Songs That Work

This morning, the “Today” show did a report on what athletes listen to on their iPods before they compete.

Michael Phelps didn’t seem to have a “particular” set of songs he listens to but he did mention he was listening to Lil Wayne’s, “I’m Me” just before the last race. If you are interested in reading the lyrics to that one go here but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Most of us have songs that pump us up. Some of us probably don’t want to admit what those songs are in case we are shamed by our friends who make fun of our choices or we are forced to explain why a song of a certain nature gets us moving (see Lil Wayne above).

I have a whole list of songs that get me fired up or put me in a good mood for a host of reasons. Make fun of me all you want. I’m not turning the dial.

Here are a few that come to mind. It is BY NO MEANS a complete list. Add to it! What else makes you want to drive fast or cry or both? You don't make fun of me, I won't make fun of you (okay, we'll probably make fun of each other).

Back in Black AC/DC
Photograph Def Leppard
Rock and Roll Led Zeppelin
Street of Dreams Rainbow
Helter Skelter The Beatles
Show Me How to Live Audioslave
Hard to Handle The Black Crowes
Killing in the Name Rage Against the Machine
Dancing Queen ABBA
Hey Ya! OutKast
Mr. Telephone Man New Edition
Lovefool The Cardigans
Let Me Go Cake
Dreams The Cranberries
Friday I’m in Love The Cure
Ordinary World Duran Duran
Hotel California The Eagles
Bennie and the Jets Elton John
Are You Gonna Go My Way? Lenny Kravitz
Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N Roses
Reminiscing Little River Band
Switchin’ to Glide The Kings
Love is Like a Rock Donnie Iris
In the Dark Billy Squier
Extraordinary Liz Phair
Music Madonna
New Year's Day U2
Senorita Justin Timberlake
Santeria Sublime
Interstate Love Song STP
Blue Collar Man STYX
Modern Love David Bowie
Don't Dream it's Over Crowded House
Zoot Suit Riot Cherry Poppin' Daddys
Daylight Fading Counting Crows

Beneath the Covers

Tonight I spent quite a few hours putting together the songlist for the 3rd quarter at Westwinds. I know, I know, I’m on vacation. But, I really do have fun doing it because I sit down and listen to A LOT of music for a few hours when I put it together. Plus, it was girl’s night out so . . .

I am really excited about the lineup of covers/feature tunes for this quarter. Alanis Morissette, George Harrison, Dan Wilson, Tom Petty, Carrie Underwood, Counting Crows, Lenny Kravitz, Coldplay, Duran Duran, The Black Crowes, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and the list goes on.

I even had some folks from Westwinds weigh in on the decisions via Twitter.

As I was wrapping up the list, I started reminiscing. I am coming up on 15 years of “professional” ministry soon. Over the last 15 years I have been able to cover some pretty incredible music in church.

I believe music—whatever “category” you put it in (style and/or genre)—should stand on it’s own merits. I have never done a song because every other church is doing it. I have never done a song simply because it is labeled “Christian” by someone.

Music is more than a “tool” to be used by the church.

It is a celebration of life. It is a story. It creates a mood. It presents a scenario. It conveys emotion. It stirs the soul. It asks questions. It hurts. It rejoices. It reminds. It performs heart surgery. It messes with you. It is like an old friend. It hopes. It empathizes. It is a dialogue. It speaks when poetry cannot speak alone.

In my mind, it is a shame to simply look at songs as a “setup” for a message. It is a shame to force-feed music into a theme. Sure, if a song works well for a theme you should consider it but, not just because of what it says—because of how it feels. Sometimes a song will “say” what you want it to say but it will feel all wrong. Sometimes a song may not be your “perfect fit” but it feels so right. Sometimes a song will not be anywhere close to your theme and you should still consider it.

So, I went back through the years of covers/features and made a list of some of my favorites. I will post more later. Here are the first 50 that I checked off the list because they jumped out at me as favorite moments.

1. You Might Think by The Cars
2. Yellow by Coldplay
3. Wishlist by Pearl Jam
4. When Love Comes to Town by U2 and B.B. King
5. What I’ve Done by Linkin Park
6. Weather With You by Crowded House
7. The Heart of the Matter by Don Henley
8. That Kind of Love by PFR (ummm, with Joel Hanson singing it with me)
9. Ten Cent Wings by Jonatha Brooke
10. Tempted by Squeeze
11. Stop this Train by John Mayer
12. Stand by R.E.M.
13. Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn
14. Pride (IN the Name of Love) by U2
15. No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age
16. New Year’s Day by U2
17. New Routine by Fountains of Wayne
18. Neil Young Heart of Gold
19. Mr. Jones by Counting Crows
20. Move Along by All American Rejects
21. Livin’ on the Edge by Aerosmith
22. Live Like You Were Dyin’ by Tim McGraw
23. Like a Stone by Audioslave
24. Life in the Fast Lane by The Eagles
25. Let There be Love by Oasis
26. Learn to Fly by Foo Fighters
27. It’s Love by King’s X
28. Honesty by Billy Joel
29. Home by Foo Fighters
30. Hole Hearted by Extreme
31. Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes
32. Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones
33. Get Rhythm by Johnny Cash
34. Fool on the Hill by The Beatles
35. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
36. Everyday is a Winding Road by Sheryl Crow
37. Everybody wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
38. Do You Realize by The Flaming Lips
39. Dig In by Lenny Kravitz
40. Come Sail Away by Styx
41. Come on Over by Rob Thomas
42. Come Alive by Foo Fighters
43. Clocks by Coldplay
44. Bright Lights by Matchbox Twenty
45. Breathe (2am) by Anna Nalick
46. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
47. Baptized by Lenny Kravitz
48. Always on Your Side by Sheryl Crow and Sting
49. A King and a Kingdom by Derek Webb
50. (Tell Me) When God Will Speak by Billy Mann

MORE TO COME!

