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I just finished reading this book today (by Nick Page). There's a review for it on heartofworship.com from a few months back.
Basically, it's about how most of our modern worship lyrics are failing the church. It's humorously critical, but very fair, logical, and practical. Anyway, my eyes have been opened to some things.
Has anyone else read it?
I thought about putting this in the Book forum, but decided against it, since it's a practical on worship lyrics. Are the mods OK with this?
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I haven't read that book but I do want to someday.
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Fascinating. What particular songs does he cite as examples of where modern lyrics are "failing"?
In His love,
Nate
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Originally Posted by agrimes87 Are the mods OK with this?

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I agree it is a fantastic book, incredibly challenging yet entertaining at the same time!
He doesn't really pick on particular songs because it would be kind of unfair to point out specific examples! however he has a series of fictional letters/songs by a guy whos name escapes me (i don't have the book here with me) which essentially sum up the sort of thing he is saying and most of the lyrics do come from real songs (particular favourite quote "feel free to criticize my songs however i should remind you that I have been annointed by God and therefore any criticism of me is technically criticising God" ).
I would definately recommend it.
God Bless, Rich
(btw agrimes glad you managed to get hold of it in the end!)
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Originally Posted by Rich* He doesn't really pick on particular songs because it would be kind of unfair to point out specific examples!
But it's more than "kind of unfair" to make broad sweeping generalizations with absolutely no support, which is essentially what he is doing if he does not cite specific examples of songs that he feels exemplify his view of modern worship music. Everyone here jumps down our (i.e. me, and other people who prefer hymns) throats when we say that modern worship songs lack substance or are often doctrinally incorrect without giving specific examples of songs that exemplify that viewpoint. Why not point that same finger at this guy? I think I'd agree with some of his conclusions, but his methods (as you've described them here and below) seem silly.
however he has a series of fictional letters/songs by a guy whos name escapes me (i don't have the book here with me) which essentially sum up the sort of thing he is saying and most of the lyrics do come from real songs (particular favourite quote "feel free to criticize my songs however i should remind you that I have been annointed by God and therefore any criticism of me is technically criticising God" ).
Oh, ok... so I can criticize modern worship music based on the parodies that Jonathaneriou5? and WorshipMono recorded and posted here on CGR. Right....................................

In His love,
Nate
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Nick Page may be right, but his book is still a waste of paper. There is plenty of useless, incorrect, poor hymns that have fallen by the wayside over the years. This is a result of masses of new music being written in a huge thrust of a new musical mindest and stylistic change. The same thing is happening with "modern worship". There's going to be lots of weak stuff that will be forgotten, and some classics that will stand the test of time.
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Not much time here, but he does mention that part of the reason he doesn't quote many songs directly is simply because a lot of labels and production companies wouldn't give him permission, which is sort of understandable, on a certain level (not a very deep level). Another reason is yes, because he doesn't want to pick on people and single them out. But he does point out that when he does quote directly, he's quoting from the "big boys" (he puts that in quotation marks as well), and he hopes they will be big enough to take the criticism in a positive way. Although I can personally point out that he doesn't quote many of them, and when he does quote directly it's not very bad criticism.
I do remember at one point when he is talking about people saying things in worship that they wouldn't say in "normal life", he says something like "how many of us have vowed to make history?", which I assume is talking about "history maker" by Delirou5?. I don't have the book here now (I'm out of town on Christmas holidays), but he makes a few more "suggestions" of songs (without directly quoting them or mentioning which ones they are exactly) with lyrics in them that we wouldn't say in real life. He makes very good points.
And Nate, his parodies are very realistic, but are made in a way that makes his point very obvious. Please don't take this the wrong way (no offence), but don't knock it until you've read those parodies. I found them to be a very effective method of communicating his point. Perhaps the best parts of the book were brought out much more clearly through them.
Anyways, my time's up here...
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Originally Posted by agrimes87 I do remember at one point when he is talking about people saying things in worship that they wouldn't say in "normal life", he says something like "how many of us have vowed to make history?", which I assume is talking about "history maker" by Delirou5?. I don't have the book here now (I'm out of town on Christmas holidays), but he makes a few more "suggestions" of songs (without directly quoting them or mentioning which ones they are exactly) with lyrics in them that we wouldn't say in real life. He makes very good points.
At what point was music supposed to stop being poetic? People say things like this all the time in music...david said things in the Psalms that were of similar nature.
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do remember at one point when he is talking about people saying things in worship that they wouldn't say in "normal life", he says something like "how many of us have vowed to make history?", which I assume is talking about "history maker" by Delirou5?. I don't have the book here now (I'm out of town on Christmas holidays), but he makes a few more "suggestions" of songs (without directly quoting them or mentioning which ones they are exactly) with lyrics in them that we wouldn't say in real life. He makes very good points. Wouldn't that be true for a lot of hymns?
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Originally Posted by Akshay Wouldn't that be true for a lot of hymns?
Yes, there are many hymns that have wording that most people would not say today