Music Life (And Links For Us To Support It)

Music life is so, so sweet right now.

Petra's recording a new single.

John Schlitt (the legendary Petra singer) has got a Kickstarter campaign going for a Christmas album. There's still a month left on this one, but they're getting pretty discouraged about where the support level is. If you can, definitely go help them out. (Check out John's official YouTube channel here and a great Petra channel on YouTube here. Anything done by Petra after 1985 features John as the lead singer.)

Also, here's Daniel Amos' Kickstarter page for their new album (if you want in on this one, get on it quickly because I think they're almost done...). This one's already funded and in progress, but they're still taking donations for covering travel costs and publicity and generally making the album the best it can be.

And now... Carman (of The Champion and Satan Bite The Dust fame) just put out a Kickstarter campaign for a new album and a music video project.

There we go, ladies and gentlemen. We just went from one end of the Christian music spectrum to the other in two tab-returns. Because I'm just that talented. (And please don't sue me for putting Daniel Amos and Carman in the same post.)

Artists Explained

Found this on the Carman Facebook page (talking about his cat trying to wake him up...).

"He doesn't understand. I'm a musician. I have no 6.00 am on my clock... anywhere."

Your artist friends have now been explained to you.




P.S. -- For those who are interested, Carman is currently raising money to record a new praise and worship album. Details on his Facebook page if you'd like to be a part of that.

Let's Get Upset -- A Playlist (AKA Belated Music Day)

Over the past few weeks I've put together a little 'Rally for Parental Rights/General Freedom In This Country' pump-up playlist. For your enjoyment, I've posted the details below.

(Note that it's not really in any kind of order because the list got kind of big kind of fast and I didn't want to mess around with that much copying and pasting right now. Also, all links go to YouTube.)


Let's Get Upset
DeGarmo & Key, 1989 Power Discs (The Pledge)
Let's get upset
And turn this country upside down
Let's get upset
With Jesus' help we'll turn this land around...

Get On Your Knees And Fight Like A Man
Petra, 1987 Star Song Records (This Means War!)
Get on your knees
And fight like a man
He'll put up strongholds if you just believe He can
Your enemy
Will tuck his tail and flee
Get on your knees
And fight
Like a man

This Means War!
Petra, 1987 Star Song Records (This Means War!)
This means war
And the battle's still raging
War
And now both sides are waiting
The Victor is sure
And the victory's secure

Apathy Alert
DeGarmo & Key, 1985 Power Discs (Commander Sozo & The Charge Of The Light Brigade)
My heart goes searching for a place to hide
I hear a voice of warning down inside
Apathy alert
I hear the voice inside shouting to my heart
Apathy alert
It's time to do what's right
It's time for me to do my part

Stand In The Gap
Petra, 1988 Star Song Records (On Fire!)
Stand in the gap
Coming boldly to His throne of grace
Stand in the gap
He will hear you when you seek His face
Put your weapon to its use
And believe it will produce
Stand in the gap
Until all hell
Until all hell breaks loose

Angel Of Light
Petra, 1981 Star Song Records (Never Say Die)
Angel of light
You're telling me wrong is right
But you only bring darkness to my soul

Don't Let Your Heart Be Hardened
Petra, 1987 Star Song Records (This Means War!)
Don't let your heart be hardened
Don't let your love grow cold

Pray For Rain
PFR, 1992 Vireo Records (Pray For Rain)
I pray for rain to come
And wash away what has made me numb...

Great Expectations
Steven Curtis Chapman, 1999 Sparrow Records (Speechless)
Lord we come
With great expectations

Who Owns You
White Heart, 1992 Star Song Records (Tales Of Wonder)
Tell me you owns you baby
Tell me you owns you now
Tell me who owns the key
To your captive heart
Tell me who owns you baby
Tell me do you even know...

Armed And Dangerous
Petra, 1991 Star Song Records (Beyond Belief)
Armed and dangerous
God's enemies will scatter
Armed and dangerous
We'll see the darkness shatter...

Underground
Petra, 1991 Star Song Records (Beyond Belief)
Persecution only makes us grow
They've got my number it's no surprise
I'm here and wearing no disguise
...
I won't go underground
I won't turn and flee
I won't bow the knee
And I'm not ashamed of the cross I claim

I Am On The Rock
Petra, 1991 Star Song Records (Beyond Belief)
I shall not be moved
Cause I am on the Rock

Greater Is He
Peter Furler (feat. Phil Joel and Bill Furler), 2011 Sparrow Records (On Fire)
Greater is He that is in us
Then he that's in this world

Lost The Plot
Newsboys, 1996 Star Song Records (Take Me To Your Leader)

I'm Not Ashamed
Newsboys, 1992 Star Song Records (Not Ashamed)
I'm not ashamed to speak the name
Of Jesus Christ

Stay Strong
Newsboys, 2003 Sparrow Records (Greatest Hits)
Stay strong you are not lost
Come on fix your eyes ahead
Our Father's dawn will light our day

God Is Not A Secret
Newsboys, 1996 Star Song Records (Take Me To Your Leader)

Freedom Battle
Michael W. Smith, 2000 Reunion Records (Freedom)

How Long?
Michael Card, 1990 Sparrow Records (The Way Of Wisdom)

Wake The Dead
John Schlitt, 1995 Word Records (Shake)
There's too much to do to just walk away...