This post is part of Watercooler Wednesday over at Ethos. If you have any creative bone in your body, you should join the fun!

Desert Island Gigs (GBs)

Have you ever had the “Desert Island Disc” discussion? You know, if you were stranded on a desert island and you could only bring 3 albums, which would you bring to listen to for eternity?

I love those discussions.

Recently, when I acquired my iPhone, I came up against another similar quandary. My iPhone is 16 Gigs (GB). I want travel music, but I must decide who goes on my iPhone. I don’t want to take up all the space with music—that’s what my iPod is for. So . . . I limited my choices to 8 Gigs.

It shall be written: No more than 8 gigs—or, ½ of my iPhone shall be filled with music.

This leaves room for video clips, movies, etc.

Now, I know there is no freaking way I am going to listen to all the songs on my iPhone. I usually listen to music as I travel (iPod) or at my desk (MacBook Pro) or at home (iPod/CD’s).

But, what about that one time I am stuck for hours in an airport and all I have is my iPhone?

What if?

I decided I am putting some “most recent” albums on my iPhone. Then, I will follow with albums I can’t be without. Or, at least, don't want to be without. This week.

Then, I gave myself permission to change it everyday if I want because I can’t be put in a box.

I must be free.

Here is how it shook down (remember . . . newer albums and ones I don’t want to live without is the criteria)

Although . . . it has a lot more to do with how I am feeling right now. Maybe in a week I will dump some for others. So many choices.

The list : : :

AC/DC Back in Black
Angels and Airwaves We Don’t Need to Whisper
Audioslave (everything)
Beck (everything)
Big Tent Revival (various)
Billy Joel Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited
Britney Spears Baby One More Time
Chris Cornell Carry On
Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head
Counting Crows (everything)
Crosby Stills Nash and Young So Far
Dan Wilson Free Life
Dashboard Confessional
The Shade of Poison Trees
Def Leppard Vault
DownHere (various)
Five O’ Clock People (various)
Foo Fighters (everything)
Fountains of Wayne (everything)
G N’ R Appetite for Destruction
John Mayer Continuim
John Voelz (everything)
Jonatha Brooke 10 Cent Wings
Justin Timberlake (everything)
Kings X (various)
Led Zeppelin (everything)
Leeland (everything)
Lenny Kravitz (everything)
Liz Phair Liz Phair
Mark Roach
Matchbox Twenty Mad Season
Michael Jackson Thriller
Mike Knott (various)
Muse (everything)
MuteMath (everything) *added after being chastised 5/15
Neil Young Harvest
Nirvana Nevermind
No Doubt Rock Steady
Oasis What’s the Story Morning Glory?
Of Montreal (everything)
Once Soundtrack
P.O.D. When Angles & Serpents Dance
Panic! At the Disco Pretty. Odd.
Paramore Riot!
Pearl Jam Vs.
Peter Gabriel Hits
PFR (various)
Phil Wickham Cannons
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
Prince (everything)
R.E.M. Accelerate
Radiohead (everything)
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine
Red Hot Chili Peppers (various)
Robert Plant (various)
Rufus Wainwright Release the Stars
Serj Tankian Elect the Dead
Sheryl Crow (various)
Sigur Ros Agaetis Byrjun
Soundgarden Superunknown
Steely Dan Decade
Stevie Ray Vaughn Greatest Hits
Sting (various)
Stone Temple Pilots Purple
Sufjan Stevens (various)
The 77’s (various)
The Afters Never Going Back to OK
The Almost Southern Weather
The B-52’s Cosmic Thing
The Beatles (everything. Yes, everything)
The Black Crowes Warpaint
The Cars (everything)
The Chemical Brothers We are the Night
The Cure Galore
The Decemberists The Crane Wife
The Flaming Lips Yoshimi
The Frames The Cost
The Police Synchronicity
The Raconteurs (everything)
The Rolling Stones 40 Licks
The Shins (various)
The Vines (various)
The Who (various)
Third Day (various)
Thom Yorke The Eraser
Tom Petty (various)
U2 (everything)
Van Morrison (various)
Vicky Beeching (various)
Vigilantes of Love Summershine
Wilco A Ghost is Born
Worship Circus A Beautiful Glow
Yael Naim Yael Naim

Mission accomplished. Under 8 Gigs.

Does anything surprise you?

Does the lack of something surprise you?

Leave me a comment. I could have had a brain fart. I may have to change something.

