popular music. Technology greatly impacted Culture impacts songwriting and songs impact I teach my students that there are three kinds of
recorded music. culture. records. The same holds true for songs. There
are “hits”, which are commercial successes.
How does all of this affect songwriting? Let’s One of the church’s current truly impactful There are “misses”, which are commercial
consider the notion of impact. England’s Sir songs, is and will continue to be the Andrew flops. And then there are “significants”. These
Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion states, Peterson/Ben Worthy?” are songs that straddle the lines between “hits”
“Every object in a state of uniform motion composition. Andrew’s reliance upon “story” and “misses”. Significant songs are game
tends to remain in that state of motion unless in song has graced our spirits for years, and changers. Sometimes they are a commercial
an external force is applied to it.” Impact can this magnificent song has had a spontaneous success, buy many times are not. But they
be defined as: “the striking of one thing against life of its own. It has been affecting Nashville change everything. These are the recordings
another”; area churches for well over a year and was just and songs that have impact.
• “the force exerted by a new idea, concept, recorded by Chris Tomlin several months ago. technology, or ideology; or This action will bring it global attention. As of Let’s all be inspired to learn, examine,
“to have a strong or bad effect or this writing it is approaching a total of nearly 10 investigate, craft, and express ourselves in
influence.” (on something or someone) million views online. Well done! song! Aim for impact.
•
Les Paul
Is He Worthy?
August 2019
Shive,
“Is
He
Alex MacDougall
Former member of Daniel Amos (DA), the Larry
Norman Band, and the Richie Furay Band. He
has toured and recorded with all of the above,
as well as Andrae Crouch, Bob Bennett, Phil
Keaggy, and hundreds of additional artists
and projects. He has served and serves as an
Adjunct Professor, teaching in Music Business at
Dallas Baptist University and Trevecca Nazarene
University’s National Praise and Worship
Institute, in Nashville, TN. Alex is available for
lecture, teaching, and conference workshops via
[email protected].
Subscribe for Free...
51