Sincere Flattery

Back in 1981 I was having a dental checkup when I heard the funniest song on the radio, “Giddy Up Oom Poppa Omm Poppa Mow Mow!” I almost fell out of my chair laughing. It is one of those flashbulb memories permanently etched in my brain. The song was by the Oak Ridge Boys called Elvira, an obviously catchy tune that became a number one hit for the former gospel singing group now superstars of Country music. Actually the Oaks version was itself a cover of Kenny Rogers and the First Edition who had recorded the gem as well to lesser success. In fact, the song had been around since the mid-1960’s having been recorded by numerous artists. The 1981 version being the one best remembered. There were even a couple of Southern Gospel imitations, rather adaptations, as well: Go Jonah! by the Cathedrals and the version I remember playing by the Kingsboys. It was a case of taking a hit Country song, reworking the lyrics and adapting it for the Christian market.

“Giddy Up A-Go Down Jonah/God Will Tell You What to Say”

You will have to imagine the tune of Elvira in your head because my copy of the gospel version has not survived.

Probably a even bigger cross-over hit was Billy Ray Cyrus doing Achy Breaky Heart in 1992. Yep, it too was covered as a gospel song by a forgettable singer lost to history. I occasionally played these silly imitations as a gospel DJ many years. It was often a way to give our audiences a substitute for the secular music requests we would often get when these monster hits were played all up and down the dial. Most of the time Gospel gets it right by sticking to what it does best, but sometimes a few stinkers get thrown in the mix. On the other hand, one artist who had consistently impressed me with adapting secular music is Kirk Franklin. Check out his version of the Kenny Loggins classic This is It and September originally cut by Earth, Wind and Fire.

Stay tuned

©2010 Neal Rhoden. Gospel Aircheck. All rights reserved.

Save Them LORD

“Pass me not, Oh gentle Savior / Hear my humble cry / While on others thou art calling / Do not pass me by”

In our Christian parlance getting saved means confessing one’s sins, repenting and accepting Jesus Christ as a personal savior. In other words, born again. Music is often a topic of discussion with Angie and me. Even though I am ten years older than my wife, we share common musical tastes. From time to time we will wonder if some of our secular music heroes are “saved.” We’ve determined that many secular performers are Christian; they’re just not singing or performing gospel music. What a shame. Don’t get me wrong, secular music is not evil. I would just like to hear these amazing talents used for His service.

There are widely reported examples of singers who “got saved:” Bob Dylan, Lou Gramm of Foreigner, and others. Not that we only pray for famous people, far from it, we would like everyone to believe. I think a good many may already be Christians—just not obviously so. What I am trying to say is how cool it would be to hear a gospel album from Eric Clapton! Even though in his recent autobiography the guitar legend made a somewhat vague declaration of faith. Let’s see a more overt testimony, please.

Stay tuned

©2010 Neal Rhoden. Gospel Aircheck blog. All rights reserved

It’s Surreal

A thought occurred to me this morning that made me smile. Over the years as a Gospel music collector I have come across a few oddities. You know how sometimes a secular singing star will cut a Gospel album? Well, my recollection was not necessarily of those known as singers per se. TV actors and pro athletes have dabbled in sacred music from time to time—often with comical results. Let’s face it, Terry Bradshaw was a legendary Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and sports broadcaster. Could he sing? Well, he did an album of Country Gospel sometime in the late seventies or early eighties. Search for it and if you can find the record let me know if he should quit his day job. Not a Steelers fan? Then try Kathie Lee Johnson’s Gospel gems she recorded way back when. Who? You may know her now as an original co-host of morning talk shows, Kathie Lee Gifford. Yes, that Kathie Lee.

I am not making a judgment on their talent. Believe me, I’m not a critic. It just seems weird these particular people not known primarily as singers taking up, of all things, Gospel music. For example, Lisa Welchel who played Blair on the NBC sitcom classic The Facts of Life. She did a Gospel record. Who, except me, would remember that?

There are also well known singers who’ve done Gospel albums. It may be surprising: Bob Dylan got “saved” in the 80’s and gave us a couple. Of course, B.J. Thomas, famous for his signature hit Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, was a Gospel star for a while. Countless Country music stars: Glen Campbell, George Jones, Alan Jackson, Charlie Daniels and Grandpa Jones all did religious projects. Perhaps most famous singer of all time; Elvis Presley, won Grammys for his Gospel albums, an accolade ironically not rewarded for his secular work.

At the risk of sounding critical, take the best known of all the non-singers who has made his living in music: Pat Boone. In the fifties he remade such classics as Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally into bland pop imitations of the Little Richard originals. By the 1980’s Boone had migrated into Gospel with a charting hit, Let Me Live. Little Richard himself got religion numerous times over the years and has recorded at least one Gospel album. Whew! It boggles the mind. Could it be possible that old stars never die, they just get saved?

Stay tuned

©2010 Neal Rhoden and Gospel Aircheck. All rights reserved.