Free The Fire In Me
The Imperials, 1988 Myrrh Records (Free The Fire)
Like a torch that's passed for eternity...

Causin' A Commotion
Greg Sczebel, 2009 Soultone Records (Love & The Lack Thereof)

Activate
DeGarmo & Key, 1985 Power Discs (Commander Sozo & The Charge Of The Light Brigade)
Who's gonna show the world that more excellent way
Who'll be black and white
When everyone wants to be grey
Who's gonna go and tell them that Jesus still lives
Who's gonna go and tell them that He will forgive
Fill my heart
With strength from above
Lord take away all of my apathy
And give me the courage to love

If God Is For Us (Who Can Be Against Us?)
DeGarmo & Key, 1989 Power Discs (The Pledge)

D.O.A.
Connie Scott, 1985 Image 7 Records (Spirit Mover)
Satan may be strong
But our Lord is stronger still
So put His armour on
And take up His sword and shield...

Slow Fade
Casting Crowns, 2007 (The Altar And The Door)
It's a slow fade
When black and white have turned to grey
And thoughts invade
Choices are made
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade

Bye Bye Babylon
White Heart, 1989 Sparrow Records (Freedom)
Now people study me
I'm a part of history
Oh did we leave them another Babylon...
If God is not your strength and song
It's goodbye
Babylon

Revival In The Land
Carman, 1989 Benson Records (Revival In The Land)

Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Avalon, 1997 Sparrow Records (A Maze Of Grace)

If My People Pray
Avalon, 1999 Sparrow Records (In A Different Light)
If My people pray
Reach for Me with hearts
That are broken
I will not forget what I've spoken
Come and seek My face...

WAR
John Piper, 2007 Desiring God Ministries (1031sermonjams.com)

Make War
Tedashii (feat. Flame), 2010 Reach Records (Identity Crisis)

Truth
Lecrae, 2008 Reach Records (Rebel)
If what's true for you is true for you and what's true for me is true for me, what if my truth says yours is a lie?
Is it still true?

Rebel
Lecrae, 2008 Reach Records (Rebel)

Whole World
Petra, 1986 Star Song Records (Back To The Street)
And He's still got the whole world in His hands
Tonight
And only He knows where the sparrow lands
Tonight
And nothing in this world can stop His plans
Tonight...

Shakin The House
Petra, 1986 Star Song Records (Back To The Street)
Everything that can be shaken will be shaken from within
Better have your house in order when the shaking begins...

No Weapon Formed Against Us
Petra, 1989 Word Records (Petra Praise... The Rock Cries Out)
No weapon formed against us shall prosper
All those who rise up against us shall fall
I will not fear what the devil may bring me
I am a servant of God
Yeah
I am a servant of God

Bema Seat
Petra, 1983 Star Song Records (Not Of This World)

Pied Piper
Petra, 1983 Star Song Records (Not Of This World)
Pied piper
Wanting them all to follow you
Knowing not where you lead them to
But all the time you're leading them astray...
(This one's for you, Minister Lukaszuk.)

Them
PFR, 1996 Vireo Records (Them)
And the band marches on and on and on without slowing
And the leader leads them on and on and on without knowing
Never looking back to see the mess that they have left behind
...
It's all too clear the wealths of violence and sexual perversion
Offer more than just some innocent psychological diversion...

Tumblin' Down
David Meece, 1985 Myrrh Records (7)

Over You
David Meece, 1993 Star Song Records (Once In A Lifetime)
There's nothing there's no one there's no other lord over You

Run
David Meece, 2002 Aluminum Records (There I Go Again)
Run
Oh run
Through the mouth of death to the Risen One
Oh run

Dancing With The Enemy
David Meece, 2002 Aluminum Records (There I Go Again)

Raise These Arms
David Meece, 2002 Aluminum Records (There I Go Again)
Now it's time we stop pretending
Time we get up on our feet and say
Hey hey...
I will raise these arms
In the field and in the vineyard
With the servants of the Lord

How Long Will Be Too Long?
Michael W. Smith, 1990 Word Records (Go West Young Man)
How long
Will we drink from the chalice of indifference?

Raging Of The Moon
White Heart, 1992 Star Song Records (Tales Of Wonder)
Thank God the world's been saved
Marx is in his grave
The hammer and sickle lay broken on the ground
If we're through with history
Then why this misery
...
Oh we must awaken...

Vendetta
White Heart, 1992 Star Song Records (Tales Of Wonder)
Vendetta against
The raging world
Vendetta against
The lies we've heard
Vendetta led by love not hate
It's the only way
The pattern breaks

More Sold Out
White Heart, 1987 Sparrow Records (Emergency Broadcast)
Are they working harder at what we think is wrong
Than we are at what we know is right
Sold out
They might be sold out to sin
Sold out
Better take a look inside, what do you see
Are you and me
More sold out to Him?

Excuse Me, Forgive Me
White Heart, 1993 Star Song Records (Highlands)
Excuse me forgive me
I'm certain that you do see
...
It's one or the other
No they're not together

Power Tools
White Heart, 1989 Sparrow Records (Freedom)
You gotta open your eyes
You better know who's making all the rules
Is he a man of God
Or just a baby with some power tools?

Go Down Nineveh
White Heart, 1982 Home Sweet Home Records (White Heart)

Heroes
White Heart, 1985 Home Sweet Home Records (Hotline)
Who's gonna stand up

Keep Fighting The Fight
White Heart, 1985 Home Sweet Home Records (Hotline)

Counsel Of The Holy
Petra, 1988 Star Song Records (On Fire!)

The Flame Passes On
White Heart, 1993 Star Song Records (Highlands)

No Other Hope
David Meece, 2002 Aluminum Records (There I Go Again)
There is no other hope but You
(No one else to cry to now)
No other thing that we can do but turn to You
There is no other trust and truth
(No one else can help us now)
There is
No other hope but You

To The Glory Of God
David Meece, 1989 Star Song Records (Learning To Trust)
To the glory of God
Next time I fly it will be
To the glory of God
I want my whole life to be
To the glory of God

The Unknown Soldier
David Meece, 1985 Myrrh Records (7)

The Battle Belongs To The Lord
Petra, 1989 Word Records (Petra Praise... The Rock Cries Out)

Salvation Belongs To Our God
Petra, 1989 Word Records (Petra Praise... The Rock Cries Out)

Godpleaser
Petra, 1983 Star Song Records (Not Of This World)
Don't want to be a man-pleaser
I want to be a Godpleaser
I just want to do the things that please the Father's heart...


People of Canada, we are not yet living in a censored country. Make the most of that freedom while you still can so that it stays that way.

Music Day

This song, to me, is the perfect example of how a praise chorus should be produced. Even though the lyrics are simple and repeated several times, they're from the heart and they're set against a thoughtfully arranged musical background that cancels out any remaining problem caused the the repetition of the lyrics. So many songs on Christian radio today include the person singing the same line fifteen times to the same unexciting guitar strumming that showed up in his previous twenty-one hits (not to mention the previous five minutes of the current song).
Why listen to what is basically the same song over and over when there is better stuff out there?
That's kind of why I started Music Day. I wanted to show people that there is quality (or just fun) Christian music out there if you're willing to dig a bit for it. Sure, some of it may be an acquired taste (Carman is a good example) but my hope is that you have found (or will find) something you like that may open your eyes to an artist or a subgenre that you didn't know existed before.

Title: He Is Exalted
Artist: Twila Paris
Album: Kingdom Seekers
Year: 1985
Label: Star Song Records
iTunes here and YouTube here.

Music Day

This song is very much off the beaten track of 'normalcy'. I mean, it was recorded in the late 1980s (and take into account who the artist is), but even so, this is a fair departure from 'conventional' arrangements (at least in the Christian music world).

It starts out with a light, airy flute alongside birds chirping. The flute gives way to the drum machine that carries the beat, simply and unobtrusively, through most of the rest of the song. The lyrics, however, are more serious than the birds or the inherent eighties dorkiness of the drum machine would suggest. Therein lies the genius of the song -- there is a whole plane of reality that we can't see; that we're barely aware of...

Title: A Witch's Invitation

Artist: Carman

Album: Revival In The Land

Year: 1989

Label: Benson Records

It's on iTunes and YouTube (check out his mailbox -- so hilariously dorky. Also notice how there conveniently happens to be a trash can on his yard).

Music Day

If you enjoy either spoofs or dramatizations (or rock music), you must listen to this song. This is one of the more well-known Christian artists of the 1980s, primarily because of this song.

Title: The Champion
Artist: Carman
Album: The Champion
Year: 1986
Find it on iTunes here.
Here is just one version of it on YouTube (skip the first minute if you don't really care who he dedicates the song to). Search 'Carman The Champion' on the site to find quite a few other videos (a lot of them are live tapings too, so that's always fun.)