How Great Thou Art by Anthem Lights

How Great Thou Art by Anthem Lights

I was preparing for song leading for worship tomorrow and I was looking for video links to send to my musicians when I found this version of How Great Thou Art by Anthem Lights. 

I really like their arrangement, voices and harmony. 

The first verse sets the stage in proclaiming our great God who greated the universe, O how great Thou art. 

Then the second verse draws us into the work of Christ on the cross, I scarce can take it in, how great Thou art. 

They then lightly tread from verse three on Jesus leading us home, building up to a majestic then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee, how great Thou art!

O how great are You Lord, whom I proclaim and worship and love. To You all honor, and glory, and majesty. Amen.

pearlie

Where's the hook?

In the recent music workshop I attended a couple of weeks ago, one of the electives I attended was song writing.

I picked this because I wanted to attend something new, something I have not ventured in before. 

Though I did co-write two songs, both wedding songs, which were presented during the weddings but they are now lost and forgotten. 

Anyway, I found the session very interesting and there is this one thing I learnt that I keep trying to look out for in the songs that I now listen to.

It's the hook.

Any good song has one. A hook is the x-factor of a song: a melodic, rhythmic or harmonic phrase that adds a particular interest to the song. It's the part that makes the song stand out. 

Apple Music had this new song in my playlist recently and as I listened to it...there! that's the hook! 

Do you hear it?

pearlie

Grace Notes in Kota Kemuning

We sang in Living Stone Methodist Church Kota Kemuning today. We did ok but not good enough to be posted here. LOL

pearlie

Jesus taking the highest honor, the highest place

I was worship leading in church today when I used this song, Jesus Shall Take the Highest Honor. 

We sing it oh-so-easily, but do we take Jesus and put Him as the highest in our priority, in our lives?

More often not, it's ourselves we find there, in the highest place. 

pearlie

Best song covers I've ever heard

I was checking out YouTube and noticed this video in the recommended videos to watch. I am picky about what I watch but the song title got me - Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time.

I grew up with this song and so I watched it, a cover of the song nonetheless, and I was enthralled. 

JTBC Superband is a new reality show in South Korea where they have contestants team up in bands to perform. 

I have not seen much, and they have not subtitled the episodes and it will take me a really long time to figure out the conversations. So I haven't watched it yet. 

But here are the YouTube versions: take a listen and tell me their talents are not insanely good. 

Most of them are Korean Americans, but I still have problems with their pronunciations, here and there. 

But their voices, and music prowess, they are so good. 

JTBC Superband, Time After Time

This starts off a bit on the slow side but keep listening, it gets better and it closes with a grand finish.

JTBC Superband, Creep

This to me is the best cover of the song. And I'm in love with the ending. Notice the dialogue between the voice and the string. Awesome.

JTBC Superband, Ilysb

And this is one song I can't stop listening to. I listened to the original but I find this cover much, much better in quality and especially interpretation. 

They are also in Apple Music and Spotify. Check them out there.

pearlie

Hillsong worship songs in Korean

I was trying to connect with some young people in my church to get their thoughts about worship. 

And I've seen some of them with K-pop memorabilias and I thought I'd go check out some Korean worship songs to get them more exposed to Christian worship songs. 

It was then when I found out that Hillsongs do have this thing they called Global Project Korea, with their songs translated and sung in Korean. 

I listened to a few and found this one interesting.

I can only understand bits here and there and so in checking out the original English version, I found the lyrics quite creative and unconventional.

However, I find that it's more of a soloist song rather than a worship song because to me, it will be difficult for a regular congregation to sing it, only to find out later that it won worship song of the year and song of the year. 

Looks like my church congregation has a lot of catching up to do, in order to upskill our singing and music abilities. 

Back to the Korean version, I noticed that in my Apple Music app, the song was posted up as : 나 또한 (featuring Joseph Butso).

Okay, not a Korean singer but he sang it in perfect Korean, as far as I can tell, that is. 

So who is he?

It turned out that Joseph Butso is a young African exchange student in Korea who became viral when he went busking in the streets singing and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

He took part in a singing contest and wowed the judges too. 

I found this documentary. Too bad it's not subtitled, but for the parts he spoke in English, it's still a good watch. 

And it is a right and good thing that Hillsong got him to sing in their Korean album. 

