New Music Wednesday - He's God

 I can't believe I never featured Fred Hammond on this blog! Let this song minister to your inner Calvinist then go out and buy his CD Pages Of Life Chapters 1 & 2 as soon as Amazon stops freaking out.


Our God is high and lifted up and you should know
That's just the way it is
He is ruler of the Heavens and Earth below
That's just the way it is

He's in control of my life
He's sovereign, He knows what's right
He will take care of His own
He's God and He's on the throne

Ruling Earth and sky
And everything therein
He is crowned Most High
His kingdom never ends
I remind myself every now and then
He's God - That's just the way it is
 
Although our enemy is strong God is stronger
That's just the way it is
And when He tells them that's enough they go no longer
That's just the way it is

He's God
He's God
He's God
That's just the way it is 

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All the worship leaders are leaving!

Well that's a slight exaggeration...

It's been a day for moving on. Simon Brading is taking 10 weeks out to rest after 2 high profile years at CCK Brighton, which will mean he won't be taking part in the Together On A Mission and Newday conferences this year.

Keith & Kristyn Getty are moving on from thier home church. Keith said in a news letter today

Next week Kristyn and I make the road trip down to Tenessee where we are going "back to school" for one year! Kristyn will be studying voice while I will be taking a few piano, voice and compositional classes as part of a year where we focus on studying and writing new music.

He's also started a blog which is sure to be informing and entertaining and you can find it here



Related Posts: Free songs by Keith Getty and Simon Brading

Free songs by Matt Blick

What I Really Think of Paul Baloche (& Bob Kauflin)

…Just to clarify. Most people got the joke, but Friday’s post was meant to be humorous.

I do not really think Paul Baloche is a “ruthless multimillionaire."

When I originally wrote the post it contained the name of another Christian musician, but it dawned on me that, as this person is an award winning multi-platinum recording artist, there may just be someone out there dumb enough to think I really meant it when I said they might steal your songs.

So I tried to think of the most ridiculously unlikely people in Christian music to be multimillionaire song thieves. I picked Paul Baloche and Bob Kauflin. I thought the concept would be so outrageous as to signal loud and clear THIS IS A JOKE! Maybe I should have thrown in an army of flying monkey henchmen and a secret hideout in the Bavarian mountains ‘cos it obviously wasn’t clear enough. And I upset someone who I respect a lot.

So, without irony, sarcasm, hyperbole or any other literary judo, here’s what I think of Paul Baloche.

The Truth About Paul

Paul is one of the best songwriters and teachers on the art of worship leading alive today. He has written classics like Open The Eyes Of My Heart Lord, Your Name, What Can I Do & Praise Is Rising & I have loved his writing ever since hearing the ‘He Is Faithful’ CD 18 years.

He wrote the book God Songs which I have read 3 times from cover to cover & recommended (and sometimes even given away) to just about everyone who’s ever asked my advice on songwriting.

He’s displayed diligence, working hard to master the craft of writing songs for the local church, humility in the face of criticism of his song “Above All”, been a model of faithfulness in serving one congregation for over 20 years and an example of cross cultural ministry in recording a French language worship album. Lastly there is an unfailing generosity that he displays through all his training resources.

And now you can add the graciousness he managed to display when commenting on my blog even when he felt he was being personally attacked.

So he’s a good guy. And if you changed the book and song titles pretty much everything I’ve said could apply to Bob Kauflin too. Even if he does sit on a golden throne.*

Today's Lesson

Being a Christian blog, and having apologised personally & publically, recanted, retracted, corrected & repented, it only remains for me to explain what lesson I’ve learned from this experience.

It’s this. A sense of humour sometimes gets lost in translation, but regardless of that, every man has the right to have no sense of humour at all where his own reputation and good name is concerned.

Now excuse me while I patch things up with Lady Gaga.



* Yes this is a joke. But at least it’s not MY joke.



Related Posts: You Gave Your Life Away
What Can I Do? & Your Name

Free songs by Matt Blick

Top 10 Reasons NOT to Write Songs For Your Church

Update 27/07/10 I've now added the 3 'missing' reasons. Click here if you're interested in why I wrote the post in the first place and here if you're curious as to why it was so controversial.

1) Wanting to write songs is probably an expression of your pride and shameless self promotion.

Pride can ruin all ministry. I used to struggle with it but actually gained complete mastery over pride and selfish ambition on Mar 23rd 1998 (around 11am) and since then I’ve been free to pursue songwriting.

