriter (let it be said that I see more good side effects than bad). Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits … artists like that were great in so many ways, but one unfortunate side effect has been that we now think that for a music artist to be a “real” artist, they must write their own songs, when in fact song interpretation is a challenging art form that in some ways requires greater artistry than songwriting does.
Is Alison Krauss less of an artist than Avril Lavigne, or than the myriad of pop superstars who have co-writing credits on their albums because they contributed a line or a phrase to a cookie-cutter song that was fleshed-out by a hired gun?
Is it better to encourage a good singer to write his own songs when there is no evidence that he can write well, or is it better to help him find good songs and to “get into the songs” well and make them his own?
Is it better for an average songwriter to put out a whole CD of her own material, or is it better for her to put out a CD with a couple of her best songs and ten great songs by skilled writers?
Excerpts from the article, by Elysa Gardner:
” … interpretive singing. In the 20th century, it was the forte of the most celebrated vocalists, from Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney and Nat King Cole to Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Patsy Cline, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston. Though their varied musical contributions sometimes included writing, these icons are known and loved for the distinctive voices they’ve brought to whatever melodies and lyrics were brought to them …
“DeCurtis also acknowledges a longstanding bias, among rock critics and fans in particular, against singers who don’t focus on writing. Post-Bob Dylan, ‘there is in rock ‘n’ roll a cult of authenticity, an identification of artists with what they’re singing, and an idea that it’s only sincere and meaningful if they’re writing the songs’ …
“Some say the expectation that pop artists write their own songs has led to a lack of emphasis on the kind of songcraft that breeds new classics. It’s not unusual for artists to tap multiple co-writers for songs that are still less memorable for a melody or message than production. Producer Phil Ramone, who has worked with singers from Sinatra to Bennett and who manned the boards for We All Love Ella, says a pop star ‘might contribute a loop or a two-bar groove and be listed as a writer.’ ”
TOMORROW ON SOJOURNMUSIC.COM — We’ll present to you, in its entirety, a Q&A panel discussion featuring Harold Best, author of Unceasing Worship, Acts 29 network pastors Mike Cosper (Sojourn), Ed Marcelle and Scott Womer (Terra Nova, in New York), and PCA pastor Martin Ban (Christ Church, in New Mexico). The topic is “Thoughts For Christian Artists And Musicians.”
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