I heard today of the passing of one of my heroes, Larry Norman. Larry who? Way back in 1973 I was a very young Christian just getting into playing and writing music and not liking much, if any, of what was coming out of the Christian music scene in Northern Ireland. Every song seemed to be John 3 v16 set to country and western music with "me - tree - Calvaree" rhymes. There was nothing that could touch musically what I was hearing on the radio and buying. Then in quick succession I heard the albums "Only Visiting This Planet" and "Bootleg" by an American with long blonde hair. The music was rock of a quality I could play to my friends without embarrassment and the songs well written with intelligent lyrics about all sorts of issues from a clear Christian standpoint. It was a seminal moment, and I am only one of many with similar stories.
Many great songs. 'Six O'Clock News' about media reporting of Vietnam, 'The Great American Novel' a scathing indictment of US hypocrisy (including the line "you are far across the ocean in a war that's not your own" - written in 1972, eerily relevant in 2008), 'The Outlaw' one of the best songs ever written about perceptions of Jesus, 'Pardon Me' about a love affair gone wrong, 'Reader's Digest' a very funny survey of contemporary pop-culture, the list goes on... It may be hard to appreciate now, but back then a lot of these were subjects Christians just did not write about. Music was no more than a means to an evangelistic end, and usually third-rate as a result. Larry Norman was a pioneer who helped change all that. There was more to come in the superb "So Long Ago the Garden", probably my favourite Larry Norman album, though much mis-understood at the time - no 'me-tree-Calvaree' lyrics - and banned in most Christian outlets (he had a 'difficult' relationship with mainstream Christian music).
There was some controversial theology - 'I Wish We'd All Been Ready' showcased his end-times views - and some views I disagreed with. And in later years as he struggled with mounting health problems including the heart condition that would eventually kill him, his output was sporadic and only occasionally matched the genius of the early albums. But, bottom line, a greatly talented musician and a dedicated follower of Jesus who blazed a trail for many.
Many great songs. 'Six O'Clock News' about media reporting of Vietnam, 'The Great American Novel' a scathing indictment of US hypocrisy (including the line "you are far across the ocean in a war that's not your own" - written in 1972, eerily relevant in 2008), 'The Outlaw' one of the best songs ever written about perceptions of Jesus, 'Pardon Me' about a love affair gone wrong, 'Reader's Digest' a very funny survey of contemporary pop-culture, the list goes on... It may be hard to appreciate now, but back then a lot of these were subjects Christians just did not write about. Music was no more than a means to an evangelistic end, and usually third-rate as a result. Larry Norman was a pioneer who helped change all that. There was more to come in the superb "So Long Ago the Garden", probably my favourite Larry Norman album, though much mis-understood at the time - no 'me-tree-Calvaree' lyrics - and banned in most Christian outlets (he had a 'difficult' relationship with mainstream Christian music).
There was some controversial theology - 'I Wish We'd All Been Ready' showcased his end-times views - and some views I disagreed with. And in later years as he struggled with mounting health problems including the heart condition that would eventually kill him, his output was sporadic and only occasionally matched the genius of the early albums. But, bottom line, a greatly talented musician and a dedicated follower of Jesus who blazed a trail for many.
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