Sneaking secular licks into worship tunes

[teleuser]

Originally Posted by 07 road house

amazing grace to the rhythm of house of the rising sun

We did this also in our church to the song house of the rising sun.

And a song called Sweet Home up in Heaven, to the music of, Sweet Home Alabama. I am not sure where the lyrics came from for that, but should have seen the faces of the congregation when they heard me kick the intro. They were confused and figured I had lost my mine.

[Saxguitar]

Originally Posted by 07 road house

amazing grace to the rhythm of house of the rising sun

I have wanted to try that for so long, but we haven't because we have a real stickler in our congregation who believes a hymn should be sang the way they were written . But don't get me wrong I love hymns as much as the next guy. He never has given the PT a try, he is very stuck in what he likes and doesn't and he has that right, I just wish he would come around a little.

I used to warm up doing power chords to the Pink Panther melody and one sunday the music director told me "they have you turned down so low you should play that in the middle of the praise set, just to see if anyone hears it." Haven't tried that yet, maybe this Sunday will be different.

[Faraldi]

"Sing to the King" ----> "Where the Streets Have No Name" intro during the verse with stereo delay.

Lots of fun and it fills the room (actually the gymnasium!)

[bruce123]

Ya, I used to drink & gamble for the devil.
Now, I drink & gamble for god.

[Chickin-Pickin]

Originally Posted by 07 road house

amazing grace to the rhythm of house of the rising sun

or to Peaceful, Easy Feeling. We are working on Sweet Home Alabama with new lyrics :D

[cmcoram]

If you listen to Lincoln Brewster, you'll hear secular licks. Pops Staples played blues licks over hymns. Most gospel and traditional blues standards share the same changes and turnarounds.

I'm not saying rip into "Freebird" just because it fits over the changes. But when the Lord is moving me, worship becomes more than playing the changes or the notes on the page. He guides my hands.

BTW, I'm Chris, and I'm new around here. Love guitars, but I'm currently Tele-less. Got a Strat and a Les Paul and I play for my King at Cameron Baptist Church in Lawton OK.


Sing a new song to Him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.
Psalm 33:3

[Rick Towne]

Well, I don't think that there are "secular" licks, but there are signature licks from secular songs that may be appropriate or not, depending on the song. If I want to evoke the message or feeling of the secular song, I'll quote or evoke the lick at the right time. Many Mark Knopfler style licks are excellent for this purpose because his songs are generally clean.

I'll also quote recognizable lines from other PW songs, sometimes our drummer will pick up the vocal and we'll have out own harmony going. This works because our band is a cooperative group in which the lead singer is just one of five or six musicians.

[cmcoram]

Originally Posted by RodeoTex

How come half of the Worship Service threads are about 'getting away with something'?

SG and those devil horns, wah pedal and now secular licks. I just don't understand why it is so important to drag other things into a church service.

I'm not being ugly, just please explain why playing in church brings on the urge to push the accepted limits. Beyond me...

SG and devil horns, ha! What's next? No Ibanez RGs because of the "Sharktooth" inlays? And the wah got rocked this morning during "I Have a Hope." No one seemed to mind.

Whatever you feel led to do, do that.

[Jeff_K]

Originally Posted by RodeoTex

How come half of the Worship Service threads are about 'getting away with something'?

SG and those devil horns, wah pedal and now secular licks. I just don't understand why it is so important to drag other things into a church service.

I'm not being ugly, just please explain why playing in church brings on the urge to push the accepted limits. Beyond me...

Getting away with something? How exactly is putting a melody that people might recognize into a worship song pushing acceptable limits? People who don't know the lick don't notice and people who do know the lick might just think that the music ministry has something interesting going on and might want to return. We're not talking about working in the lyrics to "Sympathy for the Devil" or anything. I know God has a sense of humor--I've seen an ostrich--and anything we can do to energize people is worth doing.

Based on the polarity of the responses, I guess what we have is an agreement to disagree. I wouldn't attend a church that demonized brass, or wah pedals. I had plenty of that growing up and I didn't feel connected to the music ministry, the church OR God. Nothing wrong with having fun while you lead people, and if you think they are so tentative in their worship that a 5 second melody will put them off the worship experience, I don't think you're giving people enough credit. Most people don't get it anyway and we end up just entertaining ourselves, which I don't think God minds too much for the 10 hours a week we play for Him.

I didn't mean to stir up a debate on the issue.

[mrSlush50]

^ What he said.

[RodeoTex]

Originally Posted by Jeff_K

Getting away with something? How exactly is putting a melody that people might recognize into a worship song pushing acceptable limits? People who don't know the lick don't notice and people who do know the lick might just think that the music ministry has something interesting going on and might want to return. We're not talking about working in the lyrics to "Sympathy for the Devil" or anything. I know God has a sense of humor--I've seen an ostrich--and anything we can do to energize people is worth doing.

