118. Rock Goes The Gospel - Shinedown - "Ill Follow You"

The verses of “I’ll Follow You” are reminiscent of classic Elton John, and the melodic guitar solo over violins is similar to the approach that Slash and Guns N’ Roses took with “November Rain,” but the song is far from derivative. If anything, it rises above the din of modern-day hard rock music for its unique sound. Of course, Shinedown can take musical leaps that many others can’t because of Brent Smith’s vocals, which are virtually unparalleled in the genre. Although the poetic lyrics give listeners room to interpret what the song is really about, the emotion of the song is intensely conveyed by Smith’s powerful delivery. Even without knowing the exact meaning, “I’ll Follow You” makes you feel uplifted and a bit melancholic at the same time. Like many great songs, “I’ll Follow You” stirs your emotions, and makes you turn up the volume every time that it comes on the radio.

Not surprisingly, Shinedown released this song off of their 2012 Amaryllis album as it  is yet another song that promises to have significant staying power.

[Verse 1:]
If I could find assurance to leave you behind
I know my better half would fade
And all my doubt is a staircase for you
Opened out of this maze

The first step is the one you believe in
The second one might be profound.

[Chorus:]
I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you down

[Verse 2:]
You can have the money and the world
The angels and the pearls
Even trademark the color blue
Just like the tower we never built
In the shadow of all the guilt
When the other hand was pointed at you

Yeah the first step is the one you believe in
And the second one might be profound.

[Chorus:]
I'll follow you down, through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down, while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you down...

...to where forever lies
Without a doubt I'm on your side
There's nowhere else that I would rather be
I'm not about to compromise,
Give you up to say goodbye
I'll guide you through the deep
I'll keep you close to me!

[Chorus:]
I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you...

If I could find assurance to leave you behind
I know my better half would fade
I'll follow you down.

A young couple in love picking dandelions in a hazy, dreamlike field in the mountains…walking hand-in-hand to the mountain’s edge, gazing out at the water below. A romantic moment captured at the base of a cascading waterfall. A solitary place to wash the world away and live in the moment for two people who seem to need nothing but each other to enjoy true happiness. A bird’s eye view of an evolving relationship that culminates in a wedding and a white picket fence. Images like these would seem to be out of place in a hard rock music video, but Shinedown makes it work perfectly within the confines of the video for their most recent single, “I’ll Follow You,” off of their hit album, Amaryllis.

"Ill Follow You" is an uncompromising song. Literally, It's a song about "No Compromise" It's a song that is about not settling for anything else, not settling for second best. The song is full of illustrations of that. Shinedown use the lyrics like an artist uses a paint brush to tell the story of no compromise devotion. In the song it is devotion and no compromise to a person but you don't have to go too far to appreciate that this sentiment could be carried over to most spheres of life.

The theme dedication and no compromise is in the reading for today. We join uncompromising Elijah on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. This is where Elijah taunts the prophets to prove whose God is greater, that that he might get his uncompromising message across to the people of God.

This is a fairly well known passage in the Bible because it relays the story of one man, Elijah, making a stand for God against an evil king and 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah recommended that they have a competition to see whose God was stronger, and the prophets of Baal set up an offering on a wooden alter, asking Baal to send fire from heaven to consume the offering. After they failed, Elijah instructed the men to dig a trench around the altar and pour water over the offering until it was so saturated that the water overflowed and filled the trench. Elijah then called out to God, who sent fire to consume the offering, the water, the alter, the rocks, and even the dust around the altar. Seeing this, the people fell on their faces and worshipped the Lord. Elijah is unflinching in his devotion - He Follows God, the prophets of Baal do not, Elijah shows no compromise in delivering God's verdict in this situation in order to have God's people change direction and turn back to God.

The problem for the prophets was that they were faltering between two opinions. this also was true of the nation as a whole. This is the definition of compromise. In Shinedown's song we find the opposite sentiment "Without a doubt I'm on your side, There's nowhere else that I would rather be, I'm not about to compromise,"  The uncompromising truth that Elijah stands for is displayed in verses 36-39.

Elijah was uncompromising in delivering the message of relationship through these circumstances to all who were present and to all who would hear. That God wants to turn hearts towards himself in relationship. Elijah would not give up on this message. He was devoted to it and would not back down, give up or compromise on it.  We too are invited to be like Elijah in the passage, we too are encouraged to stand our ground in an age where people are drawn away from God by other things. We too are heralds of a message of God's desire for relationship. We too are ambassadors of his kingdom and his rule. We too are to be uncompromising in out character and manner of life. all for the benefit of others. Elijah had bottle, The question is do we?

114. Rock Goes The Gospel - Bon Jovi "It's My Life"

It's My Life" is Bon Jovi's first single from the album Crush. It was released on May 23, 2000. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Max Martin. The song charted in the top 10 across several countries and has the distinction of making Bon Jovi the only band once classified as 1980s glam metal to reach the top 40 in the 2000s, a testament to how the song managed to introduce the band to a new, younger fanbase.

