Recently, I was in a clothing store doing a little shopping. I was in there long enough to hear a few songs playing over the PA system. One song I heard was an oldie (an 80s song; can you believe that it’s an oldie?!) by Lisa Stansfield called “All Around the World”. Many of you remember that song: “Been around the world and I-yi-I….” Now I don’t listen to much secular music these days, but I remember plenty from my childhood. This was a big hit back then.
I was in the store long enough to hear the whole song and basically it got into my head. As the words played over and over in my head, I noticed something made no sense.
The chorus goes:
Been around and I-yi-I, I can’t find my baby.
I don’t know and I don’t why, why he’s gone away.
And I don’t know where he can be,
My baby, but I’m gonna find him.
She goes further in the song to say:
I did too much lying,
Wasted too much time,
Now I’m here and crying…..
My question is do you think the lying and time wasting led to him leaving? Additionally, she says she doesn’t think he’s coming back. But she plans to find him. Why? If he’s not coming back, why waste MORE time. Just a thought. For me, it brought to mind the fact that some songs don’t always make sense and perhaps we should watch what we listen to.
I’m sure many of you who will read this post will recall the song to which I’m referring and even begin to sing it. It sticks in your head! (I thought about putting a hyperlink to the youtube video, but I figured, I won’t do that to you.) As I’m typing this now, the song is playing in my head. I’m about to run my media player with some uplifting music to erase the song.
A few years ago, I asked myself ‘what am I playing in my head’. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with songs that talk about life, love and real issues. But honestly some stuff out there is just garbage. That garbage we listen to often plants itself in our heads and our subconscious. I know songs have planted themselves into my subconscious when the song plays in my sleep. (Whew!) Seriously, sometimes that’s not always a good thing.
I remember a few years ago (before I knew Christ), there was a very vulgar (sexually degrading to women) hip hop song out that I listened to quite a bit. The reason I liked it so much was the beat. It was ridiculous how hot the beat was. It just prompted me to dance. Man did it get into my head! I would just start singing the song at random times. (Mind you, they were not always appropriate). Anyway, I loved it!
Shortly after I got into that song, I gave my life to the Lord. But I kept jamming that song. Prior to all this, I was always conscious about, at least, knowing what I was listening to. For example, have you listened to Bob Marley and wondered what he was talking about? I read a biography on him to get some clue. I learned a lot about Rastafarianism. Still didn’t get all he was talking about. Anyway…
At one point, I sat and considered what was being said in the song (the vulgar one). It was nothing nice. At that time, I had concluded I really wanted to take better control of what I fed into my spirit by music.
I, recently, mentioned the Lisa Stansfield song and my observations to one of my sisters. She said that it’s true that some songs don’t make sense. She said sometimes people just want to dance and not consider what’s being said. I agree. That’s true. But perhaps we should consider it.
The vulgar song I was referring to was called “Put it in Your Mouth”. They were not talking about ice cream. Looking back, I can’t believe I listened to mess like that.
The Bible says to meditate on whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, has any virtue or is praiseworthy. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. My thoughts are not always on the positive. Many of you who know me can attest to that. But doesn’t it make sense to do what I can to let my mind go to better things. I’d rather be dreaming about something lovely and pure than something gross and degrading. Frankly, I have too much going on than to confuse myself with what makes no sense. (Lisa, he left because you lied and wasted time. Hello!!!)
Ok, I’m off my soapbox. Talk to me everyone. Tell me what you think. I think I’ll go write some Christmas cards. LOL!!! Thanks for the comments!
6 comments:
Why do I get the feeling that I know this hip hop song you talk about?
Hmmmm ... You have got me thinking! You are so right about songs even the ones that are quote on quote "harmless". I wake up with those songs in my head, I mean literally wake up humming some random song. I was just saying I needed to be more careful about what I even watch, because like a parasite, it lodges itself deep into our spirits. very hard to shake, and I wonder why is it the vulgar and grotesque things that we always seem to remember? Well, thanks I will watch what I listen to; Jingle Bells then.
If "sometimes, people just want to dance and not consider what's being said", then as long as you are not meditating on the words of the song, then you have not violated God's principles. So, yes, the Bible says to meditate on those things that are "pure, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, has any virtue or is praiseworthy” but if you are not meditating on the “mess” that currently saturates the airwaves but simply “dance and not consider what's being said,” then you are good.
I never truly considered Music and the Christian. Having read this piece, I realize that God has not told me not to “hear” or “listen” to secular music but that I should not “meditate” on them.
Thanks to you, now, Lisa and her man problems are stuck in my head. I realize she is “here and crying” because she just traveled the world to find a dude who sure isn’t coming back. To top it off, I want to know what ever happened to good old Lisa; “where is she now?"
Thank you so much! :-)
~FS
Often what you hear, becomes what you meditate on. It can be a passive thing if one is not careful. Music has the power to infiltrate our thoughts.
It's not a violation of God's principles to listen secular vs. Christian music. It is a violation to violate the temple of God which is our bodies and our minds. It's important for us, as believers, to actively filter what we see, hear AND say.
@ Anony 1:39pm
I hear you, however i disagree with you, because these things have a way of seeping into the soul of a man.
Try listening to a few songs and just get the beat, somehow someway, you'll remember the chorus and snippets of the song, even though you were not actively listening.
So, does the fact that "you'll remember the chorus and snippets of the song, even though you were not actively listening" suggest that you have been meditating on a song?
In addition to God's mandates, our personal strengths and weaknesses should influence our decisions. As such, if there is a risk that these not so "sweet" songs can be ingrained in your consciousness, then you are better off not listening to popular music.
~FS
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