Friday, June 3, 2011

Christian Music Conundrum

I have a bit of a band-crush on Mumford and Sons.  My favorite song of theirs is called Roll Away Your Stone, the 4th track on the 2010 album Sigh No More.

A great recording of a live version of the song...




...and the profound, poignant lyrics:

Roll away your stone, I'll roll away mine.
Together we can see what we will find.
Don't leave me alone at this time,
For I'm afraid of what I will discover inside. 
'Cause you told me that I would find a hole
Within the fragile substance of my soul.
And I have filled this void with things unreal,
And all the while my character it steals. 
Darkness is a harsh term, don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I see. 
It seems that all my bridges have been burned,
But you say that's exactly how this grace thing works.
It's not the long walk home that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive with the restart. 
Darkness is a harsh term, don't you think?
And yet it dominates the things I see. 
Stars hide your fires, these here are my desires.
And I won't give them up to you this time around.
And so, I'll be found with my stake stuck in the ground,
Marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul. 
But you, you've gone too far this time,
You have neither reason nor rhyme
With which to take this soul that is so rightfully mine.


Some fans have tried to affix the dubious label "Christian band" to Mumford & Sons...others believe that any band that uses the f-word in their songs (Little Lion Man) can't possibly be followers of Jesus.  Both declarations are are besides the point, as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, their music is filled with religious and spiritual themes (there's a difference between the two).

Yes, the musicians are members of an Anglican congregation in London.

No, their record company isn't one of the big "Christian labels" like Sparrow Records or Inpop.

No, I don't need a band to construct a credo that I deem sufficiently orthodox for me to extract meaning from their music.



What are some of your favorite songs/artists that have inspired your faith journey; regardless of whether or not they are overtly "Christian"?

2 comments:

  1. "No, I don't need a band to construct a credo that I deem sufficiently orthodox for me to draw extract meaning from their music."

    Totally agreed. I've never understood why we need to label music at all much less define something to be Secular or Christian. I don't think anyone figures the Doobie Brothers a Christian band for recording Jesus Is Just Alright. Nor do I think anyone assumed the Rollin Stones are Satanists in spite of Sympathy for the Devil. Even worse is the dreaded "crossover" term that folks like Amy Grant or POD get slapped with. Remember Stryper? (ok perhaps bad example.. no one really wants to remember Stryper). In other words ... can't we all just get along? :D

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  2. Kristi - Good stuff. (Sadly, I do remember Stryper.) I recall in the days of my youth being confused by the hostility that Amy Grant received from Christians when she crossed-over (sold-out?) and started singing "heathen" songs about boys instead of to Jesus. Ugh!

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