Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I'm Sorry" (Brenda Lee)

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!  Good Tuesday to ya friend and welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  This is the place you can come and discover trivial facts about music, heart changing testimony about a relationship with God, and hopefully some thought provoking insights into yourself...here we go!

It seems that in the history of popular music,  countless bands and artists have taken the #1 spot at Billboard.  If you refine this artist/band pool down to those who hit #1 as teenagers, the assembly of acts grows significantly smaller. (About.com's Top Ten Teen Artists) Artists like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany in the 80's paved the way for Brittany Spears, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC in the 90's.  But one of the first teenagers ever to hit #1 was a crossover artist who became a pop sensation at the age of 15 in 1960.....

"I'm Sorry" - Brenda Lee

She only stands 4'9 by most accounts, but her large voice is immediately recognized when it comes on the radio.  She has been successfully married to the same man, Ronnie Shacklett, since 1963, which is a surprising feat in the recording industry.  Equally popular in Europe, she is part of an exclusive group of American artists.  On her United Kingdom tour in the 1960's, the opening act was a little known beat band from Liverpool.  Maybe you have heard of The Beatles?  She has been able to crossover from pop to country and remain incredibly successful.

Her music has been heard by people all over the world. Her record of 9 consecutive top ten hit singles from 1960 - 1962, wasn't broken until 1986 by Madonna.  She has been a recording and stage presence for over 50 years and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002), Country Music Hall of Fame (1997), Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.  She is known around the world for "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"(5 Million copies to date), but it is her 1960 #1 hit, "I'm Sorry" that made Little Miss Dynamite, Brenda Lee, a worldwide sensation in the 60's. 

Luke 23:33-35

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Crucifixion

³³ When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. ³⁴ But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. ³⁵ And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”

For believers, the above passage is the definition of grace.  God has forgiven our sins, (past, present, and future) due to the pleading of Jesus on the cross. In truth, most of the time we don't know what we are doing. The very thought of that kind of mercy should cause us to fall on our knees in gratitude and repentance.  All that is required is for us to ask for the blessing of this forgiveness.  To simply say....I'm sorry.  When we do this, the Bible says we are adopted into the family of the Living God and become joint heirs with Jesus in the inheritance that has been planned for us since the beginning of time.

We are not transported immediately to heaven at the time of our redemption.  We still must live among humans as an example of Jesus mercy and grace.  I can only speak for myself in saying that I never do a great job of this.  In fact, I confess to the self centered nature of man as being one of my biggest hang ups in my walk with Jesus.  I tend to want things my way, based on my vision, in the direction that I want it...yet, that is not always God's plan.  This friction between my way and God's way will always cause interpersonal relationships with others to be fractured.  For this I am truly sorry. 

To my family:  I'm sorry for the times that I have been sarcastic when I should have been loving.  I'm sorry for the times that I have taken instead of given.  I'm sorry for the times that I spent on me and not on us.

 

To my friends:  I'm sorry for the times I have been a snob instead of being a listening ear.  I'm sorry for taking care of my needs instead of helping you with yours.  I'm sorry for telling you about all kinds of musical things when I should have been telling you about the Creator of those musical things.

To my former and current co-workers (bosses and employees alike):  I'm sorry for being disrespectful of your time, energy and responsibilities.  I'm sorry for discounting your creativity.  I'm sorry for not being the employee or employer I should have been.  I'm sorry for treating you in an unfair manner or disregarding you as a person.

To my Savior and Lord:  I'm sorry for not always following the example that Your Word puts in front of me.  I'm sorry for not assisting your Holy Spirit in making and training disciples.  I'm sorry that I have allowed other things to distract me from carrying out your plan for my life.

To all of you:  I ask your forgiveness, your mercy, and I thank you for being graceful.

As I have gained experience with the passing of years, I have come to find that if I desire a change in the world, that change must first begin with me.  Nothing else will change it for me. I choose to start this change with forgiveness.  Forgiveness that I ask for as well as forgiveness I give.....that being said.....

"I'm sorry....so sorry....that I was such a fool..."

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Comfortably Numb" (Pink Floyd)

Welcome to Tuesday!!!  It's that time again.....let's get started!!!

As we transition into another fall season,  the weather is becoming much more comfortable.  In our part of the world the distress of the heat and humidity of summer are replaced by  cooler temperatures and drier air that is extremely welcomed.  The Notes confesses that this season is our favorite.  The demeanor of folks that we encounter seems more pleasant and it becomes easier, perhaps even more comfortable to have conversations of merit.  With Autumn comes the completed harvest of delicious foods and the urgency that Christmas is just around the corner.  While usually a very busy time for many, it certainly bodes well for opportunities of extended relaxation and moments of reflection.  Sunrises seem more beautiful.....sunsets more picturesque.  It's just a great time of the year!!! 

