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Ancient words rock version12/25/2022 Until such a time as this, allow me to offer this challenge to songwriters: focus on the lyrics. And, as I have the unfortunate experience being reminded of others, I shall add them to this list. So add Ancient Words to Ha-la-la-la-la-la-la lei-lu-jah (whose second verse, ‘Jesus is a friend,’ sounds like a bunch of snakes hissing at each other), Blue Skies and Rainbows, Shine Jesus Shine, Onward Christian Soldiers, I Come to the Garden Alone, and anything written and/or arranged for a cappella by Ken Young as songs that should never be sung in corporate worship settings. In many contemporary worship services, words mean nothing, but, if we sing them with heart and passion, perhaps we can overlook the fact that the lyrics are fundamentally ridiculous. It’s a sixth grade grammatical song for an increasingly sixth grade Christian consumer market, willing to recite anything – including theological and grammatical nonsense – just to have their ears tickled and feel good. Here’s a Christian lyric for you: Of what good are open hearts if we know not what the words impart? (See, this stuff is easy.) Impart what exactly? Impart direction? Impart wisdom? Impart love? Joy? Happiness? What are the ancient words imparting? Nothing! We don’t know what the ancient words are imparting because the song’s author never tells us! She just wrote some pretty sounding ancient words together, but forgot the ancient rules of grammar! “Oh let the ancient words impart.” Period. Now re-read the lyrics to Ancient Words above and pay special attention to the chorus. What, precisely, am I bringing? (Answer: I’m bringing the smackdown on this disgrace of a song.) For instance, were I to say, “Tomorrow, I am bringing,” you would think me an idiot, because “bringing” is a transitive verb and requires a direct object. However, transitive verbs are verbs that require objects. In this sentence, “die” is an intransitive verb. These verbs are intransitive they don’t require direct or indirect objects. Intransitive verbs do not need an object. Please allow me for a second to explain the grammatical concept of a transitive verb: Smith is performing it (above), you are then left with the unavoidable reality that the song is a complete butchery of the English language. And yet, it gets passed along from one church to another like a joint at a reggae concert, often without anyone ever pausing to ask, “but is this really any good for us?” If you succeed in getting past the fact that Michael W. This group of thrown-together words that some call a “song” has got to be one of the most ill-conceived songs in the recent history of the English language. About five years ago, the University Church of Christ in Malibu introduced a song entitled Ancient Words into the repertoire. Speaking of theologically lacking, grammatically incorrect music, let me introduce Lynn DeShazo and perhaps one of the worst offerings of grammatical nonsense of the past few decades. Cargill’s reasoning why “Ancient Words” is the worst Christian song EVER!īeing raised in the Restoration Movement in an a cappella tradition, song lyrics are all the more important, especially when there is no instrumental accompaniment to cover up poorly written, theologically defunct, or grammatically incorrect words. – UCLA (Near Eastern Languages and Cultures) – UCLA (Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations) He previously worked and taught at UCLA.Ī.A. He has appeared as an expert on numerous television documentaries and specials and is an advocate for social justice and public higher education. His research includes study in the Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls, literary criticism of the Bible and the Pseudepigrapha, and the Ancient Near East. He is a biblical studies scholar, classicist, archaeologist, author, and digital humanist. Cargill’s website he is:Īssistant Professor of Classics and Religious Studies at The University of Iowa. It is most definitely not me as I believe it is one of the VERY BEST Christian Songs EVER!Īccording to Dr. Robert Cargill is the person who makes this claim. Remember “Ever” when evaluating this statement.ĭr. You will need to view both as this is the worst SONG – not just lyrics. “Ancient Words” is a modern Christian song written by Lynn DeShazo, although the vast majority of the public credit it to singer Michael W.
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