I’m lying of course. (dang! That’s a sin as well isn’t it?). I’m proud. I wonder exactly how humble I’ll have to be before God can use me? And how will I know when I’ve got there?

2) God hasn’t told you to write songs.

Can’t argue with that. I mean, all that singing a new song stuff in psalms probably doesn’t mean literal songs that someone would literally write does it?

Aren't you glad you didn't do anything else today that God didn't ‘tell you to do’ - like eating lunch, reading books, planning a vacation…

3) God hasn’t given you any songs yet.

Maybe he will, but he hasn’t yet. Because he just gave you the ability to play an instrument one day didn’t he? It’s not like you actually practiced or anything.

I wonder what your pastor is doing while he waits for God to give him this Sunday’s sermon?

4) There are so many great songwriters out there already, no one needs your songs.

God has so ordered his church that each congregation will go through the same struggles in the same way, at the same time, causing those events to sync up with Chris Tomlin’s recording schedule in order to deliver the CD at just the right time for your congregation to learn. That’s what the doctrine of God’s sovereignty means, buddy.

Why on earth would a local worship leader know more about the life of his own congregation than a CCM superstar?

5) Somebody might steal your songs.

The world is full of crooks. Not only would a million secular artists out there like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber & AC/DC kill to get their hands on your gentle worship song about Jesus, but there are ruthless multimillionaire worship artists out there, who are more than willing to steal someone else’s song so they can glorify Jesus with it themselves.

Sadly, even writing ‘copyright’ all over the lyrics may not be enough protection.

6) You don’t know anything about publishing, recording and the rest of the music business.

You can’t just write a song on a guitar and then sing it to people who know you. Every song needs a whole army of backroom staff doing ‘who knows what’ get it where it belongs – on the iPod’s of complete strangers.

7) Everybody thinks your songs suck, but no one will tell you why.

Knowing how to improve you writing would be so helpful, but one of the worst things you could do would be so unspiritual as to come straight out and ask for constructive feedback. That would open you up to the temptation of changing what God has given you and might even set you back in your struggle against pride.

8) It’s self-indulgent spending all that time writing songs on your own

As Christians we’re called to community and that means meeting together. Spending time alone in your room writing and rewriting songs is probably just another expression of your western individualism. How are you supposed to bless other Christians when you spend so much time shut up in a room by yourself?

9) You’re too busy doing ministry to write songs

If you’re a musician you’re probably playing in the Sunday services, mid week, maybe even rehearsing. Or perhaps you’re a youth minister or even a pastor. Whichever way you slice it you’re busy, busy, busy, doing a lot of ministering. You want to impact nations, change history, do something that’s going to reverberate down the centuries. You want to do something with eternal consequences, pastoring a church like John Newton or evangelising a nation like Charles Wesley, so you don’t have time to waste crafting something disposable as a song.



 

10) People in your church will be critical of your first efforts

It’s sometimes hard for us to accept, but our pastors, congregation and even our fellow musicians, know that people like Chris Tomlin and Brenton Brown came out of the womb with a fully realised gift for songwriting. The proof that they have been truly anointed by God is that they have never written a bad song or even one that needed any revision or rewriting. Well-meaning criticism or sheer indifference from fellow believers is God’s way of telling you that you just don’t have what it takes.

In a very few instances however it’s possible that you are anointed and that criticism (however constructive it may be) is an attack from Satan. In which case you should regard all such advice as a direct attack on the gift “God has given you” and secretly label such advisers as ‘unspiritual’.


What’s hindering your songwriting attempts?

Links to this post: Audience of One
Josh John's Blog

Related Posts: A songwriter's motivation
Behind the song: Jesus, Thank You



Free songs by Matt Blick

Resound Worship Songwriting Day

Last week I had the very great pleasure of attending a one day seminar led by Joel Payne of Resound Worship.

Being able to concentrate on writing for a whole day was so refreshing, I learned a lot from Joel, loved his uber-relaxed teaching style and really benefited from taking part in the group feedback. Having my new song (which may or may not end up being called You Spoke the Stars) critiqued by the group was the icing on the cake.

Some things I learned

Joel's rule on giving feedback was "joined in with the song as soon as you could pick it up, rather than just listening". This instantly brought home just how catchy and/or logical your melody was.

Or wasn't.
Ouch.

Joel suggested writing 10 verses and choosing the best rather than trying to hone 3 perfect ones. This may not work for every song, but it's definitely worth trying.

