This Holiday season, I embraced family, friends, and all of the good tidings of Thanksgiving, which include the traditional foods, Dallas Cowboys football, and a movie with the family. This year’s most insightful conversation came after a late dinner at Max & Erma’s on Black Friday. The conversation had escalated from a previous conversation in the car with Chelsea and my immediate family. We were listening to a local Christian radio station on the way to the Zoo when a new song came up by “Family Force 5”.
The song, “Keep the Party Alive” is a catchy pop tune with the ever-so-popular auto tuned voices, and a driving synthesizer in the background. This could be very comparable to “Party in the USA” and will certainly gain some hype and attention within the Christian music realm. The beats of this song instantly cause a natural head-bobbing, “moving your hips like yea” movement. Chelsea was instantly turned against this song, potentially evolving from preconceived perceptions of the band or perhaps her often-critical mindset in regards to pop culture and media as a whole. Her reasoning was clear, at least in her own opinion. The phrase “Let me get my iPhone” screamed consumerism to her. And “I’m like a kamikaze, surprise attack” was too graphic in nature, given the history of kamikazes in war and history. (See below for full lyrics and link to the song). And the phrase “like a thug” as a desperate cry for Christian’s trying to build an identity that is culturally accepted through todays popular music, however this term can hit the heart as well in regards to people that attacked an African orphanage which she visited. (the email she received identified the men who broke into the orphanage, beat many and raped several as thugs) Overall, Chelsea wondered how a Christian radio station could play a song so meaningless, while feeding our dwindling society that is lacking meaning and purpose in the movies we watch and the music we listen to.
If I can accurately recollect Chelsea’s perception, it was mere disappointment with “Christian radio” for fueling a fire on today’s youth, which is already being engulfed by the flames of popular music that feeds on sex, drugs, money, and other materialistic venues. The self-indulged message of today’s popular music can typically find itself creating a desire for instant gratification and “success” in terms deemed unhealthy and sometimes even unnecessary for a human being. Beyond that, using analogous words like “kamikaze” seemed to make her believe that they were desensitizing the idea of what a kamikaze really is and how they have affected our world today. Her favorite choice of words in describing what this is creating was “ignorance”. In terms of international conflict, I do agree that kamikaze really is no joking matter. I immediately challenged that maybe it is ignorance in itself that causes her to automatically assume that “kamikaze” has to be a recollection of terror in war, and could reflect its other definitions of reckless behavior. I thought it would be appropriate to show some research at this point.
Note: Official Dictionary report of the word “Kamikaze”
–Noun
1. (During World War II) a member of a special corps in the Japanese air force charged with the suicidal mission of crashing an aircraft laden with explosives into an enemy target, esp. a warship.
2. An airplane used for this purpose.
3. A person or thing that behaves in a wildly reckless or destructive manner: We were nearly run down by a kamikaze on a motorcycle.
I have personally had several opportunities to see FF5 perform live, and know first-hand that their ridiculousness and energy are what draw them to young people around the nation. From their stage names to their ridiculous videos on YouTube, the guys of this band identify a fun-loving good-timed group of friends. Disco-ball hulk hands, dancing band members that don’t even play an instrument, and ugly Christmas sweaters to promote their first Christmas album only begin to explain them. Personally, this is all extremely entertaining. From the first time I saw them to where I stand now, I have always believed that Family Force 5 was not known for their great music, but for their ability to put on a great show. As proven in “POW Right in the Kisser’s” performance at MVNU’s Friday Night Live event, it doesn’t take musical geniuses to play FF5 songs. Furthermore, these guys are doing what many “Christian” bands could not do: performing to mainstream audiences and bringing these music fans into “Christian” concerts and festivals. While FF5 is not preaching the gospel directly in a lot of their songs (Keep the Party Alive never uses the word “God”, and it can be assumed that the only clear reference to Christianity is the use of the capitalized ‘Hero’) you will hear a lot about their influence and modeling image that they give young people. Solomon Olds, member of the band said in an interview with Christianity Today that a Family Force 5 song has to be fun. “And the fun comes from the joy of Christ.” (Please note that it is a rare occasion that I spend time working through articles on Christianity Today for unbiased and educational insight regarding media.)
I do feel this would be a very appropriate time to bring up an entirely different conflict, the distinguishing of “Christian vs. Secular”. This is not a conversation I find extremely valuable to talk about on a blog because of the variety of opinions and decisions that have already been made regarding the matters. I will personally say that I have written this article with a belief that things do not need to be labeled Christian or Secular. Beyond this, it is very important that Christian influence be emerged into mainstream or secular trends, as mentioned in one my favorite books of all time, “Roaring Lambs” by Robert Briner. There is a major need for Christians in the many places that Christians themselves tend to stereotype as “evil”. Some of these industries include film, television, sports, and politics.
