Wednesday, 16 November 2005
Beth: That damned 'Christian' label
Sometimes I feel as though Scott Stapp gets a bad rap. You'll know Stapp, of course, as being the lead singer of Creed, the now-defunct band whose lyrics always seemed to have a spiritual undertone and whose members always flatly denied that they were a Christian Band (yes, it deserves the capitalization for distinction). People have mocked Stapp for his terrible music videos (granted, they ARE terrible), his pretentiousness, inflated ego...there was even that time when fans who attended a concert sued him for putting on a horrible show. I'll be honest and say that I don't even know all the reasons why people have mocked Scott Stapp...although I don't hear good things said about him often.
I liked Creed, however, and I didn't really have an opinion about Scott Stapp one way or the other. The band wrote some good songs, and Stapp wrote some very interesting lyrics. Then this month Stapp released a solo album. I first heard the new single in the car because the lyrics caught my ear and a) immediately knew it was Scott Stapp, and b) immediately wondered if he was now marketing himself as a Christian artist.
Unfortunately, my research proved inconclusive. In this article, an interview done by religious publication Christianity Today after Stapp contributed a song to the Passion of the Christ soundtrack, Stapp says:
The nature of my answers are a lot different now that I'm no longer with Creed. I'm a solo artist now, and I don't have a band to hide behind. So when someone asks me if I'm a Christian, I have to say yes, because I am. But do you know I was never asked in 10 years if I was a Christian personally? We were only asked if Creed was a Christian band.
I'm an artist who's a Christian, because I don't write music to be evangelical. Now, if that happens, it happens. My dad's a dentist, and he's a Christian. Now, does he put in Christian fillings? No, that's just part of his three-dimensional life. Now, there are people that are Christian artists, because they have a purpose to be evangelical for Christ. I don't feel I've been called to that yet. Now, that could change. There's no telling what kind of call God will put on my life.
However, when interviewed by MTV, Stapp gets much more flippant:
I'm not doing this to try to preach this to people or to try to make people believe in what I believe in. I'm not handing out Bibles at my shows, and just like with Creed, not all of my [solo] songs are going to be about my spiritual life... [If negative criticism comes up again] I'll just address it and be honest about it. If the Christian thing comes up again, maybe I'll put on a Superman suit with "God" in the front and be God-Man. Maybe I'll make a satire out of it. What can you do except deal with it?
So, there's that. If Stapp really is a Christian, it's a shame that it doesn't seem like he can talk about it as openly to MTV as he does to Christianity Today. But the reason that you won't see me giving Stapp a hard time is because he's getting a spiritual message out on the airwaves, amidst other songs like "Closer" and "She Fuckin' Hates Me." I believe that his message is reaching people, whether it's intended to or not, and that is a significant accomplishment - much more so than your average Christian Artist whose music is only played on Christian Radio and popular only with Christian Listeners who are Christian Believers. I think that it's much more of a feat - and thus requires more work and dedication - to obtain success with a Christian theme on secular radio, rather to just churn out songs as a Christian artist and have them instantly embraced by people who will buy anything if it's on a Christian label.
To wit, I end with a comparison of song lyrics - one released on a Christian label by a Christian artist, and given to me willingly at age 14 by my parents who decreed that I could ONLY listen to Christian music...and one released on a secular label, played on the secular airwaves, and would have been forbidden for me to listen to when I lived at home as a teenager. Take a guess.
