EVERETT: ENOUGH ALREADY! We are sick and tired of these posts which do not directly relate to the matter at hand, Apostolic music. If you post one more blog about that banjo playing guy. I think you’ve referenced him in something like three or four posts already. ENOUGH! WE ARE SICK OF IT!!
Well. Too bad. I can’t help myself. There are songs and there are songs. There are spiritual songs. There are worldly songs. There songs that make you glad and songs that make you sad. There are songs that lift up your spirit and there are songs that bring you down. There are songs that bring an atmosphere of worship in the sanctuary and there are songs that you can only imagine the devil himself worshiping to.
Banjo? Banjo??? What is this about a banjo player? The guy’s name is Bela. Bela Fleck. The first name is Hungarian, apparently. He shares the name with a very cool composer by the name of Bartok. I’m sorry I don’t know the diacritics offhand and am too lazy too look them up. Ok. So I’m not that lazy. Bartók Béla, in the correct Hungarian order. But I digress. I don’t recall how I came across Fleck’s music initially, but he’s got a super bassist, Victor Wooten, as part of the group, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. You can listen to a sampling of their music, here. Fleck defies genre. I call it jazz. Others, country, fusion, bluegrass. He plays across different genres depending on the project. Most of my favorite stuff he does is jazz.
My life has been seriously touched by three Fleck tunes. Actually, I think only two of them were written by him, and the third… just experienced it last month for the first time and had to listen to it a few times. It brought me near tears the first three times I listened to or started to listen to it. “Is it right that children have to fend for themselves, no, no, no.” The song is a “protest” song that laments the plight of the downtrodden, children, women. The thing that gets me is that the tune is so joyful. How can a lament be set to such a happy tune? Is it the indomitable human spirit no matter the situation?
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that a “non-spiritual” song has ministered to someone. And it sure won’t be the last. Although I can’t really honestly say that “Thula Mama” is not a spiritual song. The theme of Isaiah 61:1-3 runs through the song as an undercurrent. Jesus came to bind up the brokenhearted, give the oil of joy to those who mourn, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Certainly this song speaks to the very same type of individuals with the same purpose. Such a song cannot fill a void if God does not exist tangibly in the hearer’s life, but it can augment our innate compassion and teach us to strive to always show Jesus’ love to those in greatest need in our communities and worldwide.
Wow Everett! You have really hit on something that is close to my heart these days. I had Theology and Practice of Worship with Bro. Littles last semester (need I say any more?) and one of the things we talked about was the lack of social justice themes in our music. I admit that I am ashamed that someone who is not Apostolic would do this before us - it's happened so many times already - I'm already ashamed! Isaiah 61 - that is the most convicting scripture! As Bro. Littles says - God is a MISSIONARY GOD!! That is why he filled us with his spirit - so we could carry on His work! Would that our music would more clearly communicate this!
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