First lines need to be strong, but often we settle for ones that don't give any clue as to what the song is about. Go and have a look through your first lines - if you dare! More rewriting needed?

Joel divided melodic movement into conjunct (notes next to each other in the scale) and disjunct (incorporating larger leaps). He characterised them as follows

Conjunct = "easy to sing but quite boring"
Disjunct = "your favourite bit of the song".

The key is to balance the two styles.

The feedback on my own songs was very positive and encouraging (which I needed as I'm already on chorus attempt no.3) and it's given me faith to finish it.

It was great that people identified small, and hopefully fixable problems I'd missed, and hilariously, different people identified 3 quite distinct problems in one line of lyrics!

If you come across a workshop run by these guys run to sign up.

You can download Joel's songs for free from the Resound website. One of my favourites is Come See the Son



Related Posts: Free songwriting seminars - Keith & Kristyn Getty

Behind the song - First Black President

Free songs by Matt Blick

The Dangers of Moleskines & Multitasking

If you're into songwriting you might want to check out the blog of Nicholas Tozier, an independant singer/songwriter based in Maine. I've yet to hear any of his music but he's such an original and insightful writer that he could always blog professionally if the music career doesn't take off!

Check out these excerpts from The Seductive Dangers of Moleskines

When it’s time to write a grocery list, do you painstakingly select a fountain pen to use on your most expensive letterhead?

Or do you just scratch it into the back of last week’s receipt with a ballpoint?

I’ve bought Moleskines. They sit unused. Why do I do that? It’s like buying an expensive black suit when you live and work in a junkyard.

Sure, that’s the nicest piece of clothing you could buy for that amount of money… but is it something you’re going to feel comfortable wearing when you’re rummaging through all that scrap and mud?

When I buy something to scratch my ideas on, I now ask myself: “Am I going to feel comfortable when it’s time to tear this thing wide open and turn it inside out if that’s what it takes to write these songs?”... I like being able to rip something apart so I can see any two of its pages side-by-side without flipping around. I cut, I fold, I scratch notes, I mangle. I’ve got no business wearing a suit.

It's All Too Much

As I ransack The Beatles' songs and career for wisdom I've noticed that the Beatles went about recording their albums in a way almost no band does nowadays - one song at a time. I think they were onto something. You can read the third 'Be-atletude' "Blessed are the single-taskers" over at Beatles Songwriting Academy. 


Related Posts: Write like John Newton
All a songwriter needs is a door: advice from Stephen King
Do it yourself: Songwriting advice from Spielberg & Jackson



Free songs by Matt Blick

 

A Week In The Life

Quote of the week.

Teaching guitar to a class full of kids

ME :“what should you do when you can’t play something properly?”
Kids: “Mime”
Me: “No. What should you do?”
Kids: “Give up”

The correct answer, in case you’re wondering, was “practice”.

Welcome to my world. By next year I anticipate answer number 3 will be “autotune.”

My own personal download festival

It seems like only 11 months and 16 days ago I was blogging about my song downloads surpassing the 100 mark. This week they topped a thousand!

1013 to be precise and 110 sheet music PDFs on top of that. This is amazing. Thank you!
Looks like those two days I spent doing html on my download page paid off (even if I do start twitching when anyone says “anchor text”).

The Eglon Song (375+) & The Weight of Glory (just topped 125) are still the big hitters, along with Great High Priest (though First Black President & The Ballad of N.D.C. are starting to catch up).

New kid in class The Greatest Commandment has started to make a few friends in the playground and at 25 downloads he’s no longer last to get picked for football.

My very good friends...

I had no idea when I posted my rant about gospel rap being criminally under-valued that Tedashii, Trip Lee & DJ Official would fly all the way to Nottingham to thank me personally. But they did!

OK they didn’t. But they did do a gig in the world’s best city. It was the sweatiest time I've had in Church since I had a Lamb Rogan Josh the night before a baptism service. It was off the chain fo'shizzle. But where was you? Where was you at?

Back in the real world...

I spent most of last Saturday doing some guitar overdubs on Ben Green’s new song There Is Mercy. Download the original version here unless you want to wait and hear how I ruined a perfectly good worship song.

Tomorrow I’m hoping to head to Barrow Upon Soar for a songwriting seminar run by Joel Payne of Resoundworship.org

I may have another song nearing completion. I’m on the 3rd rewrite of the chorus already so don’t get too excited. Oh, and by the way, it’s a congregational worship song.
Remember when I used to just write those?


