This is an article I recently wrote for CMADDICT.com. The link is here: http://cmaddict.com/Hymns_Reborn.html Please feel free to share your comments here.
Isn’t interesting how although we’ve sung hymns in church for years, they’re just starting to make an impact upon present music world of today? Yes, Amazing Grace has been recorded multiple times, but we’re starting to see them show their presence more and more in music, even in the punk genre. First off let’s take a look at some of the people who wrote the hymns of long ago. Then we’ll run to see who’s re-recording these priceless pieces of poetry today.
Although many of the songwriters and artists of today have been through multiple things, and have portrayed them through their music, the hymn writers of long ago seem to have an amazing way of portraying it. That portrayal is continuing to touch lives today. Look into the lives of people like John Newton (Amazing Grace), Fannie Crosby (Blessed Assurance, To God Be the Glory, I Am Thine, Oh Lord, Rescue the Perishing), and Horatio G. Spafford (It is Well With My Soul). The lives of these people had so much suffering yet people like Horatio Spafford were still able to say, “It is well with my soul.”
To kick off modern day recordings of hymns, since we mentioned Amazing Grace, let’s look at some recent laydowns of it. While putting their own choruses to it and their own tune, both Chris Tomlin’s (Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone)and Todd Agnew’s (Grace Like Rain) versions made the song new but still keeping that moving spirit that is in the original song.
One of new-comer Kristian Stanfill’s most popular songs is none other than the touching song, “Jesus Paid it All,” which is off of his EP “Hello.”
An absolutely obscure hymn entitled “I Am Not Skilled to Understand” was brought to the light in 2006 when a brand-new artist by the name of Aaron Shust blasted up to the top with his rendition, putting his own tune and chorus on it, of the song entitling it, “My Savior, My God.”
Surprises come in all shapes and packages. That is what the saying says, and it certainly came to me when I saw that punk rock group Hawk Nelson decided to record “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” while adding a chorus written by themselves. On rock band Kutless’ latest release, “It is Well,” carries on the album none other than “It is Well with My Soul.” The influence is coming out it seems to all genres. Maybe we’ll even see it spread to rap. It does sound kind of weird, but hey it could happen!
While many of these hymns that are being recorded are older, there are modern hymn writers like Keith and Kristin Getty who co-wrote and recorded the compelling and sweeping song, “In Christ Alone.” They’ve recorded two projects full of original songs that are reminiscent of those songs that we love and remember from long ago.
Then there are also artists who have broken away from their regular base and did a hymn compilation, like Jars of Clay and Bart Millard of Mercy Me. Jars of Clay recorded an album full of songs that have never been heard and songs that we’re all familiar with while keeping their signature sound. Bart Millard put different twists on the hymns he recorded on his albums “Hymned” and “Hymned Again.”
These are just a few of the many artists who have recorded old hymns and are writing modern day hymns. The compelling words along with the soaring melodies definitely make the Spirit of God move. When God is exalted above all, His hand and voice are put into the music and lyrics written .That’s what happened with the hymn writers of long ago, and because of that that music is coming back to touch lives all across the globe.
As we continue our walk with Christ let’s remember to, “rescue the perishing and care for the dying.” And may we, like Horatio Spafford, still be able to say “it is well with my soul” when storms overtake our souls.
Take a peek at the hymns that you sing in church, and be inspired and challenged as you look into the lives of those who wrote them.
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