Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Magic" (Pilot)

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Welcome to Tuesday!!!  It's time for The Notes!!!  Let's get started!!!

"What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes." - Harry Houdini

"Ho...Ho....Ho...it's magic, you know, never believe it's not so..." - Pilot

"Magic" - Pilot

Imagine if you will, looking into 2014 from 1974.  Yep, as hard as it is to believe that was 40 years ago.  Can you remember some of the innovations that have come to pass in that 40 years?  Here is an article that shows just a few of the groundbreaking changes that have happened:  

 15 Influential Innovations of the past 50 years

 

Those of us who were around in 1974 would have been completely amazed by an iPhone.  Many outpatient medical procedures that are commonplace today, took several hours to perform and weeks in which to recover. We would have thought a flat screen television and DVR were nothing short of...magic, you know... 

We have elaborated several times in Tuesday's Musical Notes about bands that were formed from other bands.  That is why I find the old record liner notes so fascinating.  You can never tell when a favorite solo artist or band member from another band may show up on another musician's  album.  "Magic" from 1974 provides a perfect example.  You may have never heard of the band Pilot.  They were made up of 3 members from The Bay City Rollers (#1 hit single "Saturday Night").  They would go on to join the Alan Parsons Project (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sirius/Eye In the Sky ).  But for a brief time, they formed the band Pilot and they scored a mega hit single with "Magic". The song wound up being so popular the R.I.A.A. awarded them a gold disc for sales of over a million units in 1975.  "Magic" has been heard in movie soundtracks and commercials as well as covered by Selena Gomez for the Disney television show Wizards of Waverly Place.

Magic has been used many times to explain things in which there is difficulty in understanding.  In reality, most "tricks of the trade" are explained by slight of hand or a trap door.  These illusionists have the ability to convince folks, as Houdini said, that something extraordinary has occurred by tricking the senses that the events were actualized thus causing the brain to believe it.  

When conjuring up visions of the magical, many images may come to mind.  Bearded men with faraway looks in their eyes, mysterious women who melt your insides with a glance, and a mouse with a pointy hat bearing the symbols of celestial bodies may be some of the ideas planted in our imaginations regarding the people who pull off the unexplainable. Perhaps your mind went to something like this when thinking of magic: 

"All Magic Comes With A Price" - Once Upon A Time   

There are even situations in the Bible where magic and sorcery are mentioned.  Every time the biblical account reveals an evil aspect, negative connotation, or an outright "do not do this" command regarding those who dabble in the magical realm.  Magic attempts to explain the unexplainable things of the earthly, physical realm.  But the unexplainable things of God are accepted by faith  You see for those who have faith, no explanation is needed.  Faith is something that does not come about because of a sensory stimulation, but by a spiritual transformation.  In the 11th chapter of the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, faith is a subject that is illustrated most effectively by a listing of those who make up the "Faith Hall of Fame". 

 Hebrews 11 - NIV/The Message Parallel

  These men and women did not need magic to explain the transformation that occurred in their lives as a result of their interaction with God.  The first half of this chapter talks about men and women who did not have the testimony of Scripture to aid their faith journey. How blessed were they to have direct interaction with God?   How blessed are we to have the encouragement of their stories as well as the rest of the Bible to assist in our daily walk in The Way?  Both blessings come from a communication with God that is extraordinary.   It is incumbent on us to never take for granted the fact that the Bible is the avenue in which God chooses to communicate with us on a daily basis. When we consistently choose to pick it up, dust it off, open it up, and invest in our relationship with the Creator, we find the ability to become more like Him easier carried out and our faith is strengthend as we learn more about Him and His character.   To be all that we can be for the kingdom, we must use these Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE) to navigate the waters of our battles with the enemy and remain victorious. By claiming and proclaiming the truths of the Bible we can go about doing the unexplainable as well...and we won't need to grow a beard or wear a funny hat to do it...  now if we can just get today's  song out of your head..."crazy music playing in the morning light"....maybe this will help...

"By Faith" - Keith and Kristyn Getty

'Til Tuesday

 Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Got To Get You Into My Life" (The Beatles)

Here we go with another Tuesday and this week's edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  Thanks so much for visiting this blog about the music of our day and the Messiah of eternity!!!  That's right!!!  We'll talk about the trivial and the triumphant, the songs and the Savior, and perspective and the Most Powerful!!!  So get you're best timpani roll and cymbal crash ready...Here come The Notes!!!

Way before 1966, there was a man who had many brothers.  That man's name was Joseph.  Needless to say his family was the definition of dysfunctional.  That's right, all throughout the Bible there are families who have issues.  This brother's story can be found beginning in chapter 37 of Genesis.  If you get a chance you should read through it this week.  Here's a link:  Genesis 37 NIV

This story helps provide the foundation for today's Musical Notes.  There is a key passage where Joseph tells his brothers the following:  What you intended for evil, God intended for good (loose translation).  Please keep this in mind as we upend a song from that little band from Liverpool:

The Beatles - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

What can I say, the horns they play and I have to listen....  No it isn't a missing lyric to the 1966 hit from the Revolver album by The Beatles, but it is very true...I am a sucker for any band that incorporates brass into their mixture of instrumentation.  With 3 trumpets and 2 tenor saxophones supplying the "horn" sound, The Beatles would see this song go as "high" as #7 on the charts.  In fact, "high" is a pretty good descriptor for the condition of the band at the time.  Paul McCartney has admitted that the lyrical content of this song is about marijuana and The Beatles experimentation with the illegal drug.  This song, along with "Eleanor Rigby", "Here, There, And Everywhere", and "Yellow Submarine", would cause Revolver to hit #1 on the US charts in August of 1966.  It's eclectic mixture of songs has also caused it to be listed as #3 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time listing.  It was a prime example of the adventure into psychedelia in which so many artists of the time found themselves experimenting.

We have mentioned many times here at The Notes, that we believe music was one of God's perfect creations.  Regardless of the style, God has allowed man to explore the diversity in the combination of lyric and melody.  Man unfortunately, has taken the opportunity at times to pervert the perfect combination into something not so pristine.  With today's song, however we wish to take the opportunity for redemption by changing its perspective.   
 

If you ask most people, they will confirm that they want to have relationships.  It is part of why were created in the first place.  God desired a relationship with us.  Let that sink in for just a moment...the Creator of everything wanted a one on one relationship with each one of us.  The perfect Trinity, desired so much to have a relationship with you that He created the means for you to come into existence.  The foundation for this belief comes from reading the Bible.  What do yo believe about the Bible?  Your response to this question will determine the way you engage people and build relationships and ultimately will determine where you spend a future eternity.  Let me encourage you to read the Bible.  Some of its concepts may be difficult to understand and that is ok.  Most truthful things have an element of mystery about them.  Here is a great resource that we utilize nearly every week while preparing Tuesday's Musical Notes.  It can be an incredible source for you to begin reading the Bible on a consistent basis.  

http://www.biblegateway.com/

Let's go back to changing the perspective of today's song.  Seen in Paul McCartney's light, it is a song about having a substance infused experience.  But what if we looked at it from the perspective of having a Spirit infused experience?  What if every single day of our lives we shouted to the Creator God...."I've got to get you into my life"?  What if in our everyday living we had this conversation with the Father God, "What can I do, what can I be? When I'm with you I want to stay there.  If I'm true I'll never leave.  And if I do I know the way there."  What if we spent our lives finding ways to get the Savior God more into our lives?  What would that look like?  What things would we say "no" to?  What things would we say "yes" to?  

If I may, let me make some suggestions for getting God into every single day of your life....(as a follower of Jesus, these really should be no brainers, for pre followers this is just a place to start...please don't think of this list as all encompassing)

1) As stated above...read the Bible.  Find the translation that you can best understand and then read it,

2) Let's go to church...yep, there are hypocrites there...but if we were to be real honest, we see a hypocrite in the mirror every day.  We should fit in nicely.

3) Find a small group that will encourage, educate, and enable you to reinforce your restoration to the Creator every time that you gather with them

4) Once you are consistently engaged in  steps 1, 2, and 3, find ways in your church and community to serve.  If you are musical, sing or play in your church's musical ensembles.  If you are techno geek, work in your church's audio/visual department.  If you love children, serve in the nursery or children's church.  In short, find a place where you skills, training, and natural talent serve other people to God's glory.

5) Read the Bible....I think we hit on this one a couple of times today....yep it's that important
6) Sing a song from The Beatles with a perspective that John, Paul, George, and Ringo never intended.....

"Ooo, then I suddenly see you
  Ooo, did I tell you I need you?
  Every single day of my life
  Got to get you into my life!!!" (insert horn lick...)

For a more updated perspective on getting God into your life...

"Hold Me" - Jamie Grace with an assist from TobyMac

'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Safety Dance" (Men Without Hats)

Welcome to Tuesday!!! The best day of the week!!!  On Tuesday, it's too late to have the back to work blues and it's too early to be workin' for the weekend.  So enjoy!!! Revel in the splendor that is Tuesday!!!  In fact, you can dance if you want to...

Men Without Hats - "The Safety Dance"

It is amazing what 1 major US hit can do for you.  For Canadian band Men Without Hats, it can mean the release of 6 more studio albums and 5 greatest hit/compilation albums.  That's right.  Men Without Hats, the artists behind "The Safety Dance", long thought of as one hit wonders,  have 12 full length albums and 2 EPs.  I guess hitting #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's Dance Chart, can provide some longevity in the record making universe. 

Legends abound regarding "The Safety Dance".  But in reality it is a simple protest song.  No, it is not a song about "safe sex" (the only true "safe sex" is in the context of a man and woman's happy marriage).  It also is not a song about nuclear disarmament.  In truth, it was written as a result of lead singer Ivan Doroschuk being kicked out of a dance club for "pogoing". "We can dance if we want to..."  This was a style of dance popular in the early to mid 80's that became the precursor for modern day mosh pits. (see a local teenager for a description of "mosh pits")  It was a dance performed by standing straight and bouncing around as if on a pogo stick.  Considered quite annoying in the day, it was frowned upon by many dance clubs in the 1980's as the performers would usually bump into other patrons, thus disturbing their ability to dance when they wanted to.  "We can act like we come from out of this world and leave the real one far behind."  

As with many other popular songs of the decade of our youth, the music video for "The Safety Dance" aided in propelling  the song to its eventual chart success.  While positioning  your arms to form an "S" never really caught on as a dance craze, the infectious synth melody, the unique madrigal setting and quirky behavior of the main characters in the video immediately drew the viewers attention.  In fact, there are several blog posts dedicated to the video and its characters.  You can read one of them here:

"You Can Dance If You Want To" - blogpost

It is difficult to explain why "The Safety Dance" became as popular as it did.  It is neither lyrically nor musically deep.  But there is a catch to it that begs the listener/watcher to continue imbibing in the nuances of its synthesized fun.  I want to be more like that.  I want to be so much fun that I attract people.  I want to dance when I want to and have people asking why I'm dancing.  You see, if I can get someone to ask me why I am so joyful, I get the opportunity to answer.  

In the King James Version of the Bible, "dance" or one of its derivatives is mentioned 19 times.  Each time, this word is mentioned in a positive manner.  But like so many of the wonderful things God created, man has perverted this expression of praise into something that is not praiseworthy.  Dancing, while not the true point of our blog today, can be utilized in the language of our worship lives to express what God has done for us.  This statement of praise should be bold enough to attract the attention of others.  It serves as an act demonstrating the celebration of our restoration to God through Jesus.  As we articulate our joy, an excitement about being one with the Father abounds.  Our focus shifts from our outward actions to our inward change.   Jesus becomes more and we become less.  


Matthew records Jesus putting it this way in his Gospel account: 

Matthew 5:16

^14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.  - The Message (MSG)


The people we intersect with every day have an opportunity to see our "light", or see us dance if we want to.  They watch how we react to frustrations and disappointments.  We reflect the "Lord of the Dance" as we live in our daily circumstances.  Does your "little light" shine through those days?  Will the people around you today "see your good works and give glory to our Father in heaven"?  Or do you dance a "safety dance" instead of pogoing..."we can dance, we can dance, everything out of control...."


What might that kind of life look like?  It might look something like this:



"To Thee Be The Glory" - lyrics by Tommy Walker with an assist by lifewayworship



'Til Tuesday
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (Elton John)

Welcome to Tuesday and The Notes!!!   It's the first Tuesday of 2014 and we are so excited to bring you the first in another year  of Tuesday's Musical Notes.  As we come into this new year we must take just a moment and thank you for coming back each week to this blog.  December was a record setting readership month.  THANK YOU!!!   We continue to add countries to our online readers and say "terima kasih" to our new friends from Malaysia.  Thank you to all the Musical Note readers!!!  We are in the key of concert Bb, so get your warm up routines completed and get ready to sight read through today's chart.  Here we go!!!

For many people the holidays bring about some feelings of sadness.  Perhaps the loss of a loved one or just the stress of trying to make everything happen at the holidays causes feelings of dire straits.  Even after the holidays, many report a mild depression setting in as the exuberance of the season, the constant interaction with family and friends, and the pace of the day seems to slow.  I am told this is something akin to a very mild post partum depression that new mothers go through.  Some times, music can be the salve to cure the blues.....or maybe it's the blues that cures the sadness....before this get's any more convoluted or annoying let's get started with a classic hit from 1984 that relates the influence that sad songs have on our psyches....here is Elton John with:

Sad Songs (Say So Much)

With this #5 hit, Elton John continued a musical legacy that began in the 60's.  For 31 consecutive years, he has had a song on the Billboard Hot 100.  His 1970 self titled second album went to #4 on the Billboard Album chart, something that was quite unusual for a new artist.  He co-wrote the songs for Disney's The Lion King resulting in  an Academy Award for "Can You Feel The Love Tonight".  The soundtrack for The Lion King would remain on the charts for 9 weeks.  His greatest success however, came as a rewrite to one of his previous hit singles.  On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana of Wales was killed in an automobile wreck.  Elton John was close friends with Diana as they had worked on several charities together.  He commissioned Bernie Taupin, his musical cowriter since the '60s, to rewrite his classic hit "Candle In the Wind" as a tribute to Diana.  He sang this new version at Diana's funeral.  The single became known as "Candle In The Wind 1997" and has sold a record 33 million copies worldwide.  It is the only single to ever achieve a "diamond" sales achievement in the United States.  He sang at Rush Limbaugh's wedding (a $1,000,000 paying gig) and in September of last year released The Diving Board, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard album chart.  It is very difficult to go for a long period of time without seeing an Elton John influenced song.  He has written for many artists and continues to collaborate with up coming musicians who search for his kind of fame.

The Bible has its share of sad stories.  Many of these stories are expressed in the form of poetry.   These poetical books were songs that were used to express sorrow and grief as well as in worshiping God for His great love and mercy.  Perhaps you are familiar with the Bible book called  Psalms.  You can find a link to it here: Psalms - NIV.   In these poems and songs, there is a wide range of emotions that are expressed,  from the depths of despair through loss to the euphoria of restoration.   Regardless of the circumstances, it seems that you can find a passage that will fit for your particular frame of mind and be encouraged.  

However, their is a lesser known book of Bible poetry that rarely gets read.  "Guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain and ironing out the rough spots is the hardest part when memories remain".  This lyric from our song of the day is reflective of the entire book of poetry in the Bible dedicated to sadness.  That book is called Lamentations.  Many theologians attribute this lament to Jeremiah as it is reminiscent of the writings in the book that bears his name.  It is poetry based on an unquenchable sadness as the prophet saw the warnings he had delivered to the people coming true before his eyes.  He suffers along with the people of Israel as Jerusalem is conquered by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzer and completely destroyed.  The Israelites were in shock.  They didn't see the onslaught coming despite the fact that Jeremiah and other prophets had been telling them of the devastation that would be suffered if they continued on the path of paganism they had gone down. However, the book of Lamentations is not an "I told you so" from Jeremiah, but more a definer of the sad song that says so much.  It expresses the sorrow at seeing the consequences of civil irreverence.  You can read the short book here: Lamentations - The Message.   Jeremiah wrote about the national sadness that had come upon witnessing the  ravaged landscape of the holy city, which included the temple of the most high God.  Even though he was a prophet, Jeremiah did not escape the suffering, but wept at the sight of the once proud city of Jerusalem which lay in rubble.  However, even in this time of turmoil, Jeremiah is not dissuaded from his faith in God.  He writes in chapter 3: 

 

 

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.  - Lamentations 3:22-26 - NIV

Jeremiah writes this at the depths of his and his countryman's despair.  He doesn't know at this point what the future holds nor do any of his kinsman.  All he can see is the obliteration of what was one the mightiest kingdoms on the planet.  Yet, he still finds hope.  There is nothing but desolation all around him and Jeremiah writes about patience and the hope found in God.  

"Those who cannot remember the past are destined to repeat it." - George Santayana   

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."  Edmund Burke

There is much we can learn from this sad song.  Our world seems to be headed down many of the same tributary pathways that the Israelites traveled on their destination to destruction.  These pathways that the United States and most countries in the world are on are not considered righteous by the One who  defines righteousness.   After being conquered by the Babylonians,  Israel would not reclaim their nationhood until 1948.  This would be 2,371 years after the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem that is the basis for the book of Lamentations.  The United States is not immune to seeing the potential destruction that Israel faced.  While our Babylonians look completely different than those the nation of Israel faced, they do exist.  We must heed the words of Edmund Burke and George Santayana and learn from the book of Lamentations and the example of ancient Israel.  We must turn from those sins that so easily beset us as a country and look to the One who has allowed us 237 years of freedom for our identity.  

While the bulk of the book of Lamentations is reflectively sad,  there is much hope and encouragement to be gained.  Even at the height of his desperation, Jeremiah wrote,  "The Lord is our portion" and "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed".   Our hope is in the One who created all things...including a home with Him for those who have had their relationship to God restored through Jesus.  Friend, how is your relationship with God.  Have you had a moment where your relationship with the Creator has been restored through your encounter with Jesus?  Today could be the day of renewal for you.  Today could be the day for your eternity to be changed.  Your relationship with God can have an Eden like restoration if you will believe that Jesus died for that relationship to be restored.  He sacrificed a heavenly life to be a sacrifice of an earthly life, so we can have eternal life with God in heaven.  The Bible has all of the answers to what to do next.  Learn from the mistakes that caused the sorrow that Lamentations describes, and live the life that Paul talks about in his letters.  Mistakes will be made.  But "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him."  

Our challenge today is to pray for each other, christian and pre-christian alike.  We should also pray for the leaders of our communities, states, and nations.  We should also, however hold them to a righteous accountability.  We don't want to be caught blind sided when the evidence is all around us like the Israelites of Jeremiah's time. 

Lamentations is a book of sorrow and sadness.  So much so, that many choose to not study it.  Let me encourage you to study and learn from this book by an ancient Israeli prophet.  Encourage others to read, study and learn from its poetry so we don't wind up singing a sad song that says so much.   "So turn them on...turn them on...turn on those sad songs...when all hope is gone....why don't you tune in and turn them on..."

The gifted musician Chris Rice set out one day to write a sad song.  Here is his result:

So Much For My Sad Song

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy