I'm in the early stages of a one-year Songwriting course through a Christian Music organization that does Artist and Songwriter Development programs. It's great for my technique and for increasing some of my intentionality when it comes to crafting lyrics. We study theory out of a popular secular lyric writing text, complete that book's assignments, and then have further assignments which are more specific to the writing of Christian music. Later, I will have 12 of my songs critiqued, and will have the opportunity to have some of my songs pitched to other artists.
It was in one of the latter assignments that I was asked to think about "Christianese", and how it affects the message of the music. ( I have very definite thoughts about using our culture's "Christian" lingo in music....AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS! However, I have to admit that it still has crept into a few of the worship and contemporary Christian songs I love very much.)
My take on Christianese, for clarification: "happy" is replaced with "joy", "talented" by "gifted", "excited" by "blessed", "effective" by "anointed" in some cases... etc. (By the way, I think the heart behind much of Christianese is good...to honor the Lord before man...but I think that it's church-speak, and not really applicable to the non-churched).
My theory: Some songs are written for the church-folk, and for them alone. I think of Southern Gospel, and some late 20th Century worship music. It is filled with the lingo (you know what I mean), and it resonates very strongly with much of the church-culture.
BUT: If a Christian songwriter is writing music with the hopes of it reaching the ears and ipods of a secular audience, the message of the hope of Christ should be apparent, but without any Christian-culture lingo. Songs that have the potential to influence the lost for Christ, I think, should present the reality of life's struggles, the reality of life's questions, and the reality of Truth, but without using any language that could be culturally unfamiliar or even "church-y".
Can you think of any great "Christian" songs which do that....whose lyrics could potentially impact the lost, but which very decidedly steer away from "Christianese"?
Thanks for helping me with my philosophical development as I improve my craft!
3 comments:
hmmm, I'll have to think on that one and listen to lyrics with that in mind. I'll get back to you if I think of anything.
By the way, thanks for being my friend! You are always such an encouragement and I love you dearly.
It's so exiting to hear about someone who is trying to do Christian music differently.
What about Plumb?
Most of the lyrics are very spiritual , but there is very little cliche or christianese in them.
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