The song is arguably their most well known post-1980s hit single and it has been performed live at almost all shows since its release.The song has many classic Bon Jovi features, such as Sambora's use of the talk box, and a line in the second verse "For Tommy and Gina, who never backed down" refers to Tommy and Gina, a fictional working class couple that Bon Jovi and Sambora first wrote about in their 1986 hit "Livin' on a Prayer". "It's My Life" is also notable for its line referencing fellow New Jerseyan Frank Sinatra: "My heart is like an open highway / Like Frankie said / I did it 'My Way'." Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora apparently had a disagreement over those lines, with Bon Jovi recalling: I had just come home from making U-571 and I said "Sinatra made 16 movies and toured 'til he was 80. This is my role model". He [Sambora] said, "You can't write that damn lyric. Nobody cares about Frank Sinatra but you." And I wrote it anyway.

This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud

[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life

This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks

[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life

Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down

[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive

[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!

This song from the year 2000 is a  song about determination. It's a song about living life the way you want to. It's a song about living out you convictions no matter what. "I just want to live while I'm alive" nails it lyrically and with hints to Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way" you get the impact of the song right from the start. "It's my life" may be something that we have all said at one point. It's a sentiment that you will have heard if you have teenagers among your children. It's a statement that echoes the heart's cry for freedom from conformity and the drudgery of life. It's a sentiment that runs deep and has much to commend it. It's not always a bad thing to know what you want in life and to stand up for what you believe in. It should not always be seen as a negative, or indeed an arrogant action. Paul the great apostle faced this issue more than most. When he was halted on the road to Damascus and transformed he was viewed with suspicion by the churches and their leaders.....he could have given up. when he began to preach he encountered opposition.....he could have given up. In fact we hear of Paul's hardships in 2 Corinthians 11.

Paul the apostle showed guts and determination to carry on with life. He could have given up......Paul was determined to live life to the full on behalf of Jesus. He would not give in. Paul's motto could have been the same as the lyrics of the Bon Jovi song "I want to live while I'm alive" "It's My Life" Paul was not deterred by the opposition or the persecution. He was not stopped by the outside pressures of people, of life. But he continued in it. He found ways in which to be true to himself and at the same time not deny Jesus who transformed him in Acts 9. One of Paul's greatest statement which is recorded for us in Romans chapter 1 shows where his heart and mind were.

In Bon Jovi's song we find the line"Your gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud" This should have been written to commemorate Paul the apostle as this was Paul's heart concerning the preaching and teaching of the good news of Jesus.  He was relentless and his missionary journey's chart the adventures that he got up to in the quest for bringing the gospel and truth of Jesus across the Mediterranean.

112. Rock Goes The Gospel - Dire Straits "Walk Of Life"

Mark Knopfler wrote this song to celebrate the street buskers of London, hence the references to "Be-Bop-a-Lula" and "What'd I Say," two standards that might be part of a singer's repertoire in the mid-'80s. The music video shown in America took a different approach: it showed sports bloopers. Stephen R. Johnson, a recent graduate of USC Film School, was the director. It was Mark Knopfler's idea to put sports in it, which was intercut with live footage. Knopfler's other directive was to avoid shooting him from the side to avoid the full effect of his nose. This video did very well on MTV, but it was not the original. The first version of the clip, which was shown outside the US, was more true to the song, with footage of a busker in a subway (or as they call it in England, the tube). The sports-themed video was specifically aimed at American audiences, with footage of American teams. This was the fourth single released from Brothers In Arms. It benefited from a catchy keyboard sound (played by Alan Clark) and from the album's second single, "Money For Nothing," which established the band on MTV and on Top 40 radio in America.

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be-Bop-A-Lua, Baby What I Say
Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Yeah, the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny and he'll tell you the story
Hand me down mu walkin' shoes
Here come Johnny with the power and the glory
Backbeat the talkin' blues
He got the action, he got the motion
Yeah, the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say
Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Yeah the boy can play
Decidation devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

And after all the violence and double talk
There's just a song in the trouble and the strife
You do the walk, you do the walk of life

The song has in the lyrics "Dedication, Devotion"...........You do the walk, you do the walk of life" This song is about the determination to carry on, to move forward. More than that it is about a devotion to music, to performing, to playing. This is a devotion that drives everything else in life. Devotion that propels the person to doing nothing else. It is single eyed devotion. This kind of devotion is called out in Acts 2.

