“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” -- 13th Article of Faith
In the late 1960s, a unique form of rock and roll emerged from Morgantown, West Virginia . Instead of a defiance and rebelliousness like much of the rock and roll of its time was expressing, this style of rock and roll gave praise and worship to God and Jesus Christ.
In 1967, the band Mind Garage received national attention for its brand of Christian-inspired rock and is credited with the creation of “Christian Rock.”
In the 41 years since, many have followed in Mind Garage's footsteps. Bands like DC Talk, Newsboys, Jars of Clay, Audio Adrenaline, Kutless and Relient K, to name a few, have made progress in helping “Christian Rock” to gain a wider audience..
By definition, “Christian Rock” ranges from an explicit statement of Christian belief or the use of religious imagery in a band's or artist's lyrics to a more subtle and wider-targeted message that may avoid the specific mention of God or Jesus. Some bands may use a more cryptic tone that expresses the influence of faith in their lives instead of directly singing praise.
For example, bands such as Blind Guardian, Collective Soul, Creed, and Evanescence are comprised of musicians who profess to be Christian. These bands are known to express Christian thought, imagery and even scripture in their lyrics, but do not identify themselves as “Christian Rock” bands.
You too?
Which is the most popular “Christian Rock” band of our day?
A little research into the question identifies bands like Kutless, Third Day, or Thousand Foot Krutch as popular “Christian Rock” bands. A question like this could turn up a variety of subjective answers from a variety of people.
Since this is my article, let me offer my opinion on the matter.
The most popular and successful “Christian Rock” band of our day is a quartet of musicians out of Dublin, Ireland, who, in 1980, began taking the music world by storm.
Paul “Bono” Hewson, David “The Edge” Evans, Larry Mullen, Jr., and Adam Clayton, a.k.a. U2, have put together a Christian-tinged brand of rock and roll for more than a quarter of a century. The beauty of U2's Christian-influenced music is that its message likely goes unrealized by the majority of its listening audience.
Delving further
So what does this mean to Latter-day Saints? To most, probably nothing, but to those of us who were raised on rock and roll, it means that there is faith-based and inspiring music in the rock and roll world.
Let's take a look at a U2 song that is very direct and to the point about its message.
Pride
“Pride (In The Name of Love)” is widely accepted as a song about slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indeed, there is direct reference to Dr. King and his message in the song's lyrics, but the song seems to be more particularly about the Savior and highlights some aspects of His earthly and heavenly missions.
Let's examine the lyrics and look at some correlating scriptural references.
(Note: The interpretations of these lyrics are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect any official statement by the band or any of its members)
Pride (In The Name Of Love) by U2
One man come in the name of love
(John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love ”)
One man come and go
(John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father”)
One man come he to justify
(Romans 5:1,9 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ … Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”)
One man to overthrow
(Matt. 21:12 “And Jesus went into the temple of God , and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers…” See also D&C 117:16 “remember the Lord [your] God, and mine house also, [and] to keep and preserve it holy, and to overthrow the moneychangers in mine own due time, saith the Lord…”)
Chorus:
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
One man caught on a barbed wire fence
(A possible metaphor; John 19:2 “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head…”)
One man he resist
( Matt. 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil”)
One man washed on an empty beach
(Another possible metaphor; Matt. 3:13 “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him”)
One man betrayed with a kiss
(Luke 22:48 “But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”)
Chorus
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
(Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968. In actuality, Dr. King's assassination took place in the early evening, a discrepancy lead singer Bono has admitted. On occasion, he has changed the lyrics in concert to “early evening, April four”)
Free at last
(John 8: 31-32, 36 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed in him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free; If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.: Also from Dr. King's “I Have A Dream” speech: " Free at last, free at last . Thank God Almighty, we are free at last .”)
