Hound Dog Harmonies: "Anchor"

Song: "Anchor"

Artist: Skillet

Album: Victorious

Genre: Rock/Metal

Selected Lyrics:

Drifting beneath the horizon
Body is weak but I'm trying
To make it to shore, but I'm falling short
I need You more
Wave after wave, I've been sinking
So unto Your promise I'm clinging
You say that I'm strong, to You I belong
Keep holding on

You are my anchor
So steady me, steady me now
You are my anchor
You're keeping my feet on the ground
In angry oceans, You've never broken through
Every wave of the storm

Discussion:

My last Hound Dog Harmonies post featured the mellow sounds of The Gray Havens. This week, we swing the other way to Skillet's heavy metal jams. (Hey, I've never claimed to have consistent music tastes.) I honestly can't believe I haven't featured Skillet on the blog yet, though, in hindsight, their lyrics tend to be a little less deep than say, Theocracy. 

"Anchor" is probably my favorite song off of the new Victorious album that came out a couple months ago, mostly because it came at a perfect time in my life. The album released just a few weeks before my dog was diagnosed with lymphoma. The past month has been hard emotionally and mentally as I've had to make a lot of decisions regarding what exactly I want to do about his cancer and reconciling myself to the fact that he's not going to be around forever. This whole album, but especially "Anchor", has been the soundtrack to my life throughout that time.

I really enjoy the lyrics of this song because they focus me back on Christ and His consistency. I tend to rely on my dog for my main source of companionship and comfort, but even he's transient. Christ, however, won't abandon me, even when I'm drowning. Even when the world seems to be shifting around me and all my best laid plans have been stripped aside, He's there to steady me.

I would highly recommend the whole Victorious album if you enjoy a taste of heavy metal with some lyrics that you can feel comfortable listening to. My other favorites off the album are "Finish Line", "Never Going Back", and "This is the Kingdom". 

I also have to give a hat tip to Skillet lead singer John Cooper and his comments on how the church tends to elevate emotions and celebrities over the Word of God and how that can be a problem.The Christian Post did a nice article on his comments and their context a while back. He's a little forward, but I largely found it a refreshing take on Christian pop culture. 

Hound Dog Harmonies: "Sirens"

Song: "Sirens"

Artist: The Gray Havens

Genre: Folk/Pop

Selected Lyrics:

One taste of the sound
From the sirens in the water
And I'm thinking I should get out
The sharpest sword and suit of armor
So I can be ready to strike
But I pause, one more time
One last taste of the sound
Then I'll cut these sirens down
But as they sang, I forgot
They were death, so I brought them my heart
To be filled, and I followed them...

Hold on, my heart
You once were full and sang of grace...
You've tasted joy that's more than this

Discussion:

I've been on a Gray Havens kick lately. Their more laid back sound and thoughtful lyrics have been just what my heart has needed after a couple of crazy weeks.

This song in particular has become one of my favorites over the past few years as I've been listening to the group. The daily struggle against sin is something that ways heavily on my mind and heart from time to time and this song gives me words to voice how it feels when I'm struggling against something in particular. (And when I feel terrible about falling again and again, I follow this one up with "Storehouse"). The imagery of the sirens coming up and arming yourself to defeat them, only to stop mid-stroke to listen one last time always gives me pause.

I just discovered the music video for the song, but you can also find it on Spotify or your other favorite music outlets.

What's your favorite song when you're struggling with temptation?

Hound Dog Harmonies: 30 Pieces of Silver

We're back after an unintentionally long hiatus! I originally intended to post this for Holy Week, but it's still technically the Easter season, so I guess I'm not that far off.

Song: 30 Pieces of Silver

Artist: Theocracy

Genre: Christian Metal

Listening Suggestion: Car jam session that's willing to take an introspective turn.

Selected Lyrics

What’s the price you’ve named?
Well is it money, power, acceptance, or fame?