Kudos to Joseph Butso both in bringing the good news to the Koreans and singing his heart out for the LORD. 

pearlie

p/s I am always mindful about lyrics in worship songs, and I'm not very happy with the part, "Where You lost Your life so I could find it here". Jesus didn't "lose" his life but laid it down and gave his life rather than losing it.

The composer got into problems too with the words, "And as You speak, A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath, Evolving in pursuit of what You said," (emphasis mine).

My Tapestry of Songs

It's my birthday today and as I commute to work, I thought I'd shuffle play my 1000+ songs in my Apple Music and get surprise birthday gift songs one by one in a row. 

It's the happiest commute ever!

The first song itself gave me an idea to weave my own birthday gift by taking a sentence out of each song to make a tapestry of lyrics.

So I connected all 20 songs into one song all for myself. Yea, I was commuting quite a lot today. LOL. 

It was tough to connect 20 songs of different context, in its proper sequence as it plays, and I know it's far from perfect. It may even sound wrong but that's life isn't it?

We try to put things together but not everything seems to fit, and we never could attain that perfection we always wanted. 

But in the end, it is the LORD who holds our life together and it's only in him we find our true purpose, our final home. 

A TAPESTRY - OUR FINAL HOME

And he said age is just a number,

But it feels like I've opened my eyes again,

The Lord gave the word,

소리조차 내지 않을게요.

(sorijocha naeji aneulgeyo/

I won't even make a sound.) 

無論多麼壞 好心態,

(mou4 leon6 do1 mo1 waai6 hou2 sam1 taai3/

No matter how bad it can be, I am positive) 

가끔은 이 모든 게 두렵네,

(gakkeumeun i modeun ge duryeomne/

Sometimes, everything is so scary) 

같은 실수 다시 안해,

(gateun silsu dasi anhae/

I won't make the same mistake again) 

But thanks be to God.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis,

(He was crucified also for us) 

Your grace abounds in deepest waters,

내가 살아가는 이유 너 하나야,

(naega saraganeun iyu neo hanaya/

The reason I live is only you)

오늘밤이 지나면 새로운 날이 시작돼.

(oneulbami jinamyeon saeroun nari sijakdwae/

When tonight passes, a new day will start)

내겐 끝도 없이 멈춰있는 시간 같아,

(naegen kkeutdo eopsi meomchwoinneun sigan gata/But it feels like it’s been eons)

고요한 침묵만 가득한 마음은,

(goyohan chimmungman gadeukan maeumeun/

My heart is filled with nothing but a still silence) 

오늘 그리고 지금 나의 삶은 도대체 무엇을 위하지,

(oneul geurigo jigeum naui saleun dodaeche mueoseul wihaji/Today and this moment, what is the purpose of my life?) 

I'm giving my all and I know peace will come.

I'm gonna give you my heart,

No holding back, no holding out,

And it was there that you found me,

You know I want that, home.

Sources:

Troye Sivan, Seventeen 

Rachel Platten, Better Place 

Handel George Frideric, The Messiah 

Chen, Love Words 

Yoga Lin, Worst Come to Worst 

BTS, Anpanman 

Sik-K, Sorry (1000) 

Handel George Frideric, The Messiah 

Antonio Lotti, Crucifixus 

Hillsong, Where Oceans Rise 

4Men, 너 하나야 (Only You) 

Taeyang, Stay With Me 

10cm, That 5 Minutes 

Chen, Flower 

Bewhy, OK 

Sia, Helium 

Coldplay, A Sky Full of Stars 

Rend Collective, All That I Am 

Gungor, Late Have I Loved You 

BTS, Home

pearlie

Create in Me a Clean Heart

I was leading worship today, and with today's theme according to Psalm 51, I chose this song by Sovereign Grace and like most of their songs, it's timing is quite interesting. Take a listen. It's quite a good one.

pearlie

Chen of EXO, Flower

Two of my friends who are very into Korean movies and dramas are not, unlike me, into Korean music at all. 

I suppose it's because I love music a lot and even if I could not fully understand what they are singing, I still can appreciate their excellent vocals and music production, which I must say, is very good. 

I find that whilst most singers are just ok, this one is truly exceptional. Just take a listen to him here. Chen has a good clear voice with superb control.

