What Can The Sarah Palin Versus Heart Controversy Teach Us About The Importance Of Song Lyrics?

You may have heard about the McCain-Palin versus Heart story — the Classic Rock band is angry that the Republicans are using Heart’s “Barracuda” as theme music for Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose nickname as a young athlete was “Barracuda.” 

It’s an old story, really — Democrat rock star gets angry when Republican politician uses rock star’s music.  In this case the band announced on their website that they “condemn” the use of their song, claiming that McCain-Palin didn’t request permission to use it, nor would Heart have granted permission since “Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women …”

In fact, McCain-Palin did obtain the necessary permission.  My first reaction was that this is another case of “stars” filled with self-importance.  I’m not sure how many people in 2008 (or ever) care how the members of Heart exercise their right to vote.  I suspect that most thoughts about Heart these days revolve around the fact that the band produced two or three singles that have endured as fun karaoke tracks, which turn up on the lips of a large number of American Idol candidates each television season.

But there is something deeper to consider here.  Something that is pertinent not only to our current society’s involvement with music and the arts, but also pertinent to the worship songs that Christians bring to God as congregations, families and individuals: the Republicans are using “Barracuda” to create the aura of Sarah Palin as a hip, tough young reformer who is going to invade D.C. and knock some heads around.  Voters, theoretically, will give themselves over to the energetic beat, pick up on the word “barracuda,” and think, “Battle cry!”

The problem is that the barracuda in this song is “the bad guy.”  The Republicans surely don’t want American voters to see Sarah Palin as the object of these lyrics:

“If the real thing don’t do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn burn burn burn it to the wick
Ooooooh, barracuda?”

Something similar happened to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” in the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan mistook the bitter, angry anthem as a song of inspiring, unabashed patriotism (although he did not use it officially in his campaigns).  The music was catchy, and the refrain merely repeated “Born in the USA, I was born in the USA,” so neither Reagan nor a good many music lovers paid much attention to the story that Springsteen crafted in the verses, like:

“Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
Ten years burnin’ down the road
Nowhere to run, ain’t got nowhere to go.”

Or maybe Reagan did know, and maybe McCain-Palin know.  Maybe they realize that lyrics are one of the last things that many people consider when they listen to music.  Maybe they know the only words that register in the ears of many when these two songs are played are “Barracuda” and “Born in the USA.”

More likely, though, the politicians didn’t consider the full message of either song any more than do many pop radio listeners.  And I hear evidence of the same kind of non-critical thinking from time to time among Christians when talking about worship music.

Christians are a “people of the Book.”  God’s revelation came to us in His Word.  He commands us to read, recite and sing His Word.  Therefore, words are important.  In yesterday’s audio interview here on sojournmusic.com, you heard Dr. John Witvliet and Pastor Mike Cosper talking about how important it is for pastors to take inventory of their church’s songs so they have a full diet: songs of repentance, lament, adoration, offering.  Songs that challenge, songs that inspire.  Songs directly to God.  Songs about God, to each other. 

Vintage 21 Worship Pastor Matt Stevens writes that, when choosing songs for congregational worship, he not only asks “Are these lyrics true?” but “Are these the most important things we can say about God?”

But all Christians should invest this same kind of care.  Really think about the words you’re singing.  Are they true?  Are you using them in the right context?  Are you simply lost in the feeling produced by a good beat and catchy chord progression, or the aesthetic joy of listening to a great singer or guitarist?

At no time in history have people had access to more songs, nor been able to read so many lyrics on computer monitors and Power Point screens, in CD liner notes and hymnals.  There is really no excuse for failing to comprehend and understand the message in the music, whether at a political convention, a church service, a music club or TV show.  And there is particularly no excuse for Christians to fail in these tasks, given that our God commands us to

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

– Colossians 3:16