Happy Pill Overdose - rants from the Christian subculture (Part Three)

Mythbusting Christian Music on a Matchstick Scale

So now let's move onto the Christian Music Industry. Primarily Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) - which is a monster in America, and continues to grow.

Note - not talking about Praise/Worship songs; or the monolith that is that industry. Just the normal, 'sing along in the car' style music pumped out by the Christian Music Industry in Nashville and the like.

Myth One: Every song should praise God.

This is one I particularly love.

There seems to be some kind of rule which says that if you've formed a band, and that band is full of Christians - your songs should from then on always be talking about God, how much we love God, how wonderful He is, etc etc.

Not saying that's a bad thing - just the fact that the minute a singer or band writes a song that DOESN'T have this as it's foundations - they get accused of 'backsliding' or have questions like 'how can they call themselves Christian - they don't even sing about God' fired at them.

I think this gets covered by that great object called a 'Christian band'. I've never really understood this phrase.

Is a band not a 'thing'? Not a person, not a human being - just a 'thing'. The humans in it, yeah sure, they can be Christian - but can a 'thing' be a Christian thing?

It makes as much sense to me as 'Christian pebble' or 'Christian milk'.

I agree that the humans in said band (who could be Christian) could agree that the lyrics they write will be primarily about praising God and glorifying His name. But I feel sad when I see amazing bands with Christian artists in them (think Flyleaf, for example) get pushed out of the Christian music industry, because they write a song that doesn't mention God by name.

I remember this with Amy Grant (yep, I'm old - 80s child through and through). Suddenly the woman writes 'Baby Baby' rather than the El Shaddai style songs she'd been known for - and she gets yanked from most Christian radios, music promotions and music shops.

(Yes, more came out of that down the track, but my first memories of the scandal was the fact she wrote a love song to a man, rather than to God).

I didn't understand it then; I still don't understand it now.


Myth Two: You can't sing about grief, depression or failure.

I think I touched on this a bit in the Film rant I posted earlier in the week.

Christians (your 'suburban' type, as well as those in big industries such as film, tv or music) often seem to have a problem with people admitting that life can be awful for a Christian.

We might admit it privately to friends or family, but it can really cause controversy if you announce it on a large scale. Whether that be from the pulpit, from a movie, or in your music.

We will always support someone who is struggling - but often there is not much more declared in movies or music with the 'Christian' tag apart from 'when you find Jesus, all your problems are solved'.

I'm fairly certain my blog readers are nearly all Christians (or have grown up in a Christian home), so I'm fairly sure you all know this isn't the case.

Some of you, like me, still struggle (or have struggled) with fertility issues, despite your faith. Christianity may have helped you cope - but it didn't necessarily solve the problem (congratulations to you if it did - it hasn't for me).

Some of you still struggle with depression, despite having a strong relationship with God. Again - your Christian walk may have helped you cope (via support from others, talking to God, etc); but it didn't make it go away.

Some of you have gone through divorce, though still being a strong Christian. Or been victims of violence or abuse or infidelity or any other number of things that destroy a marriage. We hope sometimes that being a Christian would save us from that - but it doesn't.

So why can't we sing about this? Or why, when we do sing about it, do we have to always have the tag line of 'but Jesus solves this for me'. Yes, Jesus does put His arms around you; yes, being a Christian often gives you a ready made support network to help lift you up during trials; yes, being able to talk to God like most Christians do can help lift the burden a lot more. But it doesn't necessarily make the problem go away.

I just hope and pray we can be a bit more honest in our music (like our films) about this. That some days it is just 'one foot in front of the other'. That some days, life still sucks. That I do want to yell at God some times. That the platitude of 'God cares' sometimes makes me feel worse. Just some honesty (and encouragement of bands and artists who speak this honesty) would be nice.

As much as I know I'm biased; I think the reason U2 speaks to me so much is the fact that they honestly talk about grief and depression and feeling 'lost', with a Christian theme a lot of the time, without it going back to 'paint by numbers' solutions that a lot of overtly Christian music does.


Myth Three: You always have to be a 'happy' band. God wouldn't like goth or 'dark' music.


What band or artist are considered 'popular' in Christian music? What do you usually hear when you tune into Christian radio (if you do that)? Is there a nice little undercurrent 'theme' that runs through all these bands and artists?

Usually happy, usually light, bright and airy, usually what I like to call 'bubblegum pop'. Something akin to Adult Contemporary Rock on any other radio station, right?

Goth, heavy metal, thrash? That usually gets hidden away and when you mention a name like Demon Hunter or Flyleaf or Underoath and most Christians will give you a look like 'whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa??'.

It's sad that we aren't more aware of these bands, and don't suggest them to others. It's sad that when we hear of a metalcore/goth band made up of Christians, we question if they can really be Christian as 'Jesus wouldn't like that style of music'.

Wouldn't He? Why wouldn't He? Last I saw, Jesus seemed quite an alternative kind of guy, who tended to avoid the 'traditionals' for those who were a bit on the 'fringe'. And if those on the fringe did turn to Him, and spend time with Him, He didn't try to make them 'fit' the biscuit mould of 'Christ follower'. He told them to sin no more; but he didn't also say 'now you have to listen to this and this and this, and dress like this, and watch this' at the same time.


As you can probably tell, I'm a bit alternative. And I see a lot of fellow 'Alternative' Christians get judged unnecessarily, simply because they don't have all the popular Christian songs on their Ipods; or wear goth clothes; or like Metallica and Radiohead more than they like Michael W Smith or Twila Paris.

And I just find that a bit sad.

(ps. In case I haven't plugged them enough - if you like a bit more 'alternative' style music, and are keen to find if there is a Christian niche for this - try looking up the websites www.firestream.net or www.angelicwarlord.com).