Related Posts: A letter to my pupils

Your next 1013 downloads

The Saviour of Christian Music is Not a White Guy With a Guitar…

It’s a Black Man on a Mic.

At first I thought it was merely a result of my ineptitude as a blogger. 

I mean when you’ve giving away one of the best albums of the year and you’re struggling to find a taker something’s gotta be wrong, right?

Then I started to notice the underwhelming coverage that Lions And Liars was getting on the web in general. Hey! Sho Baraka’s reformed (as in theology) style of rap is a sub genre of a sub genre of a sub genre. No wonder he’s off the map.

Then the aptly named ‘Under The Radar’ podcast airs a special rap edition. The music is incredible (download it here) but the host sounded like he was already bracing himself for the backlash. What the problem?

The Christian music scene doesn’t need a new star, a new hero, or a new trendsetter. But we do need someone to save us from an army effeminate, doctrine-phobic mystics, and the ability to play barre chords is not necessarily a requirement.

Man-up

To borrow a line from Sho, when you have ‘hip hop minus all the thugging’ you’re still left with something inherently manly. On the other hand, take a pinch of ‘God is my girlfriend’ sentiments, sung in an effeminate vocal style and smeared with guyliner and it may be marketable, but it won’t make Driscoll’s playlist.

Word

The new rap is most bible-saturated form of music around today. Proof? Who are the champions for this new style of music? Old white preachers. Mark Dever (a man whose church regards Isaac Watts as a little edgy) interviewed Voice & Shai Linne.

John Piper got Lecrae to rap in a Sunday service at Calvinism H.Q. (aka Bethlehem Baptist Church).

Mark Driscoll had Lecrae & Tedashii over to jam at Mars Hill to the studied indifference of 9000 bemused Seattle cage fighting software programmers.

Why did this happen?

These preachers love the word and they love musicians who love the word.

This is something of a sea change as far as ‘urban’ music goes (and why urban? Do all the white guys live on the farm?). Marred by self-actualisation & the prosperity gospel and hamstrung by a ridiculous allegiance to King James English, too often black gospel artists have sounded like funky positive thinking emissaries from the 17th century.

Sunday morning

That all well and good. But can you rap corporately?

No.

And that’s probably a good thing.

Because at the moment it’s hard to tell who’s a worship leader and who’s not. It used to be easy. The worship leader was the one with a hole in the middle of his guitar.

But now he has a Strat, and a band, and a light show. He’s just like any other band leader (except his band gigs every Sunday morning). This problem isn’t the hardware. It’s the songs.

Let’s call him Don

Don has a Transcendental Experience of God.
Don commemorates that in a song.
Don sings that song at every gig for the next 3 years. 
Cool.

Don brings the song into a worship setting and teaches it to everyone.
They sing about Don’s mountain top experience.
Some identify. Some don’t.
Don introduces a few more mountain top songs.
Touching the divine right here, right now starts to become the expectation for a normal time of worship.  
Not so cool.

Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus.
When he got up off the floor he carried on down the road.
He didn’t build a roadside tabernacle and go back there every Sunday expecting to feel the same Holy Ghost high.

Imagine a testimony time where after every story of deliverance, healing, financial provision the whole congregation jumped up and started confessing that it had happened to them too.

Crazy huh?
Let’s make sure we’re not doing that when we sing.

This is me.

I’m a white guy with a guitar. I’m not dissing my tribe. But I’m thrilled to see something exciting and ground-breaking happening in gospel rap.

I want to welcome what God is doing with open arms, honouring him for the gifting he’s placed in my Christian brothers Sho Baraka, Tedashii, Lecrae, Trip Lee, Katalyst, Shai Linne (to name just a few)

Will you join me?

Here's three good places to start

Under the Radar #80
Lions & Liars
Identity Crisis





Free songs by a white guy with a guitar

Bossa Nova 3

Martin Smith makes history (in a bad way) with a keyboard and a bible



Related Posts: 12 ways to increase congregational participation

Free songs by Matt Blick


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The Greatest Commandment - mp3s, sheet music, pens, novelty hats...

What if Carlos Santana was your Sunday School teacher?

After posting the mp3 for my classic kids song "The Greatest Commandment" sometime in the late Jurassic period I've finally gotten around to posting most of the rest of the stuff I promised.

So feast your ears on the mp3 OR the mp3 backing track -perfect for Sunday school/youth churches with no musicians OR people that can't stand my vocals. (if you can't stand any of my playing or songwriting I'm hoping to post an mp3 of complete silence as soon as I clear it with John Cage's lawyers).