Except that he sounds almost the same in this whole album that I cannot listen to more than three songs at any one time. 

pearlie

From the heart of a loafer

I was randomly playing songs in my Apple Music when out of the thousand over songs I have, this was played and I had a nostalgic moment

This is a song by Sam Hui and to me it really showcases the beauty of the Cantonese language. Notice the wealth of meaning with the economy of words.

I like the song except for the part where he says life destines you, which of course I don't agree. I make my decisions in life and in Christ I decide and have life.

And the part on clear conscience and living a just life deserving greatest joy would make a good discussion because it doesn't happen. Who is to say your conscience is clear and your life is just to begin with.

For those who don't know the language, I found the translation here which I've added to the lyrics below.

浪子心聲

Long ji sam seng

From the Heart of a Loafer

難分真與假

Nan fan zhan yu ga

It's hard to tell the true from the false

人面多險詐

Yan min do him za

People's appearances are deceitful

幾許有共享榮華

Gei hui yau gung heong wing wa

Who will share in your glory

簷畔水滴不分差 

Sim bun sui dik bat fan ca 

Water droplets from the eaves is in one stream (meaning not willing to share success and wealth with others and only enjoy it alone)

無知井裡蛙

Mou zi zheng lui wa 

I was as ignorant as a frog in a well

徙望添聲價

Tou mong tim sing ga

Hoping to find fame and fortune

空得意目光如麻

Hoong dak yi muk gwong yu ma

Overeager and short-sighted

誰料金屋變敗瓦 

Sui liu gham nguk bin bai nga

Who knew my golden palace would become a wreck of failure

命裡有時終須有

Ming lui yau si zhong sui yau

If life destines something for you, you will have it in the end

命裡無時莫強求 

Ming lui mou si mok kheong khau

If life destines you never to have it, there is no point forcing it

雷聲風雨打

Lui sing fung yu da

When lightning strikes, and thunder roars, and wind howls, and rain patters

何用多驚怕

Ho yung do ging pa

There is no need to be afraid

心公正白璧無瑕

Sam gung jing bak bik mou ha

So long as your conscience is clear and your heart is just

行善積德最樂也 

Hang sin jik dak zui lok ya

The person who does good deserves the greatest joy

命裡有時終須有

Ming lui yau si zhong sui yau

If life destines something for you, you will receive it in the end

命裡無時莫強求 

Ming lui mou si mok kheong khau

If life destines you never to have it, there is no point forcing it

人比海裡沙

Yan bei hoi lui sa

People are as the sand of the sea

毋用多牽掛

Mou yung do hin gwa

There is no point worrying too much

君可見漫天落霞

Gwan ho gin man tin lok ha

You see the sunset in the sky

名利息間似霧化

Ming lei sik gan ci mou fa 

Fame and fortune disappear like that mist

君可見漫天落霞

Gwan ho gin man tin lok ha

You see the sunset in the sky

名利息間似霧化

Ming lei sik gan ci mou fa 

Fame and fortune disappear like that mist

pearlie

A Sandwich from God. Bread/Epilogue: I surrender

This is the final portion of the sandwich God gave me when I asked him for a word. 

In my last account, this final song that God gave me was so unexpected that I had to pay close attention to the third song. 

The final song is last portion of the chiastic playlist God gave me. It began with Mighty to Save and it closes with Mighty to Save. 

This playlist of mine has 60 songs and I do not have duplicates except for Mighty to Save, one by Hillsong and one by a female vocalist. 

What are the odds that the only song duplicated, is both played? I don’t know how to calculate the probability to it, but I believe it is very slim. 

Mighty to Save - Laura Story

Everyone needs compassion 

A love that's never failing 

But let mercy fall on me 

Well, everyone needs forgiveness 

The kindness of a Savior 

The hope of nations 

My Savior He can move the mountains 

My God is Mighty to save 

He is Mighty to save 

Forever Author of salvation 

He rose and conquered the grave 

Jesus conquered the grave 

So take me as You find me 

All my fears and failures 

And fill my life again 

I give my life to follow 

Everything I believe in 

And now I surrender (I surrender) 

Shine your light and let the whole world see 

We're singing for the glory of the risen King 

Jesus, Shine your light and let the whole world see 

We're singing for the glory of the risen King 

Songwriters: Ben Fielding / Reuben Morgan Mighty to Save lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

All to you I surrender Lord. I surrender. 

pearlie

A Sandwich from God. Filling/Part 2: I firmly stand in the power of Christ

When I received the second song to the sandwich, I thought that was it. But l let my phone continue to play and this was the next song. 

