Well, I'm sure my first interviewee would agree, he won't be as prolific as Ms. Crosby. But he has written one of my favorite songs. It is called "O For My Heart To Sing of Grace."
Anywho, I wrote out a few questions for Joe, and he has graciously taken the time to answer them. Here is the interview.
Richard Lee: Hey Joe, thanks so much for taking some time out to answer a few questions.
RL: First off, how did you first get interested in writing songs?
I used to love writing poetry in English class in middle school - I had a knack for putting conceptual words together, but it'd take a minute to string whole ideas together.
RL: Who are your musical influences?
Richard Lee. nuff said. jk
Here's a few names: Shane and Shane, Brooke Frasier, Marty Sampson, Matt Redman, DCB, Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, Lecrae, Shai Linne, Trip Lee, Flame, Sho Baraka, da T.R.U.T.H., delirious?, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townsend, Fernando Ortega, and many many more.
RL: In your opinion, what makes a good corporate praise song?
A song that has lyrics that are not centered on us, but a song that allows collective God centered worship
RL: Any new songs in the works?
I did - tossed it like the other 80% of the songs I start. I am looking to start again :) stay tuned.
RL: Who would you consider to be really good modern songwriters?
Shai Linne, Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, Da T.R.U.T.H., Flame, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townsend, Shane and Shane
RL: Why, in your opinion, is it hard to find really good praise songs these days?
1.) There is a lot of songs out there that are ambiguous in theology, and I think it's because a lot of songwriters are having the aim of "if the lyrics feel right to write, it must be of God because He makes good things". When we base songs on our feelings, we forget that our feelings deceive us (The heart is deceitful, who can know it?). Songs easily turn into "what i'm going to do" rather than "what He has done and what I should do in response"
One of my favorite examples is a song that I used to like a lot because it gave me a drive to do good work, but the drive was in the wrong direction. The song is "History Maker" by Delirious?. The Chorus goes:
"I'm gonna be a history maker in this land. I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind. I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run into Your arms, into Your arms again"
There are a few things that itch me with further knowledge of scripture. Now I have to critique this song keeping that it's hard to be critical on theses lyricists because it's not easy to put theology to words and poetry - on top of that, Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. For the sake of those reading this, it may be helpful to understand why we sing the songs we do.
The first thing - I'm gonna be a history maker: When we look at scripture, God used nobodies. We see John the Baptist who was a man from the wilderness with a modified Tarzan suit from camel hair eating locusts and honey - he desired to decrease so that He might increase. So the term history maker really can be dangerous for those who sing this song not knowing to depend on the Lord to complete His good work and let Him be the history maker while we are His slaves. We don't live to make history, but we live our lives and hope and pray His kingdom come.
The second thing - I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind - that's a noble desire, but when we sing worship, our aim should be on God, not on what we're gonna do or be. A better response should be "Who am I in Christ and what kind of response should that bring out of me?" In comparison, maybe we can say, "Your truth leads me to testify to a lost world".
The last thing - What does it mean to run into His arms in this context? This line can mean anything from running into His arms for comfort, running the race of the believer, or end time knowledge leading to comfort in present time. I'm not sure what the author's purpose was with this line, but when multiple meanings can come, it may not be a good worship song in a congregational context where we are seeking unity in mind and voice speaking truth to one another through music.
2.) Desiring Christ: A lot of songs lack a desire for Christ - a lot of songs include the benefits of knowing Christ but not Christ Himself. It's almost as if we are singing boasting about the gifts rather than the gift giver. How does that make us different than the world? Lecrae describes the world saying "It's not Christ, it's heaven they want".
We as believers desire heaven BECAUSE we desire Christ! Not because of harps, clouds, and halos. Not because the end of hard times. Let me repeat myself - We as believers desire heaven BECAUSE we desire Christ!
I believe that if believers songwrite, they should write on Christology. There is a huge void in songs on Christ Himself. Repetition of songs that declare the glories of Christ - I may get tired of repetitive music structures, but I am always thinking about the lyrics and it brings me closer to the knowledge of God. Songs TEACH no matter how redundant or plain the music to it can be.
The more we know about Christ - His work, His plan, His Holiness, His character, and so on - we can't help but sing!
RL: What song are you looking forward to singing in heaven?
Stankin Richard :( Making me pick.
If we have cars and my glorified body can rap, I'd love to be singing Jesus Muzik. HAHA.
All jokes aside, I'd love to be singing a new song that the Lord will drive us to sing together (as if we wrote another verse to More Love O Christ To Thee)
As for a song we know now, I'd like to sing And Can It Be (with the little edit on the lyric "emptied Himself of all but love" I like "Humbled Himelf - How great His love!")
RL: How do you go about writing a song?
Songs sometimes just come out after knowing more about the truths of God. I write songs best when I'm with my guitar and just thinking and providentially there is a notepad or computer right next to me.
A question I get is "How do you get the words to the idea without sounding cliche?"
Answer: My first draft sounds super cliche. Just keep cooking the song until it's done. When you find that the changes that you put it don't work, toss the song and start over. Even Picasso started with basic shapes before creating masterpieces.
There's no cookie cutter way of writing a song, but this is how I do it. I usually start with the lyrics, and music that follows the lyrics soon come out while I'm writing. Sometimes, I hear the melody of the song while I'm writing the lyrics.
So I start on a song's theme - then different words come out almost like an essay. Then the chorus (or main thesis) of the song usually comes first. The verses are then written to supplement the direction of the chorus. If the song begs a bridge, gotta do it.
RL: What aspects of God's character are not sung about enough?
We need to sing less about what we do or what we want - We need to sing more about Christ, theology, and other areas that believers need to be instructed in. Songs teach!
RL: How has praise music grown your love for God?
The kindness of the Lord leads me to repentance - I've learned so much of His character and how kind He is to a lowly dude like myself. When you know the Lord more, the more you love Him and know How His love for us is soooo immense. Praise music has allowed me to express that in ways it might be weird in normal conversation without busting out in song.
Thanks for taking the time to really think these questions out and give us some thoughts. Appreciate you bro!
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