From the musical business perspective, fall is a great time of the year as well.  Many pre-iTunes artists realized that the best opportunity for people to listen to entire albums would be when their activities were more centered on being inside.  They also wanted to have their releases out in time for the 4th quarter, the season that typically is the best for sales due to Christmas gift giving.  Such was the case in November of 1979, when a British band found themselves up against The Wall.  By the way....which one of you is "Pink"?

Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb"

Known for theatrical stage shows and thought provoking, psychedelic lyrics, the band Pink Floyd has established musical recording history.  With over 250 million albums sold world wide, it is rare that a listener to popular music has not been exposed to either a David Gilmour guitar solo or a Roger Waters lyric.  One of the best examples of this is their 1979 release The Wall.  The album alone has sold over 23 million copies and is placed at #87 on the Rolling Stone's - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list 

Many guitar enthusiasts consider Gilmour's 2 solos in the single "Comfortably Numb" to be some of the best solos by any instrumentalist ever.  This is of course is open to myriad debate, however, the guitar solos make "Comfortably Numb"  easily one of the best recognized songs from The Wall album....2nd only to the title track.  

There are many dangers in our Christian walk.  One of the greatest is getting comfortable.  We make a decision to trust Jesus for our eternal salvation, join and become involved in a church and then suddenly we find ourselves in the "routine" of doing church.  It is an easy trap of the enemy and one that all of us face at one time or another.  If we are not careful, we can find ourselves in a position of being comfortably numb.  We are so busy doing the things of the church that we can't see the need for the church all around us. 

It is equally dangerous for us to become very judgemental in our comfort.  We've all seen churches that want to point an accusatory finger in the faces of sinners and tell them to repent.   This is not the model that Jesus portrayed throughout His life. In The Gospels we consistently see a man who is extending a hand of love and compassion, not a finger of accusation, all while telling people to repent from their sin and accept His salvation.  (Matthew 8:1-13, 

Mark 1:29-45, Luke 17: 11-19, John 4:1-26 ) 

Even after salvation, the need for repentance still exists.  Our self centered nature must be taken captive every day if we want to live in the victory that Jesus has already attained for us.  Each day is a new opportunity for us to share Jesus' love and compassion and remember that our existence is not about us....it's about Him.  Jesus served others....that is our example....Living for Him is a moment by moment challenge to overcome the sin that so easily besets us.  Without being vigilant in our walk daily, we tempt the opportunity to become comfortably numb....Hello....is anybody in there?

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by loving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walk Like An Egyptian" (The Bangles)

Good Tuesday to ya!!!  Welcome to a very special edition of Tuesday' Musical Notes!!!  A few weeks ago, we told you about reprinting some of the original Notes that appeared as the worship arts contribution to our church's newsletter. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walking On Sunshine" and Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Teach Your Children").  This past weekend the Tuesday's Musical Notes blog just passed the 2000 hit mark!!! (thanks again Heath!!!) We are so grateful that people all over the world have chosen to take a moment to read and contemplate The Notes observations regarding culture and the cross.  To celebrate the passing of this milestone, we would like to offer this revision of the very first newsletter article that served as the inspiration for Tuesday's Musical Notes.  We hope you are encouraged by The Notes each week.  It is our goal to continue to provide interesting, encouraging, and informative viewpoints on topics that bond us together.  Thanks again for your support.  That being said.....

Welcome to The Notes!!!

In the Bible we are commanded and encouraged to not be afraid.  Even with those calm assurances from God, everyone suffers from the plight of fear.  Sometimes it is rooted in a lack of confidence in our environment, but very often our fear results from increasing self doubt.  This is plague that afflicts everyone at some point in their lives.....even a Bangle.

From 1984 to 2011 they only produced 5 studio albums.  Their music however has become a fixture in pop culture.  Television shows, commercials, and other rock bands have performed their music.  They have been aided by the likes of Kimberly Rew ("Going Down To Liverpool" and founder of Katrina and the Waves), Prince (the writer of their hit "Manic Monday") as well as Cyndi Lauper (The Bangles served as the opening act to Lauper's "Fun" tour)  During this time they have seen band members leave the group as well as the total dissolution of one of their group.  Okay....strike the hieroglyphic pose......

The Bangles - "Walk Like An Egyptian"


The height of their career came in September of 1986, when the pop group The Bangles  scored a number one hit with their song “Walk Like an Egyptian”. I don't know if they realized it, but they were making quite the theological statement in this song. 

All throughout the Bible, Egypt is a shadow, an example if you will, of the world that “God followers” were to shun. The Egyptians were an anathema to ancient Israelites and later on, though they were allies, were part and parcel to Israel's destruction. To put it plainly, walking like an Egyptian was not a good thing. 
 
