Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Oh Yes He Did! - Song Explanation

       I know what you're thinking... "Two song explanations in one week?! He must be trying to sell us something..." And, to be frank, you're right. I am trying to sell you something. It's a little something I like to call "true happiness mixed with total euphoria," and it comes from purchasing and listening to my new album, "Doubts Turned to Joy," which will be hitting shelves all over Jarrettsville at my concert on June 20th at 2 PM Eastern Time. Now a lot of hypothetical people have been asking me: "Justin, after the success of your last album, and your meteoric rise to mediocre fame, how do you plan to top it with this album? And just what is the point of the title 'Doubts Turned to Joy?' And why haven't you given me back that twenty dollars I lent you? It's been two months!!" And to them I say: First, be patient, I'll have your money just as soon as I get back the money I invested in that pyramid scheme a few days ago, turns out you DON'T want to be on the bottom of the pyramid. Second, I really like the way this album is turning out, I've worked fairly hard on it, harder than I worked on most of my college classes, and it should be the best complete album I've done yet. And third, the song I'll be reviewing today will give you a better understanding of the theme and title of this album, "Doubts Turned to Joy," because it talks about something that can become a big stumbling block and a source of doubt to Christians, but actually ends up being the very cornerstone of our faith and the reason we can rejoice and have great joy! But more on that in a minute, as always, here are those juicy lyrics!

Lyrics:

If Jesus didn't rise from the grave,
If in that cold dark tomb He stayed,
Then my faith is in vain,
Why am I calling upon a dead name?
If He didn't rise from the grave.

And if He didn't die for my sin,
And then three days later rise again,
Then go ahead and pass me a drink,
'Cause when I die I'm just gonna sit in the ground and stink,
If He didn't rise from the dead...

Oh but He did, and it's a graceful mystery, 
Why He gave His life for me,
And rose to give eternity,
He was the first fruits for you and me,
Oh yes He did!

If it's all just a fairy tale,
If He didn't tear apart that veil,
Then I'm still stuck in my sins,
I'd be too defiled to enter in,
If He didn't tear up that old veil...

Oh but He did, He made a way for me,
To approach the throne boldly,
Became my High Priest,
The perfect go between,
Oh yes He did!

And if He didn't live the perfect life,
If He wasn't a holy sacrifice,
Then in myself I would boast,
I would still be offering up my sheep and my goats,
If He wasn't the holy sacrifice,

Oh but He was, He was the great I Am,
Became the sacrificial lamb,
And welcomed me into His fam,
That's short for family, people...
Oh yes He did!

He was born of a virgin,
He lived a sinless life,
Proved Himself with miracles,
Became our sacrifice,
Oh how He died,
Well He spent three days in the grave,
But that's not where He stayed,
So don't pity me, 'cause I'm saved...
He rose again!

Music: So some of my songs take influence from one place or another. Some I think I made up, but are actually "Free Falling" by Tom Petty. And then there's this song, which is basically a bunch of Fleetwood Mac songs stuck together with my voice instead of Stevie Nicks... So I took the piano part from "Don't Stop," the guitar part from "Say You Love Me," and the general feel from every other popular Fleetwood Mac song, and then figured out how to play it all on the piano. Well, not exactly, but it was pretty close... I do a breakdown which makes things interesting, and there are some flairs and whatnot, but overall it's just a really simple, fun, song in the key of D. And sometimes, I just need to write a simple, fun song in the key of D that slightly rips off Fleetwood Mac but also has my signature whit and folk rock roots. So sue me. Actually, I hope they don't sue me... I'm not worth very much...

Lyrical Explanation: The main focus of this song is what the main thrust of my album is about. How can we work through all the doubts that come up in life and in the Christian walk yet still have the joy and confidence of Christ in our hearts? Interestingly enough, the Apostle Paul dealt with just that in His first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15:
      
       "For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen, and if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable...If the dead do not rise 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!'"

   Now that's a pretty big doubt. What if the Resurrection never really happened? What if the very thing we base our faith on was a lie? Well, logically, all the hope we have because of it would be gone. No eternal life. No forgiveness of sins. No cause for joy or rejoicing. Only a wasted life believing in a fairy tale. If Christ didn't rise from the dead, we and all who believe in Him are to be pitied. We shouldn't be looked to as examples. If this is all false, then we just gave our whole lives to a lie, which is not an enviable position, no matter what Pascal's Wager says.
     So that's the "Doubts" side of my album. What if none of this really happened? What if I've done too much wrong? What if I can't save people headed for hell and damnation? And those are important questions. But just as Paul doesn't leave us hanging on those questions, I certainly won't. In the very next sentence he says, under the direction of the Holy Spirit:

     "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep."

     And this is where the "Joy" portion of the album kicks in. You see, for every doubt I've ever had, for every shortcoming I've felt, for every heartache I've ever endured, Christ both shows the answer and is the answer. The Apostle Paul, who would know a thing or two about this having seen with his own eyes the risen Christ, dismissed all thoughts of there not being a resurrection by telling us that Christ indeed rose from the dead, and that we'll be next if we believe in Him, put our faith and hope in Him. And so I don't leave this song or hopefully any of the songs on the album with a sense of lingering doubt, but confidence and joy that Christ has risen, that He's coming again, that we have a living hope in Him, that we have life eternal and anew in Him, that He is the one drawing all people to Himself, that He can forgive the worst of sinners, even me...
     Did Jesus really rise from the dead? You bet your sweet bippy. Did He do all things necessary, fulfill all the prophecy, and become our Messiah, Savior, and Lord? You better believe it. And did He tell us He's coming again, and give us hope for a life and a future? Oh yes He did!

Recorded Version: No YouTube clip this week, it was too hot to handle, but here's the track straight offa' the new album. It's got that classic Jamboree feel with a new vocal recording technique that makes it sound a little old school... Here's the link!

https://soundcloud.com/justin-samuel-manry/oh-yes-he-did

Conclusion: So anyway, hope you don't mind me doing two of these in one week. It's been pretty fun and exciting for me, I hope you feel the same way. Again, come to my concert, it just won't be the same without all your smiling faces to cheer me on... Tell me what you'd like me to explain, and let me know if anything offended you so I can be more politically correct, just like Jerry Seinfeld...

Singing off for now,
Justin Samuel Manry

I definitely need some Dulcalax...

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