Boston. Clearly one of the most legendary rock bands of all time. Amazing guitar riffs. Incredible vocals. Some of the best rock 'n roll you'll ever hear.
So why am I writing about Boston? Well, with the unfortunate and untimely death of singer Brad Delp, something interesting has happened. I have known about this for some months, but just haven't sat down and wrote about it till now.
Boston has chosen Michael Sweet to be their vocalist for the 2008 tour. !!!
(They also have some other guy, but he's not relevant to this post. Sorry dude.)
Now, Michael, as you may know, has already had a stellar career with the legendary Christian Metal band Stryper, and a pretty darn good solo career as well. Now the guy gets a chance to be part of Boston history too. How lucky can you get? Michael Sweet is an amazing vocalist. He can scream better than just about anybody. If they come through Alabama, I'll probably try to go. It'll be interesting if they play any of Michael's/Stryper's stuff.
I had a hard time deciding what song to list here, there are so many good ones. I decided to listen to a few and see if any really grabbed me, when, once again, I actually paid attention to the lyrics of one that I had never really paid attention to before. The song Higher Power is dedicated to those who have recovered from substance abuse.
The possible Christian application of this song is so obvious, I'm not even going to talk about it.
Higher Power - Boston
Let me love you
Take me home to your religion for the night
Let me touch you
Teach me how to see your vision through my eyes
Turn the pages
Tell my story, let me face another day
Safe embraces, I feel it comin' now
My captain's on his way.
Hey, my high power
The world is spinnin', but I'm not afraid
Yeah, give me the power
It's the beginnin', the beginnin' of another day.
Yeah
Let me hold you
Take me back into the secrets of my mind
Let me know you
Come and save me Lord
Don't let me cross the line
Hey, my high power
The world is spinnin', but I'm not afraid
Yeah, give me the power
It's the beginnin', the beginnin' of another day.
"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Thy will,not mine,shall be done. Amen."*
Ooh, let me love you
Ooh, let me love you
Hey, my Higher Power
The world is spinnin', but I'm not afraid
Yea, my Higher Power
It's the beginning of another day.
Hey, my Higher Power
The world is spinnin', but I'm not afraid
Yeah, my Higher Power
It's the beginnin' of another day.
Hey, my high power
Hey, my high power
Hey, my high power
*The Serenity Prayer is not included in some edits of the song.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I miss the high.
I lived in Colorado for over 30 years of my life, when in 2005 Denise and I thought the Lord was leading us to move to Alabama. I won't get into the reasons here, as it's a really long story. Anyway, sometimes I question that decision, due to various reasons.
I think overall we are better off than we were in Colorado. We have a bigger house. Our kids have more friends. I have a better job.
But I do miss Colorado. I miss the mountains. I miss the cooler summers.
There's a song that I've loved since I was a little kid. It's Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. It's the guitar that got me hooked on it. I love guitar music and this song is just one of the best out there for acoustic guitar.
Ok, I know the problems with this song. How the 'high' for John was possibly chemically induced (I don't know, I wasn't there, but if you've been up in the Rocky Mountains, you know that you can have a euphoric feeling by being amazed at the beauty God's created). How he should not be looking inside himself for answers rather than looking to God. I get all that. But look at the rest of the song. With some very, VERY minor changes, this song could easily have been a top Christian hit rather than a top secular hit.
From a Christian perspective:
He talks about being born again. He found the key for every door (Jesus). Seeking grace in every step he takes. Talk to God and listen to the casual reply (does God reply casually? I guess it depends on which meaning of the word you use). If you've ever stood on top of a Colorado mountain and seen a mountain lake and watched an eagle fly over the valley, then you know how amazing all that is and can definately cause you to pause and reflect on our Mighty Creator. Seeing so many stars, and the shadow from the starlight is incredible. John wrote the song after camping out in the mountians during the Perseid Meteor Shower (raining fire in the sky). I would love to have seen that from up in the mountains on a clear night. I'll have to put that on my bucket list. Should have done it while I had the chance.
Some other references in the lyrics:
"He was born in the summer of his 27th year" - John was 27 the summer he wrote the song.
"Coming home to a place he'd never been before" - He and Annie had just made Aspen home.
"And he lost a friend but kept his memory" - A good friend from Minnesota had come to visit and was killed riding John's motorcycle.
"Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more" - This referred to the debate at that time about bringing the Olympics to Colorado.
Rocky Mountain High - John Denver
He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Comin' home to a place he'd never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found the key for every door
When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin' by a song
But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care
It keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long
It's the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory
Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky Mountain high
It's Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
I think overall we are better off than we were in Colorado. We have a bigger house. Our kids have more friends. I have a better job.
I like the beach. I don't miss the snow.
But I do miss Colorado. I miss the mountains. I miss the cooler summers.
There's a song that I've loved since I was a little kid. It's Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. It's the guitar that got me hooked on it. I love guitar music and this song is just one of the best out there for acoustic guitar.
Ok, I know the problems with this song. How the 'high' for John was possibly chemically induced (I don't know, I wasn't there, but if you've been up in the Rocky Mountains, you know that you can have a euphoric feeling by being amazed at the beauty God's created). How he should not be looking inside himself for answers rather than looking to God. I get all that. But look at the rest of the song. With some very, VERY minor changes, this song could easily have been a top Christian hit rather than a top secular hit.
From a Christian perspective:
He talks about being born again. He found the key for every door (Jesus). Seeking grace in every step he takes. Talk to God and listen to the casual reply (does God reply casually? I guess it depends on which meaning of the word you use). If you've ever stood on top of a Colorado mountain and seen a mountain lake and watched an eagle fly over the valley, then you know how amazing all that is and can definately cause you to pause and reflect on our Mighty Creator. Seeing so many stars, and the shadow from the starlight is incredible. John wrote the song after camping out in the mountians during the Perseid Meteor Shower (raining fire in the sky). I would love to have seen that from up in the mountains on a clear night. I'll have to put that on my bucket list. Should have done it while I had the chance.
Some other references in the lyrics:
"He was born in the summer of his 27th year" - John was 27 the summer he wrote the song.
"Coming home to a place he'd never been before" - He and Annie had just made Aspen home.
"And he lost a friend but kept his memory" - A good friend from Minnesota had come to visit and was killed riding John's motorcycle.
"Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more" - This referred to the debate at that time about bringing the Olympics to Colorado.
Rocky Mountain High - John Denver
He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Comin' home to a place he'd never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found the key for every door
When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin' by a song
But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care
It keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long
It's the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory
Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forest and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky Mountain high
It's Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado
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