Have you ever really not liked a certain music group, but had to make an exception for a song or two because it was so good? No?
Okay...well as a rule I don't really like Derek Webb, and I really don't like his off-again/on-again group Caedemon's Call. But there's a song that hasn't left my head for a couple of days, and it's got nowhere to go but out...so what better place for it to go than here?
The music, in particular, isn't that good. I don't think you could call it 'good' music by any standard (unless you use the crappy Christian Rock metric where it's cool to do cover number 22 of "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord," where each rendition was poppier and more resampled than the last), but the lyrics are downright awesome, and I could probably listen to it two (or maybe, maybe three) times in a row.
On further thought, a lot of the lyrics of his songs are pretty good, and pretty solid in the theological sense. They definitely make me think (read: repent). So, kudos to you, Derek! Keep up the rock (or folk, I suppose)!
There are days I don't believe the words I say
Like a life that I'm not living
A song that I'm not singing but to you
There are times that I believe I'm satisfied
Like an intimate connection
Despite this bad reception with you
Because I can't afford to pay
For most of what I say
So it's a lucky thing
That the truth's public domain
Chorus
And I am like a mockingbird
I've got no new song to sing
And I am like an amplifier
I just tell you what I've heard
Oh, I'm like a mockingbird
And yes, it's true that I need this more than you
Like one whose name is many
Have mercy, please don't send me away
And I'll do all I can
To be a better man
Oh I'll clean up this act
And be worse than we started
Chorus
-Mockingbird, by Derek Webb
What? Are you kidding me? You should be his biggest fan since he writes about stuff you love to talk about! Ok, now I'm going to leave a huge comment by pasting lyrics to two songs that you shouldn't erase from memory:
ReplyDeleteDon't skim them...read them...
WEDDING DRESS
If you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
should that be all i’ll ever need
or is there more i’m looking for
and should i read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
to make me handsome, rich, and wise
is that really what you want
i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle to you
so could you love this bastard child
though i don’t trust you to provide
with one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
i am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers less wild
that i would take a little cash
over your very flesh and blood
because money cannot buy
a husband’s jealous eye
when you have knowingly deceived his wife
KING & a KINGDOM:
who's your brother, who's your sister
you just walked passed him
i think you missed her
as we're all migrating to the place where our father lives
'cause we married in to a family of immigrants
my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a king & a kingdom
there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him
but nothing unifies like a common enemy
and we’ve got one, sure as hell
but he may be living in your house
he may be raising up your kids
he may be sleeping with your wife
oh no, he may not look like you think
How do you like that, dude? Don't be hatin'.