When all the world is asking you to sell your soul
And to deny the cross for silver and for gold
The kiss of Judas or the bended knee?
Vainglory or humility?
The ultimate goal

All the treasure in the world so blinding
30 pieces of silver shining
Tell me what’s the price you seek
To place the kiss of death upon His cheek?

You can find the whole song on YouTube if you're interested.

The Long

This is the song that made me fall in love with Theocracy. Like so many of their songs, it's a little heavy on the thrashiness at points, but it also has some better driving guitar lines. 

Most importantly, however, it has some lyrics that stopped me in my tracks and made me take a long, hard look at my soul in a way that Christian music rarely does.

So often during Holy Week, it's easy to point our fingers and scratch our heads at Judas. This guy walked with Jesus himself. Knew him. Ate with him. Was one of his closest friends. 

And then, he decides to out him for a measly price at the first chance he gets. And not just out him--but hand him over to be killed in one of the most brutal forms of execution ever invented. What was this guy thinking?

And then we stop, pause, and take a turn inward. If we were in Judas' shoes (or perhaps sandals, as it were), what would our price be? 

And, like Peter, we cry that we would never deny the Lord. That we would die for Him. 

Until we think about that unkind word we said to our coworker, or the places our thoughts strayed that they should never have gone, or the dark desires of our hearts that come along when we don't expect it. And then we remember every time we've not shared Christ's love, every time we've put our own desires before taking time for God, every time we've failed. 

Every time we've cashed in our 30 pieces of silver.

Hound Dog Harmonies: "Flood"

The Short

Song: Flood

Artist: Jars of Clay

Genre: Pop/Soft Rock

Listening Suggestion: While on your way to do something stressful.

Selected Lyrics

Rain rain on my face
It hasn't stopped
Raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become
One with the mud


But if I can't swim after 40 days
And my mind is crushed
By the crashing waves
Lift me up so high
That I cannot fall
Lift me up
Lift me up when I'm falling
Lift me up I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up I need you to hold me
Lift me up and keep me from drowning again

You can find the music video at YouTube. Please pardon the 90's/ early 2000's feel. 

The Long

This is one of my favorite songs for when I'm having a rough day. It's perfect for the days when you feel like you've got nothing left. With the water imagery and the reference to 40 days, it calls to mind the story of Noah (or of Jesus in the wilderness) and the times God has saved his people in the past. 

The song also has a beautiful cello/strings section in the middle of it that accompanies the lyrics quite well. It's pretty suitable for most musical tastes (unlike some other songs I've featured). While it's not particularly heavy hitting theologically, it can be a nice pick me up on a hard day. 

What's your favorite song when you're having a bad day?

Hound Dog Harmonies: "The Lutheran Song"

I'm going to be a terrible blogger and inflict "Lost and Found" on you twice within a month.

Unfortunately, this song doesn't really have any themes to analyze, but it does list off people who are--or were at one point in their lives--Lutherans. With no further ado, you can check the Famous Lutherans Song

If that wasn't enough Lost and Found for you, you may be slightly crazy, just like me you can also search for their songs about the LCMS and ELCA. (Unfortunately, they don't have a WELS song that I can find.) I think you'll recognize the tune right away.

Next week I'll be wrapping up my Reformation series with a series of pictures I took in Wittenburg, the birthplace of the Reformation.

Hound Dog Harmonies: "Nailed"

The Schlosskirche (Castle Church) where
Luther nailed the 95 Theses.
The top of the tower has the opening lines
of "A Mighty Fortress is our God"
written in German.

Today we kick off our month-long celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with a rock song about Martin Luther and the 95 Theses. 

The Short: 

Song: "Nailed"

Artist: Theocracy

Album: As the World Bleeds

Genre: Metal

Listening Suggestion: With some Abendbrot to celebrate some German food?

Christian Author Listener(s): Wayne Thomas Batson

Selected Lyrics:

Here I am, a broken man who's done all that a man can do

And found that it's only filthy rags.

Monasteries, religious schools, indulgences, laws and rules

It all added up to nothing and darkness and death.

Vanity, heartache, and emptiness...

Never fight it anymore,

For the burden on my life has been released--

Nailed it to the door...

There's fire in my spirit, and fire in their eyes,

And now they'll want to burn me alive--

Yet freedom rings. 

Unworthiness is all I bring.

The blood of Christ is all I claim,

This grace revealed everything...

You can listen to the song on the band's YouTube channel, though brace yourself for a bit of strong metal--albeit with a really cool pounding sound for the hammer. It's also fairly easy to find on Spotify.

The Long: 

While this song might not suit all tastes musically (I'm a self-professed headbanger and even I can only stand to listen to it occasionally), I think it does a good job of telling Luther's story--you might even say it hits the nail on the head. From his brokenness as a monk trying to reach God through his own works to his final reliance on Christ and realization that all the works in world won't save him, Luther's story is relayed in this somewhat angsty rock ballad.

Beyond just telling Luther's story, the song does a fair job of referencing the gospel--the fact that we can't save ourselves, that Jesus is ultimately everything, and the confidence of knowing that fact  as we face troubles in life. 

Also, let's be honest--it's just exciting to find a song about Luther. I may have had a little nerd moment when I initially heard it.

What songs about Luther do you know of?

Hound Dog Harmonies: "Opener"

The Short: 

Song: Opener

Artist: Lost and Found

Album: "Lost and Found Comes Alive"

Genre: Speedwood (Really, there's no category for it. The alternate term they suggest is "acoustic thrash". Take it as you will)

Listening Suggestion: Somewhere where no one will laugh too hard at your odd taste in music, such as in the car.

Christian Author Listener(s): John W. Otte, author of Failstate.

Selected Lyrics:

You see, every Sunday, it's just like the last.

As if the church has no history, and the people have no past. 

We just sing the songs we like to sing and we preach about the news

And we think up some gimmicky thing just to fill up the pews. 

But I want palms on Palm Sunday, I want Pentecost still to be red.

I want to drink of the wine and eat of the bread. 

But they strive for attendance, while I starve for transcendence. 

And I count among this body both the living and the dead.

So whether it's guitars and amps, or video screens and cordless mikes

Or incense and robes and ropes, and candelights,

Let's stop all the fighting over words and ways 

And tell about Jesus, like in the good, old days.

You can find a link to the song here. There's a short introduction to the song as well, but if you just want the music, you can fast forward to 1:05.

The Long: 

Now, if you survived listening to the song, I congratulate you. Lost and Found is definitely more of an acquired taste, and they're far better in concert than they are on recording. 

I can't credit Mr. Otte with introducing me to them, as that honor distinctly belongs to my pastor. I still distinctly remember pulling up behind a neighboring church to find something entirely different than what I had expected. Rather than a worship band and teenagers, there were two older dudes (one with crazy hair), a bunch of people with folding lawn chairs, and everyone seemed to have slinkys (perhaps more on that another time). Lost and Found is certainly unique. 

While many of their songs are rather cheesy, they do have a number of serious songs as well. This is one of my favorites. If you took the time to listen to the introduction to the song, you'll find their reason behind writing it is partially rooted in one of the member's experiences as a hospital chaplain. He found that many people in their last moments would cling to words from church--such as The Lord's Prayer or Psalm 23. They placed great value on the traditions of their childhood church in their final moments, but even more than that, they clung to Jesus. 

The resulting song is critical of "cheap" Christianity that aims to create attendance, rather than seeking to connect people deeply with Jesus. And while the author (like myself) seems inclined to have a more traditional view of how to accomplish the latter, he also acknowledges that, in the end, it's not the appearances of the service that matter; it's whether the service points to Jesus or not. 

While I don't think every band should sound like Lost and Found, it's my opinion that we need more songs like "Opener" that discuss real issues in Christianity, such as the need for more Jesus in church. 

Thoughts? What quirky band do you like?

Hound Dog Harmonies: "This My Soul"

The Short: 

Song: "This My Soul" 

Artist: The Gray Havens

Album: Ghost of a King

Genre: Folk/ Pop

Listening Suggestion: A relaxing evening on the porch with tea or hot chocolate 

Christian Author Listener(s): Nadine Brandes

Selected Lyrics:

I would really suggest that  you go read the lyrics in their entirety by clicking on this link. However, here are some excerpts:

...The form took its shape as a garden was born.
Then man from the dust came reflecting 
All goodness and beauty and life,
But he lowered his gaze
As he listened to the face of low desires.

...What this man has done,
it all extends to you...

The voice came and swords blocked the garden.
None could return with their lives.
A curse there was placed upon every man to face
For all of time...

Then the perfect son of man
Took the place the voice had planned
Since the garden and before
He took the swords and cursed the grave...

...What this man has done,
It all extends to you...

You can check out the song on YouTube or your other favorite outlet.

The Long: 

Ms. Brandes recently discovered this song and shared it on her Facebook page. I was intrigued at first, then hooked once I read the lyrics to many of the band's songs. In addition to having some thought provoking lyrics with interesting twists, they also make references to The Chronicles of Narnia. Furthermore, I suspect that their band name is a salute to The Lord of the Rings. What's not to love?

I chose to review the song that initially got me hooked on the Gray Havens, "This My Soul", because of its unique perspective on the fall and redemption of mankind. I absolutely loved how it tied in the fall, the curse, and redemption into one song with similar imagery. 

The chorus, which largely hinges on the phrase "What this man has done, it all extends to you", reminds me of Romans 5: 18. The ESV reads: "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men."

Yet, in spite of telling the story of salvation, this song doesn't come across as preachy or contrived--it merely presents a good story that is reflective of the larger truth, much as a good fantasy allegory might. I wouldn't pick it for worship, but it makes a good song to listen to while cooking or just chilling in the evening. 

The sound of this band is a little bit more "folksy" or "pop" sounding than I typically go for, but it does make for a nice blend. 

What's your favorite music genre?

Hound Dog Harmonies: "Light of the World"

Incidentally, I've discovered a few Christian bands through my favorite authors. In this new series, I'm going to explore some of that music and analyze it a little. I'm going to start out with a shorter post/analysis today and hopefully expand to something a little more in-depth. Let me know what you think down in the comments! 

The Short: 

Song: "Light of the World"

Artist: Theocracy

Album: As the World Bleeds

Genre: Metal

Listening Suggestion: Car jam session

Christian Author Listener(s): Wayne Thomas Batson

Selected Lyrics:

You are the light of the world, he said.

But we've blown out our candles and left men for dead.

Singing, "We are the light of the world, he said".

As the darkness descends on us all.

If we were the light of the world today,

Would we hide in the shadows and scare them away?

Are we the light of the world, 

Or are we failing to answer the call?

You can listen to the full song on Youtube, through Spotify, through Amazon Prime Music, or whatever your favorite outlet happens to be.

The Long: 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not really a Christian music fan. I find most of it to sound similar, to have (at best) questionable lyrics, and overall it just isn't my cup of tea. I found Theocracy about a year ago through a Facebook group and then quickly discovered that Wayne Thomas Batson, one of my favorite authors, is also a fan of the band. 

At first, I wasn't sold on the group. Depending on the song, their sound's a little more "thrashy" than I typically like. However, what sold me on the group was their lyrics. 

Where many bands might have stopped at reminding us of Jesus' statement that we are to be the light of the earth, the Theocracy crew didn't hesitate to point out that we often fail at that mission without any shame. Ouch.

As I wrote about a while back, I find it interesting that we don't always consider the target audience for Christian media. While we as Christians certainly need comfort and uplifting songs, I think there's also a place for songs that convict and challenge us, lest we become lulled into a sense of self-righteousness.

 What was the last song that made you think about your faith?