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found 

He is my light, my strength, my song 

This cornerstone, this solid ground, 

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. 

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! 

My comforter, my all in all 

Here in the love of Christ I stand. 

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, 

Fullness of God in helpless babe! 

This gift of love and righteousness, 

Scorned by the ones He came to save. 

'Til on that cross as Jesus died, 

The wrath of God was satisfied 

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid 

Here in the death of Christ I live. 

There in the ground His body lay, 

Light of the world by darkness slain 

Then bursting forth in glorious day, 

Up from the grave He rose again! 

And as He stands in victory, 

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me 

For I am His and He is mine 

Bought with the precious blood of Christ. 

No guilt in life, no fear in death 

This is the pow'r of Christ in me 

From life's first cry to final breath, 

Jesus commands my destiny. 

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man, 

Can ever pluck me from His hand 

'Til He returns or calls me home 

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand. 

Songwriters: Andrew Shawn Craig / Donald A. Koch In Christ Alone lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol Christian Music Group 

I wasn’t really listening to it and when the song finished, I let it continue playing. But what was next played surprised me so much that I have to now pay attention now. I need to look into the words of In Christ Alone. 

I know you are curious about the next song but I will only talk about it tomorrow. I am still on the central message of what God wants to tell me. 

In my life, I do rely and depend on a lot of things for meaning and purpose of life but they are nothing in the presence of God. 

It is only in Christ that my hope is found. And no power of hell nor schemes of man can ever pluck me from his hand. 

It is in the power of Christ that I stand, every minute, every hour, every moment of my life. 

Amen. 

pearlie

A Sandwich from God. Filling/Part 1: You hem me in behind and before

I was talking about how God gave me a sandwich yesterday when I asked for a word from him. 

As the first song—the bread—was about to come to an end, I tapped on repeat. But I felt an urging to let it play on. And so I did. 

And this song was played. 

Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)

You hear me when I call 

You are my morning song 

Though darkness fills the night 

It cannot hide the light 

Whom shall I fear 

You crush the enemy 

Underneath my feet 

You are my sword and shield 

Though troubles linger still 

Whom shall I fear 

I know who goes before me 

I know who stands behind 

The God of angel armies 

Is always by my side 

The one who reigns forever 

He is a friend of mine 

The God of angel armies 

Is always by my side

My strength is in your name 

For you alone can save 

You will deliver me 

Yours is the victory 

Whom shall I fear 

Whom shall I fear 

And nothing formed against me shall stand 

You hold the whole world in your hands 

I'm holding on to your promises 

You are faithful 

You are faithful 

Songwriters: Chris Tomlin / Ed Cash / Scott Cash Whom Shall I Fear lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Music Services, Inc

Even though I have this in my playlist, I was not familiar with it. But as I listened to it, I was strengthened. 

I was taught and ministered by Sunday’s sermon on Psalm 139 and the words in this song reaffirms that he hems me in behind and before. 

O God, nothing formed against me will stand. You hold the whole world in your hands. I will hold on to your promises. You are faithful. 

My story will continue tomorrow. 

pearlie

A Sandwich from God. Bread/Prologue: All My Fears and Failures

I asked the Lord for a word from him today. I really needed it: his presence, his faithfulness, his strength, his assurance. 

He gave me more than a word. 

He gave me a sandwich. 

I have always loved the chiasm literary device. A chiastic structure is one where the central message is in the middle sandwiched by passages before and after. 

I have a playlist of gospel songs and in asking for a word from him, I hit Shuffle and my phone plays Hillsong’s Mighty to Save. 

I felt this is not a coincidence but really a song God is giving me because I have been ministered by it a couple of days ago. It’s like him reminding me, “didn’t I tell you already.”

