Flashback

I was driving my car daydreaming the other day and for some reason I popped in an old CD I hadn't listened to in "forever". I consciously didn't even think about it's content. It was a tribute album, performed by various artists, playing some classic Larry Norman songs. Larry Norman is quite an interesting character. He is often referred to as the "father of Christian rock", though he began singing about Jesus in his music before "christian rock" really existed. I had the privilege of meeting him and visiting with him more than once. The first time was in 1990 at the Zoe Festival in southern Germany. I found him friendly, interesting, and easy going. I remember giving him a t-shirt from the merch table I had at the festival (if my memory serves me correctly, it was the classic "Be Wiser" shirt). I saw him a week later at Flevo in Holland, where he performed with Q-Stone... one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Later in 1998, I bumped into Larry again at Spirit West Coast in Monterey, California. I was the MC for the Tooth 'n Nail stage, introducing the bands for that stage during the 3 day festival (bands like Switchfoot, MXPX, Five Iron Frenzy, the Supertones, Stavesacre, POD and Grammatrain were on hand...most of them pretty unknown at the time). This photo is me & Larry at that time...hey we look like brothers don't we?! Anyway, as I reminiscence, I thought of Larry's songs, his concerts, his wit and the few times I got to meet him and chat a bit. I suppose that's why I put the CD in. You see, Larry died earlier this year, February 2008, in Salem, Oregon...his battle with heart issues was finally over...yet he never gave up on challenging people to think about Jesus through his music. He was on Capital Records & MGM Records in the late 60's & early 70's...but left mainstream music because of the pressures to censor his music and his mix of spiritual and political themes...it made many uncomfortable. He was also uncomfortable with the burgeoning christian music scene...he felt it was too contrived and limiting, as it also only wanted songs they were comfortable with. So Larry spent most of his career as an independent artist, writing 100's of songs and performing all around the world. Though rejected in many ways, by church people & the music biz alike, his songs impacted artists like U2, The Pixies, Bob Dylan, Keith Green, Randy Stonehill, Collective Soul and Daniel Amos to name a few. This imperfect prophet spoke through his music to anyone who would listen...rejected by Christian & secular alike. Yet through it all his music still impacts today. As I heard one of my favorite songs of his (again) on this tribute album, it was if it was written yesterday...check it out. I found a rough concert video of Larry performing his song "The Great American Novel" on Youtube...I've written his lyric for you to ponder also...may it stir you and challenge you as you hear the ECHO of God's heart through a misunderstood, controversial, yet brilliant guy named Larry Norman.

THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL

I was born and raised an orphan

In a land that once was free

In a land that poured it's love out on the moon

And I grew up in the shadows

Of your silos filled with grain

But you never helped to fill my empty spoon

And when I was ten you murdered law

With courtroom politics

And you learnt to make a lie sound just like truth

But I know you better now

And I don't fall for all your tricks

And you've lost the one advantage of my youth

You kill a black man at midnight

Just for talking to your daughter

Then you make his wife your mistress

And you leave her without water

And the sheet you wear upon your face

Is the sheet your children sleep on

And every meal you say a prayer

You don't believe but still you keep on

And your money says 'In God We Trust'

But it's against the law to pray in school

You say we beat the russians to the moon

And I say you starved your children to do it

You are far across the ocean

But the war is not your own

And while you're winning theirs

You're gonna lose the one at home

Do you really think the only way

To bring about real peace

Is to sacrifice your children

And kill all your enemies

The politicians all make speeches

While the news men all take note

And they exaggerate false issues

As they shove them down our throats

Is it really up to them

Whether this country sinks or floats

Well I wonder who would lead us

If none of us would vote

Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped

From whispering through the fence

You know every move I make

Or is that just coincidence

Well you try to make my way of life

A little less like jail

If i promise to make tapes and slides

And send them to ya through the mail

And your money says 'In God We Trust '

But its against the law to pray in school

You say we beat the russians to the moon

And I say you starved your children to do it

You say 'all men are equal all men are brothers'

Then why are the rich more equal than others

Don't ask me for the answers i've only found one

That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son

(from the 'ONLY VISITING THIS PLANET' lp-1972)

words and music by Larry Norman

be God's!

Brian O

Lead Pastor dude, ECHO