Music

The King Without a Crown

Christian music is lame. I say this only after listening to more Air1 recently since reception seems to have improved in my area. Christian music lacks originality; either all Christian artists sound the same as each other or they sound like they are emulating a secular band. Christian music is lame.

As I was driving home from class this afternoon, I switched over to the local rock station, KROQ, where they were playing “King Without a Crown” by Matisyahu. I am not too sure if this song has made it in other parts of the US, but it seems to be making it pretty good in Souther California. Matisyahu Miller is the lead singer of this reggae sounding group and he is a devout Jew, which is reflected in all of his music. Oddly enough, his record deal is signed under Sony, and not a religious label. So how does a song that clearly represents religious values make it big on the radio? Sure, Switchfoot’s “Dare You to Move” did this as well, but the lyrics could easily be passed off as that of any other secular bands.

Matisyahu is clearly unique and has is own developed style. In fact, at the end of the song, the DJ ‘Jed the Fish’ acknowledged that musically, the song is not impressive at all. However, what makes it popular is the originality and the presentation of the religious content. I think Jed got it right. While most of the mainstream music of the day deals with issues such as sex, drugs or violence, how is it that a song promoting religious values can penetrate that market? I think most people want to hear something new and original before something advertising sexual activity.

Christian music isn’t going to make it anywhere without creating something people want to hear - it isn’t a matter of people rejecting it for it’s message, it is rejecting if for it’s obvious duplication of secular artists. I hope sometime Christian artists will stop trying to produce a sound they think people want to hear, and finally produce a sound no one has heard.

What’s this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
Givin’ myself to you from the essence of my being
Sing to my G-d all these songs of love and healing
Want Moshiach now so it’s time we start revealing

You’re all that I have and you’re all that I need
Each and every day I pray to get to know you please
I want to be close to you, yes I’m so hungry
You’re like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
Without you there’s no me
You’re the air that I breathe
Sometimes the world is dark and I just can’t see
With these, demons surround all around to bring me down to negativity
But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
I’ll stand on my own two feet
Won’t be brought down on one knee
Fight with all of my might and get these demons to flee
Hashem’s rays fire blaze burn bright and I believe
Out of darkness comes light, twilight unto the heights
Crown Heights burnin’ up all through till midnight
Said, thank you to my G-d, now I finally got it right
And I’ll fight with all of my heart, and all a’ my soul, and all a’ my might

Me no want no sinsemilla.
That would only bring me down
Burn away my brain no way my brain is to compound
Torah food for my brain let it rain till I drown
Thunder!
Let the blessings come down

Strip away the layers and reveal your soul
Got to give yourself up and then you become whole
You’re a slave to yourself and you don’t even know
You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you’re trying to stay high then you’re bound to stay low
You want G-d but you can’t deflate your ego
If you’re already there then there’s nowhere to go
If you’re cup’s already full then its bound to overflow
If you’re drowning in the water’s and you can’t stay afloat
Ask Hashem for mercy and he’ll throw you a rope
You’re looking for help from G-d you say he couldn’t be found
Looking up to the sky and searchin’ beneath the ground
Like a King without his Crown
Yes, you keep fallin’ down
You really want to live but can’t get rid of your frown
Tried to reach unto the heights and wound bound down on the ground
Given up your pride and the you heard a sound
Out of night comes day and out of day comes light
Nullified to the One like sunlight in a ray,
Makin’ room for his love and a fire gone blaze

King Without a Crown - Matisyahu

© 2005 Jon Shoemaker.