Mighty to Save 

Well, everyone needs compassion 

A love that's never failing 

But let mercy fall on me 

Well, everyone needs forgiveness 

The kindness of a Savior 

The hope of nations 

My Savior He can move the mountains 

My God is Mighty to save 

He is Mighty to save 

Forever Author of salvation 

He rose and conquered the grave 

Jesus conquered the grave 

So take me as You find me 

All my fears and failures 

And fill my life again 

I give my life to follow 

Everything I believe in 

And now I surrender (I surrender) 

Shine your light and let the whole world see 

We're singing for the glory of the risen King 

Jesus, Shine your light and let the whole world see 

We're singing for the glory of the risen King 

Songwriters: Ben Fielding / Reuben Morgan Mighty to Save lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

My prayer is that O Lord, in all my fears and failures, please fill my life with you, you are mighty to save and deliver me. You have and you will. 

This is the bread of the sandwich. Tune in as I write about the filling tomorrow. 

pearlie

The beauty and mystery of languages we don’t understand

We are planning for a more elaborated worship service tomorrow and it’s going to be a contemplative one with singing and Scripture and sermon all rolled into one. 

Amongst the special feature of the service will be the usage of different languages to instill in us the reality that God is mysterious and he will remain mysterious to us in his own way. And as much as he reveals himself to us, we should be in wonder and awe that he is so immense and wonderful we will never know him in full. 

Just like the languages we don’t understand, we still love to listen to the beauty of what we can only recognise as different sounds, in the same way when we could not understand God fully, we can still know and experience him as a good and great God who loves us immensely. 

We will be singing a song in Tagalog, Halina’t Sama Sama...

...and hearing Deut 6:4-5 in six different languages. 

Our church is so blessed in that we do have members who speak these languages, both native and learned. We could even have French, Spanish and Mexican but they weren’t around this week. And I would also add in Tamil, Malayalam, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Teochew and more if I do not need to worry about timing. 

Maybe the next round, we shall do this again!

pearlie

Jesus You Are So Good!

This is one of my best loved oldies of a worship song. And Jesus is indeed so good!

pearlie

Be still my soul, the Lord is on your side

pearlie

Mary Did You Know?

We were practicing the song Mary Did You Know for worship service tomorrow and I found this version by Anthem Lights that was very well done. 

Mary Did You Know, Anthem Lights

pearlie

Two beautiful versions of Angels We Have Heard On High

I bet some of you are busy practicing for Christmas by now. 

We were practicing the Pentatonix version of Angel We Have Heard On High. Err...rather ambitious I know, but it’s a long story...but aren’t they awesome here. 

And then I noticed this Piano Guys version in YouTube and I love it even more. I could watch this again and again and again. 

pearlie

How much does your music streaming contribute to the earnings of your favourite artistes?

I have been enjoying music streaming for a year now through Apple Music and I started to wonder today how do artistes make a living these days. How do the replay and the many, many times that I listen to their music contribute to their income?

Gone were the days when they can really earn by selling copies of their albums or CDs. But most people do streaming these days, or worse, illegally download bootleg copies of music without paying.

So how do they make money to survive?

I googled it and found this very interesting infographics from Information is Beautiful (what an interesting sounding site, I shall be checking them out more soon). Do go check it out in the website since it’s not so clear here. 

But we can see, as pointed out by YourEDM that:

Highest revenue per play

1st: Napster / $0.0167 per play 

2nd: TIDAL / $0.0110 per play 

3rd: Apple Music / $0.0064 per play 

4th: Google Play / $0.0059 per play 

5th: Deezer / $0.0056 per play 

6th: Spotify / $0.0038 per play 

7th: Pandora / $0.0011 per play 

8th: YouTube / $0.0006 per play  

To reach minimum wage of $1260

Napster / 90,000 plays 

TIDAL / 130,000 plays 

Apple Music / 230,000 plays (this will take me more than 2 years of continuous non-stop listening!)

Google Play Music / 250,000 plays

Deezer / 260,000 plays 

Spotify / 380,000 plays 

Pandora / 1.2 million plays 

YouTube / 2.4 million plays

And according to this article, buying CDs from the store may no longer be the best way for artistes to earn. What is best these days could well be buying downloads or CDs directly from their websites.

And for me who always would vie for the underdogs, what I could do is to stream their music as much as I can, as far as my data package and phone battery(!!!) will allow me.

Music has come a long way but it may not have caught up yet to the digital world of business. 

pearlie