| Face to face we embrace
We drink of love’s sweetest wine Whispered names fan the flames Each touch is frozen in time I can feel your heart And the rhythm of it echoes through my soul Well surely you know Whatever it takes baby I’m gonna be there Whatever it takes baby you’ve got to know Whatever it takes to be true to you Baby I’ll do it somehow Promises made to last These are the hardest to find Touch me now, let me know Your love will always be mine As the years go by And the fire of my love surely grows Baby you know Whatever it takes baby I’m gonna be there Whatever it takes baby you’ve got to know Whatever it takes to be true to you I’ll love you to the end Whatever it takes baby I’m gonna be there Whatever it takes baby you’ve got to know Whatever it takes to be true to you Baby--somehow... I wanna be true to you I wanna be hugging you, kissing you Love you all of my life Whatever it takes baby Whatever it takes baby I’m gonna give all of my love, all of my life Whatever it takes baby Whatever it takes baby I’m gonna give you all of my love til the end of time (whatever it takes baby) Whatever it takes baby (whatever it takes baby) (all of, all of, all of my life) I wanna be hugging you, kissing you, yeah (whatever it takes baby) (whatever it takes baby) Whatever it takes baby (all of, all of, all of my life) All of my life (whatever it takes baby) (whatever it takes baby) | I have run to the ocean
Through the Horizon Chased the sun I’ve waited for the light to come, And at times I would give up You have Wrapped your loving arms ‘round me, And with your love I’ll overcome. You have Loved me when I was weak, You have Given unselfishly, Kept me from Falling…Falling Everywhere but my Knees! You set me free! To live my life You became my reason to survive the great divide You set me Free! I’ve been on Heaven’s doorstep, With the Door open, One foot inside I’ve cried out…God give me answers! Please hush child I’ll tell you why You have Loved me when you were weak, You kept Giving unselfishly, Kept you from Falling…Falling Everywhere but your Knees! You set me free! To live my life You became my reason to survive the great divide You set me free! Oh…our love is beautiful Oh…oo…oh…Isn’t it beautiful? Times have changed But you remain My everything Our Love is Beautiful Stood by my side Helped me survive My great Divide Isn’t this is beautiful. You set me free! To live my life You became my reason to survive the great divide You set me free! |
And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be rockin' out to Scott Stapp's latest single.
What other people had to say
Rachel wrote:
"I think that it's much more of a feat - and thus requires more work and dedication - to obtain success with a Christian theme on secular radio, rather to just churn out songs as a Christian artist and have them instantly embraced by people who will buy anything if it's on a Christian label. " How very true!
Jules wrote:
It's Amy Grant! It's Amy Grant there on the left and I know because my mother bought me every last casette tape she ever made just because she was a Christian artist and my mom didn't want me listening to the radio! I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one! I don't recognize the other one but it sounds like it could be Sarah McLaughlin or someone like that... do tell.
Beth wrote:
One point for Julie.
I'm not revealing the second one just yet...it's pretty easy to figure out if you think about it though.
The other Julie wrote:
Hmm... Either Scott Stapp or Creed is my guess.
Points for Julies all around.
Rachel wrote:
I know, I know! Scott Stapp! Scott Stapp!
Beth wrote:
We have winners! Scott Stapp it is.
And for the record, I would like it to be made clear that this post is NOT meant to bash Christian artists who release music on Christian labels. My point is twofold: first, that I admire Christian artists who make it into the "mainstream," because it seems like the effort required to get out that message is much greater, and second, that Christian artists who remain within the Christian music grouping should not just rest on their laurels and forget about the purpose of their music simply because they are already embraced by the Christian community. Of course, not all Christian artists do that, either. But Amy Grant? Yeah, she did.
Beth wrote:
In other news, I am amused as to the gender polarity on comments between Christian's posts and my own.
Erin wrote:
My favorite Christian band crossed over a few years ago and I was glad. I've loved Switchfoot since Chem 6A hit my CD player in summer 1997. Everyone should listen to Switchfoot.
Julie wrote:
Wasn't there a bit of controversy surrounding Amy Grant because she was one of the first Christian artists to 'cross over'?
Perhaps I'm remembering incorrectly, but it seems that there was.
I'm glad you clarified, as one thing that I am bothered by is blanket criticism of music by Christian artists without any attempt to really listen to what is out there in the realm of Christian music. It is, of course, much more than what is played on the local Christian radio stations.
Sometimes it does seem that the Christian music circuit is the B list of music- like you said, if you can't make it in the mainstream, you might still hit it big in Christian music.
I don't like placing music into categories like this at all because it makes it seem that the primary goal of music by Christians is to proselytize rather than to be artistically pleasing and of high quality. I would rather listen to the latter, regardless of faith influence. Is subpar, simplistic music (fiction, etc) really a reflection of our Creator?
Beth wrote:
Well, I'm gad the clarification helped. Sometimes I think you may forget that I do not necessarily share the same views of Christian music as my husband's. :-) I, too, am not fond of the "us vs. them" mentality.
Julie wrote:
I don't think I've ever talked about Christian music with Christian, actually.
stappman wrote:
i think scott stapp is the second coming of christ
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