A language all its own
May 3, 2010 (Monday)
On Saturday night at the First Baptist Church of Rockport, I spoke to a banquet. Music for the occasion was by the Springer family. The family’s father and nine children presented an excellent program. The mother encouraged them and directed the costume changes, etc. They are all great musicians, and I was thrilled to see those children enjoying themselves as they played and sang many different types of music, all of which presented the gospel of Christ.
Music seems to be a language in itself. It transcends time and space. For example, Beethoven wrote his music during another century, but we enjoy it today. He thought and spoke in German, but we hear it in another language entirely, a language of the soul.
I watched an old Bing Crosby movie the other day, and listened as his 1940 song streamed through time for 70 years and came out in 2010 in my living room. While in Gonzaga high school in Spokane, Washington, he sang in amateur groups and forgot the words of “For Me and My Gal,” improvising with “ba ba ba boo,” a phrase which always made one think of him. **
My dear friend, Linda Bradley, at Rockport, has an uncanny ability to create new lyrics if needed, as she sings. The listener must know the original lyrics in order to identify hers. Many times the new are better than the original.
Bailey Stone was asked to sing “The Lord’s Prayer” at a wedding, and while singing forgot a few words and substituted some phrases that fit perfectly. After the wedding, he apologized to the bride, who was surprised at the apology, and replied, “I just thought you were singing the Revised Standard Version!”
Music, with millions of songs, limitless ways to sing and play them, keeps on touching hearts and stirring emotions. Thank you, Lord, for making it possible.
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** Yes, “For Me and My Gal” is that old. Click here for proof.