Sunday, 17 June 2007

Why does Ray Boltz make them cry?

I dug up one of my brother's old CDs and was listening to it. An "oldie" but a goodie-Ray Boltz's The Concert of a Lifetime. Jordan described his style best-the guy is the master of the Christian tearjerker songs. They reduce almost all the women in church to tears and a fair number of the men as well. I think Eddie Carswell did the same thing with "The Christmas Shoes." I remember being told when I sang that song at the Christmas choral concert my senior year of high school that I was the tearjerker soloist for that year's Christmas concert. "Every year, someone does a tearjerker, and this year, you did."

It makes me curious about songs like that that really seem to capture people, especially sacred songs. I sang and played "In Christ Alone" at church a couple Sundays ago and I've spoken with some people in the congregation about it. Almost if not everyone I've talked to seemed to really like it. I've been wondering why since then. Is it the lyrics that are captivating? Have the lyricists really come upon something that gets the congregation or singers? Or is it the tune/music? Did the composer just write music that captures the ears and minds of people that hear it? Is it sort of like Orpheus and the power/beauty of music touching everyone's emotions? Or is it both the lyrics and the music? Does it take both powerful lyrics and strong text to really reach the audience?

Comment away! And if you're one of those people that just looks at these entries in an e-mail subscription, comment! Don't hide and tell me what you think. I'm genuinely interested.

Comments(1)

Oddly enough, I was listening to one of my favorite Christian cd's today on my way home from work... and I think I discovered why certain Christian songs just seem to grip at our emotions... Doesn't the bible say "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God?"... It isn't often (with the exception of church services/bible studies) that we HEAR the word of God spoken... I think when we listen to Christian music heavily rooted in the Word of God, it builds our faith greatly. Just a thought...

-Jessie

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