Feast your eyeballs on downloadable Lyrics, easy play Chord Sheet and the slightly harder, but bodaciously jazzy, Recorded Version Chord Sheet.

It's all free.

I will get around to doing a 'behind the song' post - expect that some time between The Beatles reforming and Jamaica winning Curling gold at the winter Olympics. And the 'greatest cow-mandment' 1/4-pounder will be in a fast food outlet near you just after that...

And if you love it, even slightly, leave me a comment - please!

Have you written any other killer songs Matt? 

Why, thank you for asking - yes I have. Would you like to hear them?

Boy would I ever!

Well here you go then young fella me lad!  Free songs by Matt Blick 

Songs & Statues about Amputated Toes

Imagine one of your best friends had a freak gardening accident that caused him to loose a toe?

Go into your best WWJD mode. Prayer? Counselling? Nah.

You'd write a funny song about it wouldn't you?

Or at least steal the shoe have it bronzed and then present the work of art at a surprise five-year toe-amputation party.

You would, wouldn't you?

Well some people would.

Welcome to the weird world of the Andrews (Osenga, Gullahorn & Peterson)

Related Posts: Family Man

Free songs by Matt Blick

 


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Sho Baraka's Chicken Interview

Sho Baraka is a funny dude...

Sho Baraka 'Lions & Liars' Interview from Rapzilla.com on Vimeo.

Related Posts: Lions and Liars review

Free songs by Matt Blick

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The Winner Is...

Updated 16-06-10

Time's up in the Reach Records free giveaway.
And the lucky winner is...
drum roll please...

That's right 'drum roll please' has won, no just kidding...

The winner is
Jon Brown

Jon gets his mitts on

Lions And Liars by Sho Baraka
and
Entermission by DJ Official

Thanks to Jon for the awe inspiring photo (winning this comp has obviously changed your life!) & thanks to all the literally several people who entered. Better luck next time!
Related Posts: Lions and Liars review

Paul Baloche - 2 Modern Classics

Paul Baloche is very generous both with his gifting and his videos!

These songs, What Can I Do?  & Your Name  have been major blessings at my home church.

They might be in your Church too!








Related Posts: You Gave Your Life Away (another great song) 
You gave, you gave your songs away (13 free Paul baloche songs)


Free songs by Matt Blick 


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Special Guest Blogger - Mark Altrogge

Mark Altrogge is one of the greatest and most prolific worship songwriters alive today. Since writing songs like I Stand In Awe (You Are Beautiful, Beyond Description), I'm Forever Grateful, Faithful God and How High And How Wide in the 80s he's written hundreds more and is probably one of the most theologically astute songwriters around.

So I'm thrilled to welcome him as a guest blogger at The Beatles Songwriting Academy today and tomorrow as he shares what Christian Songwriters can learn from the Beatles.

Read part one here.


Related Posts: Mark Altrogge at work

Free songs by Matt Blick

DJ Official - EnterMission: Review

Don't forget you still have 3 days left to win this album right here.

EnterMission is less an album BY DJ Official and more a sampler or mix tape on the theme of urban mission featuring Reach Records artists and likeminded friends.

There’s a massive variety on display here, which is both a strength and a weakness. If you like hip-hop there’s bound to be tracks you love and tracks you hate. EnterMission serves you up everything from Nothing Without You (think Pink at her most feminine) to Chisel Me (a masochistic sanctification smackdown) to Not My Own (imagine speed reading Wayne Grudem while listening to nu-metal).

So, while they may not be your favourites, let me tell you mine

Some reviewers have described Show Off (Lecrae & Flame) as cheesy. I don’t agree (this, mon ami, is tres fromage). To me the track is just playful and fresh rather than fresh from the deli counter and as fun is not one of Reach’s strong points I say kudos to ‘em.

Streets Of New York (J.A.Z. & Magellan) is one of the best tracks by DJ Official evoking perfectly the knife edge tension of a city at flashpoint. The lyrics not only paint the picture in stark colours but motivate you to get out there.

Go features some insane speed rapping from H.G.A. (who are these guys?) & Tedashii.

Love Fallen (Gems, Jahaziel, BenJah & Dillavou) is the kind of track that shouldn’t work but is easily one of the best on the album. Crossing so many boundaries that you feel dizzy, the blend of UK & Jamacian rappers meeting over a sizzling reggae track is inspired.