Let's bring this back to the present time. How are we to walk and what things do we face that causes us to go off track? Using the Egyptian example, we are to avoid the things of this world and not allow “Egyptian” distractions to throw us out of sync with God's plan. We can only do this through the strength of the Holy Spirit working in us every minute. 
 
When the Israelites faced the ultimate “Egyptian” distraction at the Red Sea, what did God, through Moses, tell them to do?


13 Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do His work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again. -The Message paraphrase

Notice that the Bible says that it was "His work of salvation", not anything that the Israelites did.  He told them to stand firm. The King James version says “be still”. Basically we are to do nothing but stand back and let God be God. That's easier said than done. Notice that the Message paraphrase emphasizes the word “today”. Paul tells us that we have to “daily” lay down the things of this world, the “Egyptian” things, and embrace the things of Christ. Paul also tells us in Ephesians 6:12,

  "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." English Standard Version (ESV) 

While it is okay to be afraid, we do not need to be filled with fear for Jesus has overcome all of those things.
 
You might also notice that the “Egyptians” we face today, we will never have to face again. Those specific circumstances, those challenges and temptations that we face today...if we allow God to be God....we will never have to face them again.  How comforting is that? God helps eliminate those distractions if we let Him be God. We do play a role in this. We make the decision to not allow the “Egyptian” distractions to keep us from God's will for our lives. It is our decision whether or not we... “Walk like an Egyptian”


Just to remind you of whose you are as a believer in Jesus...

New Life Worship - "Great I Am"

Thanks again for reading each week!!!

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Old Time Rock And Roll" (Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band)

Good Tuesday Morning to ya!  It's September 2nd and we hope you had a great Labor Day weekend!!!  Traffic is moving slowly so make sure you give yourself enough ticks on the clock to make it to work on time!!!  Let's get the week started right with some Seger in September! Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!

"Old Time Rock And Roll" - Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band

His sound would be one that would raise the Decibels level.  He's been known to associate with The Town Criers which would have made him be one of The Last Heard during the night.  The "look" he had in his earlier years caused others to look at him as if he was travelling with The Omens.  Eventually he came into a System that worked pretty well for a short period of time.  Then he discovered the magic of The Silver Bullet and he turned a page in his life.  

Since the age of 16, Bob Seger's life has been about making music.  Not just record selling, chart topping, music, but music that blue collar folks would find easy in which to relate.  He began writing music at an early age, but was unable to find the right mix of musicians to pull of the sound that would eventually become known as his own.  He has continually surrounded himself with talented musicians whether they were from Muscle Shoals or Michigan and Canada.  He was a part of 4 different bands before he fronted The Bob Seger System.  This band only lasted 3 albums as record sales plummeted after the debut and the second album only featured Seger on a few tracks.  He would release 3 albums as a solo act, all the while putting together the group that would bring about his best backing band and greatest success.

It would be Bob Seger's 3 album with The Silver Bullet Band that would bring him his largest selling record up to this point in his career.  In 1976, he would release the double album Live Bullet. This album would act as a spring board for 1976's Night Moves. The combination of these two album releases would assure that Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band would achieve icon status.  

In 1979, the album Stranger In Town was released.  The fourth single featured from the song would become best associated with Tom Cruise in his underwear.  "Old Time Rock And Roll" would go as high as #28 in 1979 but would reenter the charts in 1983 at #48 after its inclusion on the Risky Business soundtrack.  In 1999, "Old Time Rock and Roll" would be listed at #278 in the RIAA Songs of the Century list:

 Songs Of The Century - RIAA 

For more Bob Seber Musical Notes click here:

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Turn The Page"

With every generation of Christ followers, music has always become a conversation and debate.  Should we listen to music that is not implicitly Christian?  The debate is made even more vociferous when "artistic interpretation", such as was shown at the recent (can they even be called "Music" Television anymore?) MTV Video Awards, is displayed all over the internet and media outlets. (Apparently folks, don't remember some of Steven Tyler's, Rod Stewart's, Mick Jagger's, or Iggy Pop's antics while on stage.  Remember hate the sin, love the sinner).  

The Bible is filled with passages detailing music that is expressed to bless and glorify God.  Many of the Psalms can be seen as commands from King David for the nation of Israel to sing and yes even dance to the glory of the Great I Am.  Those commands are equally placed on us as we live our lives in a peculiar way so that others may see our good works and glorify our God!   One can easily be curious as to how we are to do this on a daily basis with all of the "noise" with which we are surrounded. Jesus promised us a counselor.  One who would guide and help us to live our lives to God's glory.

John 16:5-15 NASB

Here is another well placed discussion for your curiosity. Just click it:

  Is Secular Music Evil?

If we are plugged in to the Holy Spirit, we have a counselor who will help us decide if the music to which we listen is true and beautiful.  Even when we take those old records off the shelf.....

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy