Today's
Notes features an origin story...a long, long time ago there was a
newsletter for a church. Each staff member was asked to submit an
update on their ministry or an article of interest for said newsletter.
For many years your humble blogger/worship leader/musicologist, had the
intense desire to write reviews about music that was mainstream and add
to that review an application of insight from a Biblical perspective.
This newsletter provided the opportunity. The result was a submission
entitled..."Walk Like An Egyptian". There were 2 more newsletter
articles published. All 3 of the original articles have been published as an email and blog (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Teach Your Children", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walk Like An Egyptian", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walking On Sunshine"). These articles became the inspiration for Tuesday's Musical
Notes as it transitioned to being an email for church members and
guests, and friends.
From February 2011 - May 2012, Tuesday's Musical Notes was exclusively an email designed to engage, encourage and encounter music and the Messiah in a fun and sometimes interesting way. To reintroduce you to some of the songs and insights from those posts, The Notes wishes to reprint on the first Tuesday of each month, one of the past correspondences. Today's Musical Note is taken from the very first email. It has been modified a bit so as to feature a great song and its story (which the first email did not). Welcome to the origins of Tuesday's Musical Notes as we encourage you to "Sing, Sing, Sing"
"Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)" - Benny Goodman
The
1930's were musically known as the Big Band era. The Jazz and Swing
movement that are the origins (along with Blues) of all modern day American
music were showcased during the time of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Bob
Crosby (Harry's brother, you might know him better as Bing), Duke
Ellington (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sir Duke"),
Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, and Woody Herman. These are just a few
of the names associated with the style of music that became popular
during this time period and remained popular due to the emergence of
radio and television all the way through the 1960's. From February 2011 - May 2012, Tuesday's Musical Notes was exclusively an email designed to engage, encourage and encounter music and the Messiah in a fun and sometimes interesting way. To reintroduce you to some of the songs and insights from those posts, The Notes wishes to reprint on the first Tuesday of each month, one of the past correspondences. Today's Musical Note is taken from the very first email. It has been modified a bit so as to feature a great song and its story (which the first email did not). Welcome to the origins of Tuesday's Musical Notes as we encourage you to "Sing, Sing, Sing"
"Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)" - Benny Goodman
"Sing,
Sing, Sing" was written in 1936 by Louis Prima, and recorded by Prima
and his band, The New Orleans Gang. Benny Goodman put together a who's
who of Big Band musicians and recorded the best known cover of the
song. While most recordings of the time, as are many today, use the
time window of around 3 minutes, Goodman's recording of "Sing, Sing,
Sing" clocked in at 8 minutes 43 seconds. It took up both sides of the
12 inch 78 in which it was recorded. The song or a portion of it has
been used in over 25 theatrical productions from 1936-2011 as well as
countless television shows making it one of the most well known and
iconic musical compositions.
The original composition included lyrics, which makes sense since the song is about singing. The words are repetitious so we won't include all of the song, but here is a taste...
When the music goes around,
Everybody's goes go to town.
But here is one thing you should know
Sing sing sing sing everybody start to sing like dee dee dee, bah bah bah dah
Now you're singin with a swing
Everybody's goes go to town.
But here is one thing you should know
Sing sing sing sing everybody start to sing like dee dee dee, bah bah bah dah
Now you're singin with a swing
Countless
times I have been told by folks..."I can't sing". After about the
first 85 times of hearing this phrase I began to ponder (a great
exercise for the mind, body, and spirit) about what they were actually
saying. I came to the conclusion that unless one is mute, (8 out of
10,000 is the educated guess of most resources), everyone has the
physical parts to make a "joyful noise". If you have ever watched the
auditions of American Idol, you soon realize that there are those whose
proficiency at singing is not on the same level as others. This skill level is what
many are referring to when they say "I can't sing." But is singing a
choice? As a follower of Jesus, I don't think so.
The word "sing" appears over 100 times in the New International Version of the Bible. See for yourself at: "Sing" in the Bible (NIV)
"The
devil hates music because he cannot endure gaiety. Satan can smirk but
he cannot laugh; he can sneer but he cannot sing."
This
quote from Martin Luther was something I had never considered, but a tactical weapon that I had
used time and again against the enemy. We've all heard that "music has
charms to soothe the savage beast". Well, sometimes that beast can be
our emotions, our fear, our anger, or our frustrations with life in a
world in which we as Christians don't belong. As you come across those
"beasts" this week let me challenge you, if I may. Let that beast
smirk, you can laugh. Let that beast sneer, you can sing. And at the
point of your singing, the beast must leave. He can't stand to be in
the presence of happiness or joy, especially when the foundation for the
joy is a relationship with Christ. Notice that it has nothing to do
with notes sung perfectly or lyrics that rhyme every time. Singing is
spiritual warfare and one of the most powerful weapons at our
disposal.
Singing also has physiological benefits..."Keeping Body and Soul in Tune" - The Guardian You don't have to sing in a church choir to get those benefits (there are many other benefits you can receive however...you should check out your church's choir program or start one yourself) but whether you do it as a part of a "professional group", part of a congregation at your church, or individually while in the car or at home, you should sing, sing, sing, sing, everybody needs to sing...maybe even a praise to the Lord
"Sing Your Praise To The Lord" - Amy Grant
For further encouragement please read "WHy Do We Sing? by Bob Kaulflin at this link:http://www.churchleaders.com/worship/worship-articles/173499-bob-kauflin-why-do-we-sing.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=clnewsletter&utm_content=CL+Daily+20141011
Singing also has physiological benefits..."Keeping Body and Soul in Tune" - The Guardian You don't have to sing in a church choir to get those benefits (there are many other benefits you can receive however...you should check out your church's choir program or start one yourself) but whether you do it as a part of a "professional group", part of a congregation at your church, or individually while in the car or at home, you should sing, sing, sing, sing, everybody needs to sing...maybe even a praise to the Lord
"Sing Your Praise To The Lord" - Amy Grant
For further encouragement please read "WHy Do We Sing? by Bob Kaulflin at this link:http://www.churchleaders.com/worship/worship-articles/173499-bob-kauflin-why-do-we-sing.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=clnewsletter&utm_content=CL+Daily+20141011
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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