Passionate disciples are people who regularly devote themselves “to the apostles’ teaching” (the Bible), to “fellowship” with other like-minded believers, to the celebration of communion in “the breaking of bread,” and to “prayer.” But don’t overlook what else that verse says. The Holy Spirit makes a point to tell us those early Christians were “continually devoting themselves” to these activities. Did you catch that?You see, no one had to motivate the early church toward worship, discipleship, or godliness. They were “devoting themselves” to these spiritual activities and were “continually” doing so. The word devote can also be translated "obstinate" in other words they refused to give in, give up, give away, or give out. The continued, they were "Obstinately Devoted"

They were passionate about their walk with God, their communion with Christ, and their devotion to one another. The early church’s discipleship was one of thorough regularity and radical devotion to their God and one another.  Their Christianity was not just a Sunday morning gig. “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47).

Do you ever wonder sometimes if today’s church just doesn't get it? Like we’re missing something utterly important? A single eyed vision of Jesus and his world. Let me ask you a hard question. Have you been “continually devoting” yourself to the passionate worship of the Triune God, or has something else been hoarding your time and attention?  To what exactly have you been devoting yourself lately?

105. Rock Goes the Gospel - REM - Drive"

"Drive" is taken from R.E.M.'s eighth studio album "Automatic for the People" in 1992. Although it was not as successful as previous lead singles "Losing My Religion," "Stand," or "The One I Love" it became R.E.M.'s then second biggest hit on the UK Singles Charts, peaking at No 11.  Despite the success and popularity of the song, it was left out of the band's Warner Bros. Records "best of" compilation In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003. However, a live version of the song was included in the special edition two-disc set of In Time that included rarities, live versions, and B-sides. The version featured was the "funk" version, which has never been studio-recorded.

Smack, crack, bushwhacked
Tie another one to your racks, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby

What if I ride, what if you walk?
What if you rock around the clock?
Tick-tock, tick-tock
What if you did, what if you walk?
What if you tried to get off, baby?

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby
Hey kids, shake a leg
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby

Maybe you did, maybe you walked
Maybe you rocked around the clock
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Maybe I drive to get off, baby

Hey kids, shake a leg
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby
Ollie, ollie, ollie ollie ollie
Ollie ollie in come free, baby

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby

Smack, crack, shack-a-lack
Tie another one to your backs, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby

Maybe you did, maybe you walk
Maybe you rock around the clock
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Maybe I drive to get off, baby

Hey kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby, baby, baby

The dictionary definition of "drive" is to push, to rush, to press onward, to guide, to control, to direct, to carry through to a conclusion, to make an effort, to accomplish a purpose, to force into or from an act or state. REM's song "Drive" is about the futility of life, of being a teenager and wanting to fix and change everything. As a teenager, we have this sense that everything's wrong, and if the generations before us were too stupid and stuffed up to fix it, then we'll be the ones! IT'S OUR TURN! But as you get older you realise that everything works against you. Society in general, rules, regulations, and the people in charge. For example politicians, and the jostling for the  election campaign, etc. You start realising that the whole thing sucks. It stinks to high heaven, and you can smell the rot from thousands of miles away, but you can't fix it, because society is against you. What;s more the people in your own peer group who had the wise ideas in the first place, are now washouts, because they were to lazy to get off their backsides and do something. Or so it seems. You get the drive, then you lose it as quickly as you get it, because you become a disaffected, disillusioned, an apathetic idiot, This it seems is what this song is about. In the scriptures that self same "Drive" is spoken of as pressing on, endurance and is often set against a backdrop of trials and hopelessness. This is true in the reading today.

Paul peaks of his own personal drive and that it does not lie in how he has been shaped from his past but in how he is moving forward. This drive is not rooted in how he has been but in what he will become. Things may be futile or chaotic. We may have good or bad past lives that have brought us to the place we are at. this is not to be the driving force of our lives. Paul says "Forgetting what lies behind" . This last week we have been c-concentrating on the beatitudes or the "Blessed's" and all that they bring to the lives of the followers of Jesus, these beatitudes have a driving force. The beatitudes are part of a longer sequence of reflections and thoughts from Jesus. From Matthew 5 to Matthew 7 we have the "Sermon on the mount" or in a similar way to how Moses brought the law of God from a mountain; Jesus brings his manifesto for life from a mountain. He does not bring this manifesto as a new law to burden people with but as a manifesto for living. The Sermon on the mount is to be a driving force in the lives of disciples. 

The "Beatitudes" and the larger section known as "the Sermon On The Mount" is the basis for discipleship. It's the basis for life with God and with each other. Its the drive that Paul speaks of in Philippians, "I Press on towards" Both in the sermon on the mount and in Paul's sermon to the Philippian church he is encouraging advancement (A moving froward) We can move forward in life either from the pool of ignorance. ie, from the pressure and culture of the world as the basis or move forward from the fountain of truth as the basis of our lives. REM's "Drive" is set against the backdrop of futility, you only have to read the lyrics closely to understand this. In our lives as a disciple we follow Jesus against the backdrop of futility at times, we advance despite what the culture or our past throws at us.  Today be centred the truth that is found in Jesus in Matthew 5 -7, be focused like Paul the apostle to the Philippians and have the "Drive" to advance and move forward into the future to take hold of what God has for you.