After doing some history homework on Family Force 5, I learned that they are currently signed to both a Christian and Mainstream label. Why? “We wanted to reach more people, but we also cannot not just turn our back on the Christian audience.” (Todd Hertz, Christianity Today) One may immediately question the motives of this party-paced, energetic pop sensation in Christian music. Is it all for the spotlight, much like which can be perceived in these specific lyrics? (“People know me Superstar status…””We love to P-A-R-T-Y”) Or perhaps they are looking to emerge into a popular culture with a similar sound, but a unique passion. Check out this personal statement from band member Solomon Olds, aka Soul Glow Activator.
Solomon: We feel that what we put into a live show, into our music, into our website and even into the CD artwork is a passionate love for what we do—for this art. And there’s only one type of love that brings out a passion like that and it’s the one Jesus Christ showed. He came down to Earth and died for us on the cross and rose again on the third day. That is a very passionate and bold act. We’re trying to make Christ-like passion real and alive by being passionate ourselves.
At this point the conversation has gone well beyond dinnertime, with my family sitting around the table watching in amusement as Chelsea and I challenge each other and question each other’s commentary and questions. This really is one of the reasons why I love to be with her.
So tell me, what are your thoughts? Do bands like Family Force 5 create a poor image for Christian music? Are they crying out for attention on the mainstream level by writing songs that can identify with this growth in lyrics that seem to mean little in terms of knowledge and depth? Is Christian music moving into a new age, no longer surrounded by songs of praise and glory but rather embodied into a bubbly, sugar-coated package that creates an image of good times? Should a Christian radio station be playing songs that do not develop wholesome messages that are unique in nature?
Or should Christian radio seek more music like this, with its reach to young people used as an opportunity for evangelism and witnessing? Family Force 5 has stated that their audience really is Christian kids. “They’re the ones who are coming out to see us. And they bring their unsaved friends”. Has FF5 found success driven through the passion given to them through God, or has selfish ambition landed them where they are today? How “wholesome” must a song be for it to be played on a Christian radio station? And how do you relate comments such as the following, found on the music video for FF5’s “Dance or Die” music video on YouTube? “I love these guys so much, and when I watch this it gives me this weird feeling like everything’s going to be okay.”-
Just because a lot of my conversations involve marketing or advertising, maybe FF5 created this piece of art strictly as a piece of advertising literature, as seen in a recent Target viral video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LoE1PKzg9c
Keep The Party Alive lyrics
Keep the party alive
Hey, where my people at?
How come ya’ll ain’t movin’ yet?
Your party is a zero
Your party needs a Hero
Why you playin’ that song?
Let me get my iPhone
Move it, DJ!
Let me get my playlist on
Step up in the club, like a thug
People know me
Superstar status on the… Boy,
You can’t control me
P-A-R-T-Y! We love to party
Live to party, keep the party alive… BOO-YAH!
[Chorus]
We keep the party alive (keep the party alive)
We’re stayin’ up all night (stayin’ up all night)
It goes on and on, ’till the break o’ dawn
We keep the party alive (keep the party alive)
E’rybody knows that
I get ur girl to hollar back (Hey!)
I’m like a kamikazie, suprise attack
(Rat-tat-tat!)
Step up in the club, like a thug
People know me
Superstar status on the…
We keep the party alive
Don’t tell me when the Sun comes up
‘Cause we’re all chanting, “Let’s keep dancing!”
No time to be tipping out
‘Cause the clock says I keep the party alive, Yeah!
Note: this post is not meant to spark arguments or the use of ill-placed Scripture and theology. Rather, let it become a constructive conversation and a challenging time for your personal opinions, perhaps even your faith and ministry.
Portions of this article have been quotes from
Party With a Passion
For Family Force 5’s Solomon Olds, being in a band is way to have serious fun.
by Todd Hertz
http://www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/2007/marapr/6.24.html?start=1
I have never really been a fan of FF5. or “Christian” radio for that matter. Songs like that don’t witness to people. okay-they can have a good time…but so do non-Christians. I really don’t think that listening to songs like this will make nonbelievers say “Hey thats really cool….i think i will be a christian now.” because i bet that miley cyrus’ songs are better. haha. they don’t need to see “passion” at the party’s in the songs lyrics. they need to see passion in the hearts of people madly in love with God. and see what that looks like. Over and over again the church does things like spends so much money on modernizing foyers and sanctuaries. they have easter events with the easter bunny and candy. they play “contemporary music”. For what? All to make non-believers be apart of the church. But I really believe that none of this works unless the people in the church are on fire for God in a contagious way.
As far as should Christians be apart of the “secular world” i think absolutely. Jesus didn’t hang with the Christians….he spent time with the people that needed Him the most. The doctor is for the sick…not the healthy.
I would like to bring up an interesting question: Could one make parallels between the segregation of Americans in our not-so-distant past to the separation/labels we put on that which is “Christian” and “Non-Christian” in our society?
As far as kamikaze talk, I bet if you personally asked them if they were supporting the efforts of the kamikazes from WWII and praising their sacrifice, they would respond with a resounding no.
To crabbysara2004: “As far as should Christians be apart of the “secular world” i think absolutely. Jesus didn’t hang with the Christians….he spent time with the people that needed Him the most. The doctor is for the sick…not the healthy.”
We are all sick.
PART 1
What I especially like about this blog post is that the question(s) you are posing are incarnated in this band as exemplified by the one of the members response to the need to be on a mainstream and Christian label.
I would not say that using the word “kamikaze” demonstrates ignorance. If anything, it exemplifies carelessness. After all, a notably Christian band, Five Iron Frenzy, wrote a song titled Kamikaze. I’m also relatively certain that there is an alcoholic beverage that holds the name “kamikaze.” So depending on if I was Japanese or an alcoholic I could have been offended. I say this partially in jest. I think it is easy to become hypersensitive. Or perhaps, I am not sensitive enough. (The last statement was not intended to contain sarcasm but was more of an honest reflection.)
PART 2
Let me answer some of your questions. Bands like Family Force 5 crack me up. I know nothing about them, but I am immediately reminded of the Jonas Brothers (of who’s music I know nothing about). They portray this attitude, like many of us youth pastors and Christians, that screams, “Hey! We’re cool too!” Have you ever seen the movie Dogma with Chris Rock? If not check out this clip from the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BEZaPN8gUY . It’s kind of like those guys who grow out mustaches and try to convince everyone else in the world that mustaches are really cool. They aren’t.
I do not think that bands like FF5 are screaming for attention. Reality is that if they don’t sell records, major labels could careless what they want to do with their band. I think there are two bigger and more significant problems than the possible screaming for attention (assuming that FF5 and like bands want to be “mainstream for Jesus”). First, they create a divide and competition between “us” and “them.” I hear Annie Get Your Gun in the background, “Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you.” The second can be posed in the form of a question: If there is an “us and them,” why would we want to be like them?
PART 3
I must say I got a little pissed when reading the statement you quote from Soul Glow Activator and not just because a guy named Solomon Olds has the nickname Soul Glow Activator; although, that was part of it. His theology is awful! My anger came when I read the line “He came down to Earth and died for us on the cross and rose again on the third day. That is a very passionate and bold act.” A very passionate and bold act? Bold act? Really? One defines the crucifixion of the divine as bold? Geez. The next sentence in that statement could be translated to say: “We’re trying to make Christ-like passion, as defined by his torture, murder, and resurrection for the sins of the whole of humanity, by making words rhyme, creating a website, and drawing pictures.” My anger was immediately followed by embarrassment then sadness.
Oh how our preaching and teaching has become so watered down that we could believe our response to God’s righteous, holy, and overwhelming compassion and love for his creation as displayed in Jesus Christ should be responded to by having a great website! I do not mean to minimize I Cor. 10:31 (although, I believe that text to be more or less making a statement that we are to live holy lives). Surely we are called to do all things for the glory of God. But comparing the passion of Jesus Christ to a live performance on a stage? Really? How tragic and sad for a believer to have such a shallow understanding of God’s passion and love for him.
PART 4
About a month ago a friend and I engaged in a brief discussion (via my blog) about praise music. He noted that the Church has a tendency of juxtaposing two forms, traditional and contemporary. The former with irrelevant music and rich theology, and the latter with relevant music and shallow theology. We miss that we can have both! If only someone would compose it! The type of music Christian artists should be writing should be stylistically relevant and rich in theology. We need theologians who happen to be talented musicians to write music. Can we honestly expect FF5 to write the next great praise song?
I do not care if “Christian Bands Go Pop.” I do not care if Christian radio stations play those “pop” songs. After all, they need to stay afloat financially by creating an audience. (Ironically, the word “pop” is short for “popular” which is not what these songs or bands are in the slightest). But above all, we must earnestly seek to glorify God for who He is. This starts by having a better theology.
At the end of the day, my Father will pin any art that was made with love by his children on his refrigerator; regardless of how ugly, awful, and silly it looks. I just hope that as the children mature, the art does as well.