On an album full of gritty realism Sho Baraka’s track Chaos is the hardest hitting of them all. The backing is a claustrophobic Prodigy (Firestarter) style track, all alarms and skittering beats representing the moral chaos Sho is rapping about. This track is Huge.

Overall there’s much to like on this album. DJ Official himself doesn’t cast a big enough shadow to give it a cohesive identity but it would make a good first purchase if you’re unfamiliar with Reach Records and want to check out the different artists.

get this album for FREE.



Related Posts: Sho Baraka - Lions & Liars review



Free songs by Matt Blick

The Answer Is Always Yes

You have you're Sunday morning set list nailed down and perfect. You may have even rehearsed it. Then your Pastor informs you that you need to cut a song. What do you do?

Jamie Brown has a great post on this. And I thouroughly agree with him on it.

Worship leaders can quickly become territorial and protective of the time of singing as being “their time”. When that happens, requests to cut a song and/or shorten the time can be viewed as personal attacks warranting extreme defensive measures. 

Check it out.

Related Posts: Dealing with criticism
12 ways to increase congregation participation

The Final Countdown

Don't forget you have 7 more days to enter the Reach Records free giveaway. You could get your sweaty mitts on

Lions And Liars by Sho Baraka
and
Entermission by DJ Official

find out how here

Related Posts: Lions and Liars review

Timely Encouragement

Got some much needed link love yesterday for Beatles Songwriting Academy my sabbatical project/mental breakdown/latest geek obsession (delete as applicable) from US blogger Matt Redmond who spends his time as Student Pastor when he's not being mistaken for the other Matt Redman and lives in Birmingham (the other one).

He said

Whether you are a Beatles fan or not, there is a reason they continue to be so popular. They were great songwriters. Created in the image of God, all four of them reflected that creativity by making extraordinary music listened to the world over.

I cannot remember the last time I recommended a blog to anyone on my blog, so that should tell you something.

Read the full post here

Matt also did a nice post on the back all the Vatican broohaha on The Beatles, Jesus & Hatred that you might want to check out.

Related Posts: Meet The Templeton Twins



Free songs by Matt Blick

Free Sho Baraka (Re)Mix Tape

This should appeal to you if you like the track We Could Be More on Sho Baraka's new CD Lions and Liars.

I mean really, really, really like it.

Sho proves ha can be more, much more, by giving away a mix tape of 15 remixes of this one track.

Get it here.

Don't forget to check out the Sho Baraka/DJ Official giveaway I'm currently running.


Free songs by Matt Blick

King Eglon Now Weighing In At 350!

That's downloads not pounds people! Over 350 of 'em!

Yep, The Eglon Song, my Horrible Histories goes to Sunday School song has gone global, with the flabby baddy's fame spreading faster than the tubby King's waistline.

Going through my files recently I found this 'testimonial' from one of the first listeners, who's experience has been shared by many others since...

You have unleashed a plague on both our houses! 

After spending a couple of months trying to persuade my son not to shout "POO!" all the time he is now singing this song all the time. It is far too catchy and my wife and I have both been singing it constantly. 

We have been going to bed singing it in our heads and woken up singing it, my wife even sings it in her sleep and claims it has kept her awake at night. 

At times it has got so stuck I have had to resort to singing Hey Mickey by Toni Basil to get the song out of my head! As you know there is no known song that can remove that from your head when that gets stuck.

This is a really good and funny song. Especially liked the voices. I suspect you enjoyed doing that! My son had his bedtime story from the NIV last night, Judges 3...

Download the Eglon Song
mp3      Chord sheet      Lyrics    Behind The Song

Related Posts:
Free songs by matt Blick

Meet The Templeton Twins

this post has moved over here

 Beatles Songwriting Academy is over here

Sho Baraka/DJ Official CD Giveaway

Here's the moment you've all been waiting for (since yesterday). I'm giving away two great Christian Rap albums.  

Lions & Liars by Sho Baraka

 

and Entermission by DJ Official feat. Sho, Tedashii, Lecrae, Trip Lee, Justin Bieber (just kidding). Watch out for a review next Tues.

What do I have to do?

1) subscribe to this blog by RSS, email or by 'following' me. (If you already do one of these things just leave a comment)

or

2) recommend this blog to a friend, link to this post or retweet it.

or

3) subscribe to my other blog by RSS or email (If you're a Beatle loving rap fan songwriter)

or

Do all 3!

THEN

Leave me a comment here telling me which ones you've done. That's up to 3 chance to win.

