7 Things... Part Six: Making songs 'Unique'

Again, I certainly value the idea of being yourself as a song writer. But sometimes you can think that what that means is to be completely individual and idiosyncratic.

Now this a temptation I can fall for... especially in a bid to escape the 'narrowness' of modern worship. I love diversity and personal expression and I'm committed to local expressions of worship. But one thing has been nagging at me recently...

If you do things your own way then you have to do it on your own. And not only is that hard to do, it also isn't always totally satisfying.

And there can be real joy in collaboration. Finding common ground with others is a liberating and precious experience.

Sometimes, in a bid to sound like no-one else, I can ignore the parts of my writing which sit near by what others are doing. I can seek so hard to avoid familiarity and find a unique, even idiosyncratic place that I can forsake the message in the music. Expressing individuality rather than expressing the very thing my heart wants to say.

For example, so many modern worship songs overuse terms like "Holy" "Glory" and "Worthy". Then out of a desire to avoid their potential for cliche, and to remain unique, I can dismiss their use altogether. Though actually what my heart often wants to say is precisely that: "You are Holy, God"

I neither want to be obsessed with making my songs 'Universal' (to please everyone) or 'Unique' (asserting my individuality). I just want to articulate accurately what my heart wants to say. No matter how universal or unique that may be.

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” C.S.Lewis

dg