Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "While You See A Chance" (Steve Winwood)



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As you enter the portals of today's Tuesday's Musical Notes, we must acknowledge the death of one of the greatest DJ's of all time...Casey Kasem.  The last edition of The Notes of 2013 were a psuedo-tribute to the soft voice and seemingly mild persona that not only was the sound of music's greatest chart countdown show, but the voice of Scooby-Doo's beloved Shaggy.  Here, from December 31, 2013 is Tuesday's Musical Notes tribute to Casey Kasem....
 
 


It's Tuesday...the middle part of the week and today...the middle part of the month!!  Welcome to the crossroads of encouragement and entertainment...the junction of enlightenment and enthusiasm...the blog featuring some of musiclands biggest hits with a hearty helping of the Bible to boot...it's Tuesday's Musical Notes...coming at you electronically from deep in the heart of the USA...it's time to get started...will you join me?  Can you say Steve Winwood?...sure your can...
 
One of the biggest chance takers in all of Rock history is Steve Winwood.  We've told you a bit about this prodigy, who would play with some of the biggest names ever in popular music.  Must be nice to call Eric Clapton a friend...but we digress.  In fact, one of his songs was the feature for the  February 12th,  2013 edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes..he must be really important...que flashback music and click...
 

Steve Winwood has been associated with some of the biggest acts of the 60's and 70's.  His work as a keyboardist and vocalist have allowed him to play as a session player on some of classic Rock's biggest platters.  Lou Reed's Berlin, Robert Palmer's Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley, George Harrison's self titled album, Christine McVie's (Fleetwood Mac) self titled solo album, Billy Joel's The Bridge, and Miranda Lambert's Four The Record are just a few of the records to which this still in demand musician has contributed.  

He has been in the music industry since the early 60's, yet it would be 1977 before he would release his first solo album, Steve Winwood.  The album would peak at #22 on Billboard's 200 album chart, but see no successful singles.  Three years later, he would take the biggest chance of his career as he would write and cowrite, produce, provide lead vocals as well as back up vocals and play all instruments on the album that would solidify his position as a solo artist, Arc Of A Diver.  It would peak at # 3 on Billboard 200 and spawn the #4 single, "While You See A Chance".  

There are those who would say that being a follower of Christ in today's culture is taking a big chance.  With each passing day we see the evidence globally and even in the United States of Christians being persecuted.  We have been told that this will come to pass...Matthew 5:11-13 NASB, The Message parallel and John 15:19-21 NASB, The Message parallel  In both of these passages, Jesus tells us that as followers of His we will find the same reaction to the Gospel that He found.  Some will believe, others won't, and some others will even want you to stop talking about it.  

So what is our response to be?  Maybe we can take advice from Mr. Winwood...

Don't you know by now
No one gives you anything?
And don't you wonder how you keep on moving?
One more day your way, oh your way

When there's no one left to leave you
Even you don't quite believe you
That's when nothing can deceive you

While you see a chance take it


You see we have to find a way to continue to tell other people about Jesus.  And as the culture all around us continues to follow the path of the enemy, we may have to be very creative about how we promote the Gospel.  There is very little if any coincidence in the life of a Christian.  Our daily interactions with people are not happenstance.  What if we listened to the telemarketers spiel if they promised to give us the same number of minutes to tell them about an important thing?  What if we sent a gospel track back in the self addressed, postage paid credit card solicitations that we get EVERYDAY in the mail?  What if we asked our cashier if she is scheduled off this Sunday and would like to attend church with us?  What if we forwarded the link to the most Gospel centric of Tuesday's Musical Notes to our friends?  The ideas are limited only by your imagination and your willing to see a chance and take it...



Stand up in a clear blue morning
Until you see what can be
Alone in a cold day dawning
Are you still free? Can you be?

And that old gray wind is blowing
And there's nothing left worth knowing
And its time you should be going

While you see a chance take it...


Mark 16:14-16 NASB, The Message parallel


Here's another song from the early '80s for your contemplation...


"Jesus Commands Us To Go" - Keith Green from the posthumous 1984 album Jesus Commands Us To Go - (this one's a bit long, but take a chance and watch it all the way through)


'Til Tuesday,
 Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy

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