Closing date - Wed 26th May 2010 (midday GMT if you want to be all OCD about it)

Small print.

Prize is 2 well looked after ex-review copy CDs. Winner will be selected by a random number generator, then announced on Wed 26th May 2010. When winner has emailed me their postal address, 2 physical CD will be sent anywhere on the planet via some sort of registered post, which is as close to a guarantee that they'll arrive as I can give.

Free songs by Matt Blick

Why Sho Serious? Sho Baraka: Lions And Liars Review

  For a chance to win this album click here!

In 2009 Reach Records artist Tedashii released one of the best albums of any genre, Identity Crisis. 2010 looks like being the year of stablemate Sho Baraka and his amazing album Lions And Liars.

What’s so special?

Like all the Reach rappers, Sho is very worded and hard hitting, but he’s humorous with it. He has a gift for handling even the most serious themes in a playful way.

The album is packed with references, both cultural & biblical & is bursting with musical styles & lyrical themes.

Manhood & racial identity, sex, drugs and violence, thug culture & the gospel vie for attention over a crazy mix of stadium rock, & europop anthems, Motown Soul & Black Gospel, sax solos & performance poetry.

Don't trust the trailer

Ever seen a film where the best 3 minutes were all in the trailer? Well this album is the opposite. Don’t judge Oh Well & Revolutionary Died from the taster videos you‘ve seen on Youtube. Like his master, Sho saved the best for last. Both songs will have you hitting replay again and again.

The man raps with a twinkle in his eye. It’s apparent on Lions Anthem from the nod to Whole Lotta Love to rapping about the shoe salesman who’s used to save soles (souls) and his cousin at the IRS dealing with false profits (prophets). 

But he’s just warming up. He catches fire on Mercy On Me. Over a powerfully penitent gospel chorus, the criminal & the cancer patient who’ll “be dead by year's end” are our companions at the mercy seat. 

I’m Black - a creatively recorded performance poem by Tom Ason, serves as an attention grabbing intro to My Life

Nice aim! They taught us to aim for nothing

And look, we hit it, dead on the button.

Sho’s personal journey through self-identity issues features superbly crafted lyrics - each line of the chorus recaps the line before, and the final line leads us back to the first line. 

On Me, Myself & I he gets all Smeagol/Gollum on the mic, as he documents his battles against the flesh.

You’re a liar, a jerk you’re a creep,

So prideful, arrogant and weak.

Don't waste your skit

Liar’s Anthem is built on a sample from a Don’t Waste Your Life video skit. Singing from the thug’s p.o.v. could be dangerous move, turning this into a gangster's song, but Sho manages to makes the transition via looking at the sins of the rap industry, church & Nike(!) to straight out preaching. 

Propaganda supplies the second performance poem BOYS!!! and it is a killer. In 1:29 he manages to reduce wannabe gangsters to “silly boys.” And sets the stage perfectly for the album’s high point Revolutionary Died

It’s still hip-hop minus all the thugging

Take the poet & the priest & put it in the husband

I know one song can’t change the world

But maybe the dude next door [will] stop beating his girl

download it right now!

This song is a classic and the only reason not to get immediately is that’s ‘cos you’re gonna get the whole album.

Oh Well keeps up the pressure over a swaggering rock groove

They save whales, save dogs, save dolphins,

Save trees – but kids ain’t really that important

All the money he wants can’t buy joy

Dollar bills don’t make men out of boys

By this stage Sho is relentless. When the beat drops he keeps going - right of the edge of the map.

Perfect?

No, there’s a few weak points - all of them minor. 

The early tracks struggle to sustain the weight of the grand concept. Who is the dead lion? Jesus? Christians? Does the cover mean Sho is a Liar? Or a Lion and a Liar? As well as making him look freakishly ugly it’s trying to make a metaphor mean too many things all at once. AND IT DOESN’T MATTER! The songs and the track listing are strong enough to tell their own story. 

Just for once I’d love to see a hip hop album presented simply as “a collection of the best tracks I recorded this year” without feeling the need to make some kind of over hyped statement. Because the songs make a powerful enough statement all by themselves. Though strictly speaking this is not a concept album I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard an album with such a powerful flow (particularly from I’m Black to Oh Well).

The ugly photo isn’t the only sleeve issue. This is the second Reach Records release I’ve had to go online to find out the name of a track or featured rapper.  
Readab1E fOnts  guys!

