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Hey, everyone!
So, I recently discovered a new Christian band called The Gray Havens and fell instantly in love. One of the main reasons why I decided to share this with everyone here on the forum is because of the writing and lyrics they sing is pure poetry and with that, storytelling. Their music is the kind you won’t get tired of listening to as it is folky, unique, and complex. Attached here are a couple of their songs, I encourage you to listen to them, especially as examples of fantastic storytelling. (Hopefully, if I can get the links to work, if not someone please tell me how. 🙂 )One of their songs is titled, At last, the King, and I hope you will take a moment to read the lyrics.
To the serpent low, said the King upon His throne
“You’ve deceived and lied, my child has gone into exile
But I will go, I will make a way home
And I will bleed, like the enemy”
In the dark, in the shadows, light has come
In the quiet, in the dead of night
“Glory, glory,” sang the angels in the highest
At last, the King has arrived
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Out upon the sand, said the Devil, “Take my hand
At your bended knee, you will hold everything you see”
But the King said, “No, I have come
To be the spotless lamb undone
And I will fall, but not to you”
In the dark, in the shadows, light has come
In the quiet, in the dead of night
“Glory, glory,” sang the angels in the highest
At last, the King is born to us to overcome, exiled
Born to us, virgin’s Son, this child
Born to give His life for us
Good news
Good news, oh glorious
In the dark, in the shadows, light has come
In the quiet, in the dead of night
“Glory, glory,” sang the angels in the highest
At last, the King has arrivedThere is so much more I could say about the Gray Havens and the excellent storytelling in their music. What do you guys think? Please let me know and if you know of anymore lesser known Christian bands such as this please tell. I think we could all have a wonderful discussion about music and storytelling. 🙂
@spradlin, @daeus, @kate-flournoy, @bluejay, @anne-swiftblade @writefuryTheater kid. Currently depressed because I can't stop listening to sad musicals.
Well the links did not seem to work, but please go on youtube and look up The Gray Havens, a couple song I would watch first are The Ghost of a King (Watch the lyric video so you will pay more attention to the fantastic lyrics), Sirens (Seriously, the music video is amazing!) and Jack and Jill (it’s a clever combination of nursery rhymes and a message of redemption and hope)
Theater kid. Currently depressed because I can't stop listening to sad musicals.
@Christi-Eaton wow, I don’t usually go for this type of music but after the first line of Ghost of a King I was so stuck in the story I didn’t even notice. And did you listen to Train Station? Aw man… I may have to write a short story based off that one.
So— strong points of storytelling I noticed in Ghost of a King specifically. One, they opened with a great hook— ‘I met a ghost of a king on the road.’ That’s several levels of awesome just right there. Also the ‘ghost’ bit made the allegory less obvious on the surface and so more subtle— always recommended. The more ‘story flesh’ you can put on the bones of your allegory (no pun intended 😛 ) the richer the allegory is. I noticed too that they chose a specific theme for the song and stuck with it by repeated phrases/choruses— ‘where no chariot can take you’. Only Christ can take you there. The choruses tied the whole thing together very well.
The whole theme of ghosts and places where no chariot can take you also heavily foreshadows the climax and his death, and when you think about it is the point of the theme— the actual message. The theme is only Christ can take you, but the message/point is that He takes you to death, which alone brings true life.Yes. They’re very good.
Now go listen to Train Station.
@christi-eaton Ooo, I love The Ghost of a King! And Sirens too, though I need to watch it more closely because I’ve only caught bits and pieces since I was working while listening to it.
INTJ - Inhumane. No-feelings. Terrible. Judgment and doom on everyone.
@kate-flournoy I’m so glad you’re hooked too! Yes, Train Station is an amazing song, also, if you like cute wedding songs (I mean who doesn’t?) listen to Band of Gold.
@hope, I’m glad you are enjoying them as well 🙂Theater kid. Currently depressed because I can't stop listening to sad musicals.
@christi-eaton Wow! Thanks so much. Contemporary Christian music normally annoys me because it seems to manipulate emotions rather than inspire them, but this band plays legitimately good music and I absolutely agree that their lyrics are pure poetry (as lyrics should be!).
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@daeus You’re quite welcome. I just had to share them with someone, I just want to know why they don’t play stuff like this on the radio…
Theater kid. Currently depressed because I can't stop listening to sad musicals.
@christi-eaton Heh, you can say that again. I don’t really think I could listen to them long term, but they’re really neat.
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