Originally Posted by Jeff_K

Based on the polarity of the responses, I guess what we have is an agreement to disagree. I wouldn't attend a church that demonized brass, or wah pedals. I had plenty of that growing up and I didn't feel connected to the music ministry, the church OR God. Nothing wrong with having fun while you lead people, and if you think they are so tentative in their worship that a 5 second melody will put them off the worship experience, I don't think you're giving people enough credit. Most people don't get it anyway and we end up just entertaining ourselves, which I don't think God minds too much for the 10 hours a week we play for Him.

I didn't mean to stir up a debate on the issue.

Just as I stated, the theme of a lot of posts here are about how far the limits can be pushed in a service. It starts with the SG and wah and extends to shorts and flip flops. There is nothing judgmental in my asking. I did not state my opinions. It just is fairly glaring that someone always seems to be asking how far they can bring the secular into a service and is looking for justification here to do so.
There are plenty of glaring examples of what I'm talking about in this forum and I could ask some questions that no one would want to answer but I won't do that.

[Pickalittle]

Originally Posted by Theusla

Here is a friend of mine playing at his church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QibxPUELcZU

You can tell that guy:
1.) Is extremely talented
2.) Is giving glory to the One who gave him the talent.
3.) Is having a lot of fun worhshipping his Lord with his talents.

We need more of this in Church!!!!

Besides...what's the essential difference between this and the pipe organ solos I grew up with?

[cmcoram]

Originally Posted by RodeoTex

Just as I stated, the theme of a lot of posts here are about how far the limits can be pushed in a service. It starts with the SG and wah and extends to shorts and flip flops. There is nothing judgmental in my asking. I did not state my opinions. It just is fairly glaring that someone always seems to be asking how far they can bring the secular into a service and is looking for justification here to do so.
There are plenty of glaring examples of what I'm talking about in this forum and I could ask some questions that no one would want to answer but I won't do that.

I don't wear flip flops. Personal preference. I may wear shorts in the summer. The guitar is a tool. I'm not saying pull out the Warlock, but don't you think the first time Pops Staples whipped out a Strat in church, his congregation gasped.


All things are permissable; not everything is beneficial. If it detracts, maybe you/I/we shouldn't do it. If my Worship leader asked me not to do it, I wouldn't. But usually, he tells me exactly what he thinks will work, and it is usually more than I expected. Like the wah, he told to rock it. Its not one of my usual effects.

I grew up in an SBC church that looked down on those of us that played guitars, had long hair, wore jeans and t-shirts. Jesus said 'Follow Me," not "Go change your clothes and then you can follow me."

Guess you wouldn't like my "Jesus loves me & my tattoos" t-shirt. Or the fact that I ride my Harley to church and wear my leathers inside.

[Pickalittle]

"Guess you wouldn't like my "Jesus loves me & my tattoos" t-shirt. Or the fact that I ride my Harley to church and wear my leathers inside." cmcoram
__________________

Uh, actually, I would. What Harley ya got?...I worship God on my '09 Fatboy. That's my best prayer time! Anyway, back to the thread...

[cmcoram]

Originally Posted by Pickalittle

"Guess you wouldn't like my "Jesus loves me & my tattoos" t-shirt. Or the fact that I ride my Harley to church and wear my leathers inside." cmcoram
__________________

Uh, actually, I would. What Harley ya got?...I worship God on my '09 Fatboy. That's my best prayer time! Anyway, back to the thread...

I ride the oldest, continuous-production Harley Davidson...the Sportster!

And I know exactly what you mean, me, the road, and my King.

[corailz]

Originally Posted by mrSlush50

When you play "I Am Free," you can literally play "Where the Streets Have No Name."

You can use the main riff of this U2's song in alot of "worship" songs...i do it frequently!!!

[Al Watsky]

I'm usually takin' it the other way.
I put liturgic music into pop tunes.
Its a "thing".
Either way it keeps you "centered".
Folks who hear and recognize the tunes will be brought full circle.
Be reminded of their secular and spiritual lives at the same time.
Its a win win situation. IMO
Psychological Integration I calls' it !

[mrmorrison]

I really think you should do "Sympathy For the Devil"...just to see the looks on their faces!

[cmcoram]

Originally Posted by mrmorrison

I really think you should do "Sympathy For the Devil"...just to see the looks on their faces!

Yeah, I rip into Keef's nasty lead and sit back and watch!

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by mrmorrison

I really think you should do "Sympathy For the Devil"...just to see the looks on their faces!

I was waiting for someone to suggest that.