The album is 17 tracks plus 4 bonus tracks. Filling every second of the CD runs the risk diluting the album. There’s nothing wrong with the bonus tracks – (Kobe Bryant On Em extended mix? Yes, please!) but why not keep the album tighter and include a unique download code for bonus tracks?

So to sum up, the only things wrong with this CD are Sho paid more attention to the music than the artwork and is too generous with his tracks. Shame on you Sho!

This is an incredible, inspiring five star album. It will make you laugh and make you think. It will move your heart and probably the rest of your body with it .

Wanna get your hands on a free copy of this CD? Tune in tomorrow to find out how.

Related Posts: Free Sho Baraka mixtape

John Piper vs Led Zeppelin (Tedashii & Lecrae)

Free songs by Matt Blick

New Kid's Song: The Greatest Commandment

I said I'd do it, and by Ringo's beard I've done it!

Here's the mp3 of my kid's praise song The Greatest Commandment all nice and shiny and ready for your ears. Try not to scratch it!

The Chord sheet and Behind the song post will follow soon.

If you think you ever might use such a song in your kid's ministry let me know and I might even post an mp3 backing track. (If no one wants it I'll probably still do it, it'll just take a lot longer!)

Download it The Greatest Commandment here 
Read the lyrics here

(Photo credit - I am not the photographer, or the dude in the photo. Or the kid. If YOU are anyone of these people and don't want me to use the photo let me know and I'll happy return all your pixels in mint condition)

Related Posts: Free songs by matt Blick

New Song Preview: The Greatest Commandment

Here for your reading pleasure are the lyrics to the new recording I'm going to post next Friday. Yes I am, I really am. I'm going to edit the vocal tracks, and fix the drums, and record a keyboard part and MIX it. Though every fibre in my body rebels I am going to mix it.

Just writing this post is a commitment that I am going to finish it.


Any hoo. If it seems a little simple it cos it was written for my Church's kids group Arrows, which works with 5 - 10 year olds. Betcha can't guess what the topic was?

Musically, it's a little jazzy, but my inner guitar hero came out in his big boots and stomped around and now it sounds like Santana.

So let's see, a healing ministry song, followed by 4 pro-life songs, then a political musical hall song and now this?

Is it just me or is it getting weird around here?

The Greatest Commandment

You got to love the Lord with all your mind
You got to love the Lord with all your strength
You got to love the Lord with all of your heart & soul

This is the greatest commandment
This is the greatest one
This is the greatest commandment
To love the Lord with everything that you got

I want to love you Lord with all my mind
I want to love you Lord with all my strength
I want to love you Lord with all of my heart & soul

This is the greatest commandment


Related Posts: Other free songs by Matt Blick

Ballad Of NDC update

My latest song The Ballad Of NDC just hit 50 downloads.  Thanks to all who downloaded it - especially if you were at the gig at the Golden Fleece on Monday. I had a lot of fun, and you made my re-entry into the world of playing live easier than I expected.

If you haven't heard the song yet - you can get it here - for free

Other free songs by Matt Blick 

What Is Christian Music?

Is there such a thing as Christian Music?

What is it? Is it the sound that automatically results when a Christian musician picks up his (her) guitar (bagpipes/keytar) or is there an extra critical ingredient?

I wanted to look at this topic after seeing this post about Owl City and reading the kicking Adam Young got from some of the commenters.

This post is a departure for me because, like a bad lawyer, I’m asking you questions I don’t have the answers to.

In the last 25 years I’ve played secular music, instrumental music, Christian music and VERY Christian music – the whole gamut from hair metal through traditional Iranian bagpipe music and contemporary gospel to leading worship.

I’ve been a pagan musician, a musician who “happens to be a Christian,” a Christian musician and all points in between and I still haven’t figured it out.

So help me out. Here’s a bunch of questions. Pick your favourite(s) and give it your best shot.



1) What makes music ‘Christian’? Artistic intention? Lyrical content?


2) Can instrumental music be Christian? Is an instrumental version of a Christian song still a 'Christian' song?


3) If there’s an objective criterion for what makes a song 'Christian' could a backslider, an atheist or a Muslim write one? Could Diane Warren produce ‘em to order?

4) Is music that is explicitly Christian more valuable than implicitly Christian music, or music that is simply moral? Are Christians squandering their talents (or even dishonouring God) writing something other than ‘Christian songs.’


5) Are the rules for creating Christian music different from Christian painting? Or Christian plumbing? Why?



Related Posts: Where should worship start?
The five vegetables you meet in heaven


Free songs by matt Blick