March 31st, 2008 was my very first blog. It is a post that honors the song, lyrics and music, of “The Love of God”. People are still “googling” the words “The Love of God” and clicking on my post. I’m honored. It is a great song. Now, this current post, in contradistinction is about, what I think, is a very, very bad song. Our congregation was asked to sing this song at a worship service recently. Some folks did. I refused to sing the words to this little ditty. (words posted below)
It seems to me that, perhaps, we are getting a little too familiar with our Great God and Savior, not to mention that it is inappropriate, improper, incongruous, inept, unbecoming, unfit and unseemly, to say to the King and Lord of all the universe...”I’m madly in love with you”. Doesn’t this sound a little homoerotic for a man to sing? As Charlie Brown would say, “good grief”! Madly in love? Has the culture infiltrated so far into Christ’s Church that the flesh appealing, sappy, romantic, love song, night-club genre must be incorporated into the Corporate Body. Wouldn’t it be appropriate, as it is in interpreting scripture, to refer to those in the faith who have gone on before? Check out Watts, Wesley and Toplady rather than Manilow, Anka and McCartney. A cursory review will reveal those great composers were not prone to write songs about how or how much WE love God, but how much He loves us.
Furthermore, what about the words, “And all of my life and nothing less, I offer you my righteousness”? Now before you jump all over me and illuminate my lack of understanding, I am aware that, according to the song writer, there should be a comma after the word “you” and righteousness should be capitalized. So...how does one sing a comma or proper punctuation? Will the congregation be confused thinking that we are offering to God OUR righteousness, which, as we all know, is as filthy rags? So...forgive me, please. Next time we are asked to sing this song, I’ll take the opportunity to fill out the attendance card.
Verse:
I'm madly in love with you
I'm madly in love with you
I'm madly in love with you
I'm madly in love with you
Chorus:
Let what we do in here
Fill the streets out there
Let us dance for you
Let us dance for you
Let what we do in here
Fill the streets out there
Let us dance for you
Let us dance for you
Bridge:
And all of my life and nothing less
I offer to you my righteousness
And all of my life and nothing less
I offer to you my righteousness
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2 comments:
Dave, this is an intriguing post. I made me mutter to myself for a long time, and that means it caught my attention. I have to be honest. I don't really know this song overly well. I know I've sung it before, because I can recall the melody of the bridge, but not the verse or the chorus, so obviously I haven't sung it much or in quite a while. And I don't remember loving the song. So it pains me to have to try to defend the song, but I feel as if you have given it a raw deal.
First, I certainly doubt Charlie Hall, who wrote the song, was writing the line "madly in love" with any sense of erotica at all, and I'm quite certain he wasn't channeling Anka or McCartney or whoever, mostly because those guys would have been waaaaay before his time. If the word "madly" has been taken to mean something erotic, then it's about time we take it back. For what this song is trying to convey, the word "madly" is used quite properly. It means unashamed, outspoken, outlandish, unfearful, even foolish in the eyes of the world. And we should be that way in response to what Christ has done in our lives. If you don't think that's what he meant when he wrote this song, the chorus gives it away.
Now, if I do have an issue with this line, it's the same issue I have with many contemporary praise and worship songs, and that is they can often be too singer-centric as opposed to God-centric, but for that matter so can many hymns. You don't think that if I wanted I could rail against the line "Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I'VE PROVED Him o'er and o'er"? I mean, taken out of context, that line can be made to sound awfully egotistical. But it's a great hymn. I wish more songs were entirely about God, but I don't think it is necessarily wrong to sing songs about proper emotional and actional responses to what God has done in our lives. Clearly that's what "Madly" is supposed to be.
And while I appreciate your thoughts on the line "madly in love", I can't say I feel the same way about your criticism of the bridge. This feels more like you're just trying to nitpick in such a way as to do anything to find fault with the song. You say that we don't sing commas and capital letters, but that's entirely untrue. First, when we sing songs in church, we don't usually sing them by memory or simply repeating the leader. Usually they are written somewhere, in this song's case usually in a projection form above or to the side of the stage. Meaning, therefore, that as they are singing the song, the people are seeing the comma and the capital letter and recognizing the meaning of the line, that we are not giving our righteousness to God but that God, our Righteousness, is the recipient of our life. If you don't understand that, then you don't understand grammar. More than that, we actually do SING commas and capitals. For instance, in this song, you take a pause between the words "You" and "my", right where the comma is. That actually is singing the comma. And we always capitalize our references to God; in fact, that very same line already does it. If the "You" wasn't capitalized, then we wouldn't know to whom we are giving our life and nothing less. But we understand that when the "Y" is capitalized in "You" that it is referring to God. So why would that not also work with a capitalized "R" in "Righteousness" in the very same line? Of course that line would be terrible theology if there was bad grammar used in it, but that's why we shouldn't grammaticize it improperly the way you did when you wrote the lyrics out.
Thanks for the post. It was well-written and thought-provoking, and it does something we as Christians need to do, and that is pay attention to the words we’re singing, not just mindlessly sing them.
Mr Hollohan
Thank you for your well thought out comment and your defense of the song Madly. I am sure you know as Dr Leonard Payton (http://www.the-highway.com/articleJuly98html) has pointed out, “...probably nothing has the church more inflamed presently than worship music. We fight over it in the church. We exchange congregations based on worship music style with little concern for what the theology of the new or the old congregation may have been. Whole denominations are embroiled over worship music style with no clear outcome in sight.” Everyone has their likes and dislikes when it come to admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and that we sing with gratitude in our hearts to God with psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs. There are definitely some good songs and there are definitely some bad ones. You and I will have to agree to disagree on this one. Now, I have been known to be a “nit-picker” in the past as you suggest I am here. I actually thought about including that phrase in this post. Perhaps I am nit picking again. See (http://areformedlaymansperspective.blogspot/2008/04/pickin-nits.html) and (http://areformedlaymansperspective.blogspot.com/2009/07/promises-fulfilled.html) However, I personally love songs that are filled with good sound theology that allows one to sing back to God the words, theology and doctrine that He has given us in His Word. Now, I am not saying that this song has none of that but I am saying that, perhaps, if this were in the business world, the ratio of theological content relative to the explanations required would be “cost prohibitive” as evidenced by your lengthy defense.
My MS Word document tells me that the number of words in the Madly song total to 94 words. Take away the repeats and you are left with 34 words. Now here are the first 94 words to one of my favorite hymns: “Rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself in thee let the water and the blood from thy riven side which flowed be of sin the double cure cleanse me from it’s guilt and power. Not the labours of my hands can fulfill thy laws demands could my zeal no respite know could my tears forever flow all for sin could not atone thou must save and thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring simply to thy cross I cling naked come to thee for dress helpless look to thee for grace”
We are into the third stanza of the song Rock of Ages...and not a single repeat. Some of these old hymns have more theology in them than many of the 25 minute sermons preached from our pulpits today. I also know this is a different genre...but it’s a genre that I prefer. Maybe I am comparing apples and oranges..but my preference is oranges. It may be that I am a traditionalist..but “madly in love” has always been reserved for my wife. I attempt to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength..but of course fall far short of that. Perhaps if we could challenge our current song writers, no matter what the genre, to include some real content it would make us both willing to sing their praises.
Again, thank you for your comment and for reading my ramblings.
Dave Van
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