Sleigh Oddity

In a moment of random madness, I found myself Christmassing up some classic rock hits... I think in my defence, that I was really tired at the time.

The most prominent one I decided to massacre have a go at, was David Bowie's Space Oddity. I decided to pay homage to the original song's theme by having Santa flying off into deep space at the end. I mean when you think about it, where does he go once Christmas is done? Is it really fair to suggest he only works one day a year?

For bonus points I decided to try and explain in a throwaway lyric, how it is that Santa can cover the entire Earth's surface and deliver to all good children on the planet, in a single night.

So here without further ado, I give you.... Sleigh Oddity:

The North Pole to Santa Claus

The North Pole to Santa Claus

Eat your mincemeat pies and put your red suit on

(Dasher) The North Pole (Dancer) to Santa Claus (Prancer)

(Vixen) Commencing Christmas (Comet), space-time paused (Cupid)

(Donner) Check those presents (Blitzen) and may Rudolph (Lift Off!) guide you true.

This is the North Pole to Santa Claus

You've really made their day

And the children want to thank the jolly man

Now it's time to leave the fireplace if you can.

This is Santa Claus to the North Pole I'm climbing up the chute

And I'm squashed up in a most a-peculiar way

and my magic sleigh seems very far away.

For here am I stuck inside this chimney far above the hearth

Planet Earth is white on this holy silent night.

Now I've clocked 100,000 miles I'm feeling very ill

And I think my reindeer know which way to go

Tell those kids I love them very much, they know.

The North Pole to Santa Claus your sleigh bells stopped where've you gone

Can you hear me Santa Claus? Can you hear me Santa Claus? Can you hear me Santa Claus? Can you...

Here am I zooming off in deep space, far beyond the stars

Kids on planets new, need to get their presents too.

If  you want to try singing along and seeing if it tracks, I've added a link to an instrumental of Bowie's original below.

 

Over to you... what classic songs of yesteryear can you rework with a Christmas theme?

Everyone Else is Going Delirious? So Why Not Me?

I want to make something very clear before I write the main part of my post... because in some Christian circles I think it may very well be potentially divisive.

I like Delirious? I have a couple of their albums (the favourite being Live & In the Can), and have bought a few singles off iTunes in the past (Miracle Maker is another favourite). I even heard them in concert at Coventry Cathedral  during Pentecost a few years ago. I'm not a fanboy and I'll admit to going a bit off their newer material when they went stateside,, but essentially from a Christian music perspective I generally see them as a force for good... and my post is by no means an attack on them, their music or their supporters.

Now with that cleared up, I can to get to the point. I've heard a lot on Twitter and Facebook about the campaign to get History Maker to No.1 in the charts, I've even had group invites to "Christian Music Topping the UK Charts". I have ignored all the invitations and I've got no intention of buying History Maker (I already own it anyway).

Am I crazy? Am I traitor to the cause?

No... I don't think so (and I know several other Christians who like Delirious? but who feel the same way).

In an attempt to explain my seemingly strange notion, I want to wind the clock back a little to last Christmas... that's when a similar campaign took place to stem the tide against the constant drivel pumped out by Simon Cowell's various chart manifestations. The (succesful) plan was to get Rage Against the Machine to No.1 in place of X Factor.

I agreed very much with the sentiments... I want real music in the charts (although the RATM single didn't float my boat), but I felt very much that it was a case of hating the enemy by becoming the enemy... people were still being sheep... they just chose a different shepherd.

I've referenced this clip before on my blog but I think it sums up my feelings perfectly when it comes to this kind of campaign:

"Those of you.. I see the look in your eyes like "I would have walked differently" well... ask yourselves why you were clapping".

You see... I think when you enter a campaign like that, you might think you are acting differently... but really you are just "clapping" to the same tune.

So when these things come along... be it Rage Against the Machine, Delirious? or anyone else for that matter... I decline to take part. It's my way of "exercising the right not to walk".

It was the success of the Rage Against the Machine campaign that no doubt inspired some of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I'll be the first to admit that I get somewhat frustrated with the lack of Christian related material on TV at Easter, but I have to ask what this campaign hopes to achieve... ok so a Christian band gets to number one (and it is looking promising), but how does this change the world? How does it glorify God?

I hope I'm wrong, but what I suspect will happen is that it will polarise opinions and the hard hearted will become even more grounded in their position that Christianity is about a bunch of people trying to force their narrow agenda onto a public that hasn't asked for it and doesn't want it (even though in truth they need it).

My problem with the campaign is that there is a lack of depth. It's as if someone is posing the question "As Christians how can we change the world?" and the only answers that are coming back are "I'll make a banner", "I'll make t shirts", "I'll make a flag... and what's more I'll wave it too!"

Frankly it's not enough.

"Wouldn't it be cool if..." is not enough.

How did Jesus get his message across? Most of the time he fulfilled the practical needs of the people around him and then he shared his message. He demonstrated compassion, action and righteous power first...and then shared his message with those who were willing to hear.

Actions speak louder than words and if people see the truth in what you do, they will listen to the truth of which you speak.

At some point we need to realise how important it is to avail ourselves of the power of God... in order that we can carry out the will of God.

Some commentators have also criticised the choice of song to rally behind; History Maker is largely about how we respond to God as Christians and not about Christ himself. Now I think that charge is a little harsh, because even though it talks about "us" in the first person, it does point the listener in the right direction. Here are the lyrics:

Is it true today that when people pray
Cloudless skies will break
Kings and queens will shake
Yes it's true and I believe it
I'm living for you

Is it true today that when people pray
We'll see dead men rise
And the blind set free
Yes it's true and I believe it
I'm living for you

I'm gonna be a history maker in this land
I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run
Into your arms, into your arms again
Into your arms, into your arms again

Well it's true today that when people stand
With the fire of God, and the truth in hand
We'll see miracles, we'll see angels sing
We'll see broken hearts making history
Yes it's true and I believe it
We're living for you.

Written by Martin Smith �1996 Curious? Music UK

I would say that the lyrics of that song are a reminder to us of what we should be doing as Christians... but as mentioned above, I believe that we should be doing these things and not merely listening to songs about doing them.

As it's getting close to Good Friday, I'd like to leave you with a Delirious? song that I think is an excellent meditation on what Jesus actually did for us. I like it because its verses alternate between the charges that people lay against God, and a counterpoint response that illustrates that the pain and hardships we see around us... God identifies with because he himself endured hardship. The Song I am referring to is White Ribbon Day:

Whatever your opinion is of the Delirious? chart storming debate... I hope that you will continue to be blessed by their music, and more importantly God himself.

Listen...

Over the past couple of days I've been thinking a lot about how unspoken things sometimes resonate with us and speak to us on another level.

I recall hearing on a documentary once, that the Reverend W Awdry gained inspiration for Thomas the Tank Engine by listening to two steam engines travelling uphill along a railway line. One of them, a slow lumbering giant was making a slow rhythmic with it's steam... "I can't make it... I can't make it". At the same time, a smaller more nimble engine caught up to it and started to pass by with a quicker sound "yesyoucanyesyoucanyesyoucan!"

You can almost here the sounds in your head now... can't you? Admit it.

The reason I've been thinking about this is because I was recently listening to a version of one of the main songs from the soundtrack to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (In Time by Robbie Robb). It's a song I like listening to because it reminds me that good things (whether that be in this world or the next), will eventually come to those who are prepared to wait and trust in God... and it's a useful and warm reminder when the journey seems long and hard.

I bought the soundtrack to the film some time ago but was a little disappointed with the version on the CD... it seemed to lack something. I hadn't noticed, but the film version differs in that it has an electric guitar playing a solo backing track (by Stevie Salas) at the same time.

I only discovered this by chance, when browsing YouTube. A talented guitarist by the name of Marcus Wright had been motivated by a friend to painstakingly recreate the riffs and it is so much better with them restored.

Here is the song:

With merely the words it sounds like someone is merely singing to themselves and their companion about how things will improve... but the guitar work adds a hidden voice an unseen one that speaks to me of reassurance, providence and faithfulness.

Elijah had a similar experience on Mount Horeb (although sadly, I don't think God played guitar).

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

1 Kings 19:11-13

God doesn't always speak to us through the obvious and explosive... often he is right there with us whispering away through the subtle things we encounter and observe.

I find these experiences far more personal, but in order to be able to appreciate them, I need to listen carefully.

I wonder if you've had similar experiences along these lines.

I'll finish up with one last example... Elgar's Nimrod. It's normally only reserved for times of national tragedy... what a sad waste! It's not actually about sadness, Elgar wrote it in honour of his best friend, Augustus J Jaeger in an effort to capture his nobility.

Whenever I hear it, it speaks to me a of a warm, ever growing brooding divine affection from God above, for the listener below.

How can I hear a tune as beautiful and as full of life as that... and attribute it to grief and mourning?

Anyway I shall let Elgar and God speak for themselves:

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

I've pre-ordered the latest Coldplay album on iTunes, this has enabled me to download the title track "Viva la Vida". I'll probably let you have my opinions when the album is out... but cryptic imagery of this song really captured my imagination. I actually think it's a veiled attack on a political figure. I'll say who I think that is and why, after you've had an opportunity to read the lyrics:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemies' eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you know there was never
Never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world

It was a wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh, who would ever wanna be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know St. Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

Ohh...Hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know St. Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Ooh...

I actually think the song is a veiled attack on Tony Blair. Yes, I know I could easily be attaching my own political bias onto the song... but I'll list my reasons and let you make your own minds up.

The chorus is my strongest reason for feeling the way I do. The character in the song hears Jerusalem bells a ringing... this could easily be a reference to Blair taking up a position as a Middle East peace envoy. Then we have a militaristic/quasi-religious reference connected to Rome and a line in later choruses that reads "for some reason I can't explain, I know St Peter won't call my name". These lines can't help but make you think of a connection to Roman Catholicism... to which Mr Blair is a "recent" convert. The character in the song is clearly struggling with something on his conscience which is why he knows deep down that St. Peter won't call his name... he knows he's done something that he feels he cannot atone for (Roman Catholic theology runs along the lines that you need to confess your sins to a priest to be absolved; also some catholics believe in purgatory, a system whereby you can only get to heaven by paying your sins off in a kind of limbo state - this is entirely without biblical foundation and opposes the teaching that Christ's sacrifice pays for the entire sum of our sins). It could therefore be a reference to the amount of casualties in Iraq (coalition and Iraqi), something that would take a heavy amount of paying if you subscribed to purgatorial theology.

Other elements of the song make reference to memories of an old king dying and a new king being crowned... which mirrors the early days of New Labour when all opposition was effectively neutered. Then we have the mention of betrayal... how everyone who believed the central character represented one set of ideals, actually discover they aren't representing them... and the head on the silver platter could easily be a reference to people wanting Blair out of office. The line following that talks of a lonely puppet on a string... and perhaps this could refer to Blair being a puppet to US foreign policy. There are also constant references to lies and deceit and Tony Blair was noted for his "spin". Funnily enough when he was in office at No.10, if you typed "liar" into Google, the top result was Blair's biography on the No.10 website.

The beginning of the song probably likens the central character to King Canute who according to legend told his people he had power over the sea... it betrays an air of arrogance. Actually to set the record straight, the historical King Canute had a reputation of being very good king. The reason he went out to the sea and tried to hold it back,was not to prove he had mastery over it... it was actually to prove to his people that he couldn't (because the silly idiots had got it into their heads that he was a godlike figure).

Anyway, that's my reasoning behind why I think the song is a veiled attack on Blair's political history.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree/disagree? If so, I'd like to hear your own ideas and alternative theories.

The Return

I returned to my spiritual cradle on Sunday.

My father is coming to the end of his year of being the town mayor (for the second time). It is customary for the outgoing mayor to hold a civic service (according to whichever belief or non-belief the mayor follows), where local dignitaries from around the town, district and even county are present. In the case of my dad, the service was held at the Anglican church of St. Nicholas.

My dad is a family orientated man and being such, wanted my sister, her boyfriend and myself to play a role in the service. For Charlotte and Ron, this meant playing music... and for my part, I was asked to read the Old Testament reading.

St. Nick's is an interesting place for me; as it was the family church, it was there that I first became aware of the concept of God... it therefore marks the beginning of my spiritual journey. However, at a certain age I realised the place was not good for me and if I was to have any hope of blossoming spiritually, I needed to find my own way and so I left. I'm very wary of the place given the spiritual history of the town, the influence of Freemasons and the lack of spiritual nourishment I tend to feel on the odd occasion I do go at Christmas or Easter.

Waiting for the service to begin, I was a little nervous... because I didn't know whereabouts on the page, my reading would be. This feeling soon dissipated however as the organ resounded for the first hymn (Guide Me O, Though Great Redeemer). I really felt inspired to belt out the tune as loud I could. I feel it is a gift I have... not to lead in worship, but to sing in such a way as to enable others to lift their own praises higher.

The time came for my reading and I had NO fear, memories of past oppression did not even cross my mind. I just got up and delivered the scripture to the people. I just wanted it to read like Jesus would... more than that, I just wanted Jesus to read it through me. I kind of felt like I was making a statement of intent. A taste of things to eventually come. The town has been spiritually famished for some time... but many folk are just not aware of it. I'll tell you more about the actual passage in another post.

I continued to be moved by my dad's excellent choice of hymns (they may have been old, but they were certainly classic). Something that touched my heart was when the prayers were read. At first I thought one of them had been written by someone in the church prayer book, bu it became apparent that it was in fact a poetic prayer written empathetically in the first person, with regard to different individual groups and their various needs. I was especially touched by the prayer for/from the single person. I fall into this group and it is a group that is shamefully neglected in the prayers of many churches. I'm not saying we want to be at the top of the list, prayed for every week. I am saying that the occasional acknowledgment that sometimes the single path (whether it be by sovereign/personal choice or circumstance), can be a painful and lonely one to walk, wouldn't go amiss.

Ron played a Malawian folk song in the Chichewa language. It was a very fitting choice. It is about a town which is suffering from sickness and the people all blame an old man and make him a scapegoat, believing him to be a witch doctor. If you are interested in listening to more of Ron Nkomba's music, or finding out more about him, you can visit his Myspace profile, it is well worth a listen.

Like, the song Ron played, I believe my hometown is spiritually sick... and various groups of people blame various other groups for why that is. However, only a fool accuses the flower or the fruit as the source of wrong... but neglects the root, from which both flower and fruit draw their nourishment.

I've attached some pictures of the party after the service, I've been told I "scrub up quite well":

Regards

N

Bits & Bobs

My sister was knocked off her bicycle in London the other day. I would post up a few pictures, but I don't think she really wants me to. Needless to say she looks like she's been in the ring with Tyson... although I assure you if that were the case, he'd have come off MUCH worse... I talk from my own experience as a sibling. In her own words though, she currently looks like Pete Burns - so you can imagine how swollen her face is!

Psycho drivers cutting up cyclists on left hand turns is a trait typical of any sprawling metropolis. I have no love for cities, they are way too claustrophobic for my liking. I prefer to visit them and be blown away by their architecture and scale. They are good in small doses. For the most part, I like to walk down the street with a good deal of personal space... can't be doing with playing sardines on the pavement. I've always felt that packing people tightly into an urban environment is asking for trouble. When people live within that much proximity of one another, I can't help but think that it helps encourage road rage. Without personal space and the ability to get out of the constant gaze peoples faces... I can't help but think it's a contributing factor to road rage and aggressive relations between neighbours.

So here's hoping and praying for a swift recovery for my sis Charlotte!

On a lighter note I was mucking about with Yahoo's music video feature the other night and I was really impressed! Not only can you browse for music video's by your favourite artists, if you are signed into Yahoo... then you can also personalise the video player to suit your own music tastes. this appears to work in a similar way to Amazon's recommendation system. It takes data that you supply it with (in this case, your rating of music videos that Yahoo's player randomly selects) and compares it with songs/artists that other people who rated it well, have also chosen. All I can say is that it's both fantastic and addictive. You can rate things from OK to unmissable and you can even block songs or artists who you find offensive or downright dull. I took great delight in wiping out the entire Westlife back catalogue! I don't think I'll bother sticking Cd's in the computer for a while I've had so much fun!

And finally in totally unrelated news, my habit of having strange and vivid dreams seems to be resurfacing... and it is having noticeable effects on my psyche. Rather annoying effects. There's a rather attractive and seemingly nice girl who works for one of the local estate agents, it's been a pleasant experience passing like ships in the night every evening at the Post Office. However, ever since I had the dream last night I've felt like I should maintain a safe distance. Not out of fear or anything negative. It's just in my dream, I saw a girl who I was very keen on a while ago after a brief encounter... and when I woke up I just felt that showing any interest in any other girl would be wrong and disrespectful. This is CRAZY! I owe no particular loyalty to the girl, to the best of my knowledge she has never reciprocated any of the feelings I had for her... if the poor lass was even aware of how I felt at all... I'm like Mr Invisible here sneaking around in the shadows tying his guts in knots with endless "what ifs" and "maybes". Even if there were hope, she is a long way away. What is wrong with me... no matter how much distance I try to put between myself and any emotional attachment to her... a couple of months later she always seems to crop up in my subconscious! Is there no getting away from this? I feel like Sisyphus!

Any psychologists who can offer advice as to what my subconscious is trying to do to me (apart from drive me insane) are welcome to chip in and offer there opinions... this is damaging my calm!

Normal service will resume shortly...

Favourite advert at present is the Tetley's advert with the guy turning up to a pub fancy dress party that has a movie theme. Not only does he arrive in full replica Roman Armour (presumably as General Maximus from Gladiator), but he turns up with an entire Roman legion with ballistas and catapults to boot! Awesome. that's my style.... all or nothing!

Starsailor

I decided to take a gamble on the new Starsailor album.

Their current work seems a lot more edgier than "Silence is Easy" (I loved the title track, very relevant).

Again I am led to wonder if there is a Christian influence in this band, not least because there is a track called Faith, Hope, Love.

That could easily come from the following well known Bible verse:

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

There are also a fair few references to being born again and... I can't put my finger on it... there's just a feel to it that seems familiar to me.

1 Corinthians 13 by the way is one of the world's most well known Bible passages; it was my gran's favourite... she had to memorise it as a child. I let her down at her funeral... when asked what I thought the reading should be, I suggested one from the end of Revelation... I should have chosen 1 Corinthians 13. When the Bible speaks of love, it always treats it with absolute importance... whether it be brotherly love, romantic love... or especially God's unconditional love. for those of you who are unfamiliar with it... and for those of you who need to reacquaint yourself with the simple truth it describes, here it is in full. Always remember, your achievements are no better than ash in your mouth... if they are not born from love:

Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

X & Y By Coldplay

This album is seriously awesome. It's been speaking to me for days, about where I am as a person, and reminding me of the way to take things forward. It's really important that "Square One" is followed immediately by "What If?". "A Message" comes across to me as being about the importance of personal testimony (both in speech and in action).

You can clearly see the tributes both lyrically and musically to U2 and Bowie among others. I can honestly say, that when I listen to this album, I don't feel the need to skip to another track that I prefer. This is Coldplay's best album to date in my opinion. It's worth you parting with your cash.

Personal highlights for me are:

• Square One
• What If
• Fix You
• A Message

There are certain lines that mean a lot:

"Is there anybody out there who, is lost and hurt and lonely too? Are you bleeding all your colours into one? And if you've come undone, as if you've been run through, some catapult has fired at you, and you wonder if your chance will ever come, when you're back in square one..."

"Ooooooo that's right, let's take a brave jump over the side, ooooo that's right, how can you know when you won't even try? Every step that you take could be your greatest mistake, it might bend or it might break, but that's the risk that you take."

Some people have charged Chris Martin with being overly melancholy, but I always feel that his songs are about personal struggle.... he truly is "The Scientist" from "A Rush of Blood to the Head". He always seems to write where he is at. his songs do have a melancholy side to them, but they always leave me simultaneously feeling a strong sense of hope.

I think I'd get on with Chris Martin, we seem to share an over-analytical approach to life.

Buy the album, you won't regret it.