Music is amazing. There are as many styles as there are types of food, or clothing! Some genres do not “tickle my fancy” at all. These would include rap, some country and some polka. What I enjoy tends to be anything that is creatively interesting or unique. I am very fond of songs that up the game on musical complexity, either in rythmn (tempo and/or time signature), lyrically or overall compostion. A perfect example of what I mean are the following songs that are very close to my heart:
1. Billy Joel – Italian Restaurant
2. Beatles – A Day in the Life
3. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
4. Savatage – Morphine Child, The Rumor
5. Yes – Starship Trooper
6. Dream Theater – The Mirror
There are many more, but posting some of my favorite songs is not what this is about.
I also enjoy diverse styles of music and the meshing of those style can be really very good. I am partial to music that involves my faith, as in Christianity. Don’t read into my beliefs and label me, ok? Yeah I was a legalistic Bible-thumper when I was young and didn’t know any better. I believe I have matured and understand that people have a right, just like I do, to believe or disbelieve what they want. God created mankind to have the right to choose. You can decide for yourself what to believe. But as for my and mine, we serve God and have accepted the gift of eternal life through believing that Jesus Christ was more than a Rabbi.
Yes, I was just venting my faith but you need to fully understand me so the remainder of this post will make sense. Music is one, if not the only, communication form that breaks barriers and crosses all languages. It can join together peoples of different color, social standing and faiths.
As you saw in the short list above, my taste in music ranges from pop, to rock, to metal and progressive rock. These are musicians and bands that are not of the Christian faith. The following short list happens to be of the “religious” artists I enjoy (both alive and now dead).
1. Bob Marley
2. Stryper
3. Darlene Zschech
4. Christafari
5. Lincoln Brewster
6. Neal Morse
Did you notice the mention of two prolific reggae artist/groups? I am a devoted lover of good reggae music. Of the styles I prefer, they are ska, some dancehall, roots, rocksteady and reggaefusion. I have recently been seriously enjoying both the musical ability and message of Christafari. They, like Stryper before them, are a no nonsense band that will not compromise to one side or the other when discussing their looks, music style or lyrics. Both bands have come up against friction and denial from both sides of the proverbial aisle and pew. They are either too heavy metal, or too Rasta. They have had tough roads of acceptance from the churched and un-churched alike, but the message and sound are undeniably love and redemption through the music that reaches a targeted audience.
Stryper – The Reign
[audio:https://www.eds-online.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/10-The-reign.mp3|titles=The Reign]
Christafari – My Defender
[audio:https://www.eds-online.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/09-My-Defender.mp3|titles=My Defender]
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