What would your Desert Island Gigs be?

What Westwinds and Megadeth have in Common

This weekend, I will lead worship (or part of the set at least) with this rock and roll beast you see above. I probably won't be using my rock face but . . .

Not your normal worship leading axe? Is that Dave Mustaine’s signature? Dave Mustaine of Megadeth? And the Anarchy symbol?

Yep. To all that. Gather 'round kids while uncle John tells you a story.

Dave and I got back from lunch and pulled into the Westwinds parking lot. As we we’re walking into the office, someone called my name. I turned around to greet the voice—a man I had never seen before.

“You’re John, right?” Uhhh . . . yes I am. Do I know you? “No. I’m here to give you something. It’s over here in my van.”

I will admit it felt a bit weird to follow a stranger to his black van to receive a gift.

He opened the door and handed me a case. It was a big case. I was pretty sure it was a guitar case though it was huge.

What is it? I asked. “I have no idea. I am just supposed to drop it off. It is an anonymous gift. The guy told me not to tell you who he is.”

I made some joke about the case “ticking” but the guy didn’t laugh. Then I saw a familiar logo—one I hadn’t really seen since the 80’s.

Inside the case was a white Jackson Charvel Flying V no-pickguard axe with a Floyd Rose Tremolo, signed by guitar wizard Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.

There was just a note inside with some pictures. The note read, “To JVo. Because you rock.” The pictures were of Dave Mustaine playing this very guitar on a Megadeth tour.


I just about peed.

This is a guitar I probably wouldn’t go buy for myself because I am usually more concerned about versatility when purchasing a guitar—Strat, Paul, Tele, etc. So, what a treat to have something a bit extravagant and so . . . rock and roll.

So, yes, I will be playing this guitar as is. Anarchy symbol and all. The guitar is a story. I'm not changing a thing and I will tell this story again and again.

I am so proud of this guitar because of what it represents. I don’t create fire from my fingers on the fretboard and I won’t be playing any speed metal but this guitar will serve the songs of Leeland, Robbie Seay, Mark Roach, Vicky Beeching, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Fee, Paul Baloche, Matt Maher, Brenton Brown, and countless others at Westwinds.

And who knows . . . maybe there will be . . . that one Sunday where the set is begging for Megadeth.

This quarter we will cover Sheryl Crow, Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, Yael Naim, and Lenny Kravitz. The guitar will make more appearances.

Thank you anonymous giver of rock.

To you I raise my goblet.

P.S. My daughter is pretty sure she wants to start a girl band with this guitar.

Good Tunes

So, today is my day off and I am listening to my latest playlist while doing some web stuff. Had to take a quick break and tell you to check out a few tunes. If you are looking for some good tunes to cover in church you need to buy Lenny Kravitz' new album.

We are going to end up doing so many of these songs.

Love Revolution : : : "The truth will set you free and you will find--that there is a love that won't let you down and it always holds ground--wear your crown--this love will never leave you--this love will never let you go--it is time for a love revolution--it is time for a new constitution--you are a child of the most high--there is nothing you can't do and that is no lie--you were designed--to use your mind--to move what you can't see so don't be blind"

Bring it On : : : "I'm gonna walk my faith--Gonna raise my song--I'm gonna fight my battle--Gonna praise my Lord--It's getting heavy--But I'm ready--To take on this world and rock steady--So come on, bring it on"

If You Want it : : : "Don't you let it all pass you by--Looking through life's window pane--Don't you sit around wasting time--That would be a crying shame--There's a power that's deep inside--And it burns just like a flame--Just believe and you will see that God--Will shower you like pouring rain--If you want it--You can change your world today--If you want it--Just break free and walk away--There's a reason--For you to explore--Why you're here--What do you say--And the beauty is that you're the one--Who controls just how you play--There's a choice that you need to make--one is ore and one is clay--So drop your chains and take up your cross--And let Jesus make your way"

A New Door : : : "can see that look in your eyes--You're in need of something you can't find--You're tired of holding on to the pain--You haven't got the strength to hold the reigns--You are out of lane--I know you can't take it--I know you can't take it anymore--I know you can't fake it--I know you can't fake it anymore--Now it's time for you to open a new door--You fool yourself when you live a lie--You spend all of your time getting high--But drunken nights won't bury your fears--All the drinks you had just turned to tears--For too many years--I know you can't take it--I know you can't take it anymore--I know you can't fake it--I know you can't fake it anymore
Now it's time for you to open a new door--When you think that nobody cares--Close your eyes and know that God is there--And if you reach out He'll do the same--Just ask for what you need in Jesus name--Don't be ashamed

This Moment is All there is : : : Will there be tomorrow--Tell me, how can you be sure--There ain't always next season--There ain't always an open door--Life is dear,don't you waste it--The future no one can see--So step aside and let it be--Tomorrow may wash away--Don't put off what you do today--Take advantage while you are here--`Cause this moment is all there is

There are so many good tunes on this album. Simple lyrics but cool and sweet and tender at many points. Innocent quality. Honestly, if the lyrics were great and the music wasn't I wouldn't care to cover them but the music kicks booty. Rock and Roll.