Marriage and Lyrics by Motte Brown on 02/28/2007 at 5:37 PM

With His blessings from above
Serve it generously with love
One man, one wife
One love through life
Memories are made of this
Memories are made of this

These are lyrics from Dean Martin's 1956 hit "Memories are Made of This", which spent 16 weeks on the charts, four of them at number one. It expresses what music historian Daniel Goldmark says our culture no longer accepts, that marriage is the "great narrative" of life.

Goldmark was interviewed for a recent article in The Hartford Courant about the absence of marriage in today's pop music. He says that music reflects the culture, that "we're not seeing much focus on marriage because there isn't a central idea about relationships."

The writer, William Weir, says the change could be simple demographics. With people marrying later and as music moguls target "ever-younger audiences, the gap between pop consumers and the marriage-minded has widened."

That's probably true. But this season's American Idol isn't proof of it.

If you've been watching, you may have noticed all the husbands in the top 12 -- four to be exact. Last night's "dedication" episode was particularly moving when 28 year-old Chris Sligh sang Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble" to his wife.

Here's a portion of the lyrics:

Trouble...
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Trouble been doggin' my soul since the day I was born
Worry...
Worry, worry, worry, worry
Worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone
We'll I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman

She good to me now
She gave me love and affection
She good tell me now
She gave me love and affection
I Said I love her
Yes I love her
I said I love her
I said I love...
She good to me now
She's good to me
She's good to me

Absolutely beautiful. I voted for Chris five times.

HT: Dr. Albert Mohler

Marriage and Lyrics by Motte Brown on 02/28/2007 at 5:37 PM

With His blessings from above
Serve it generously with love
One man, one wife
One love through life
Memories are made of this
Memories are made of this

These are lyrics from Dean Martin's 1956 hit "Memories are Made of This", which spent 16 weeks on the charts, four of them at number one. It expresses what music historian Daniel Goldmark says our culture no longer accepts, that marriage is the "great narrative" of life.

Goldmark was interviewed for a recent article in The Hartford Courant about the absence of marriage in today's pop music. He says that music reflects the culture, that "we're not seeing much focus on marriage because there isn't a central idea about relationships."

The writer, William Weir, says the change could be simple demographics. With people marrying later and as music moguls target "ever-younger audiences, the gap between pop consumers and the marriage-minded has widened."

That's probably true. But this season's American Idol isn't proof of it.

If you've been watching, you may have noticed all the husbands in the top 12 -- four to be exact. Last night's "dedication" episode was particularly moving when 28 year-old Chris Sligh sang Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble" to his wife.

Here's a portion of the lyrics:

Trouble...
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Trouble been doggin' my soul since the day I was born
Worry...
Worry, worry, worry, worry
Worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone
We'll I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman
I've been...
saved by a woman

She good to me now
She gave me love and affection
She good tell me now
She gave me love and affection
I Said I love her
Yes I love her
I said I love her
I said I love...
She good to me now
She's good to me
She's good to me

Absolutely beautiful. I voted for Chris five times.

HT: Dr. Albert Mohler

Comments

[1. Nick said the following at 8:48 PM on Feb 28:]

1

"Saved by a woman" from "trouble ...doggin' my soul"? I think I need you to unpack why exactly that's so beautiful.

[2. Dawn said the following at 6:21 AM on Mar 1:]

2

I can't personally reply to why Motte called it beautiful, but I have an opinion. A mentor of mine has said many times that "Marriage is the greatest discipleship you will ever experience." Marriage requires that we give of ourselves unselfishly. Marriage requires that our lives be lived for more than selfish ambition and individual acclaim. These seem to be pretty good qualities to help us be conformed to the image of Christ as well.

[3. Motte said the following at 9:05 AM on Mar 1:]

3

Thanks Dawn. That was close. But I'll admit it Nick. I was over the top on this. Though maybe some context will help.

In the interview portion leading up to the performance, Chris spoke of his wife's love and support. So I think his dedication was more I'm-a-better-man-because-of-my-wife than my-wife-saves-my-soul.

[4. John said the following at 9:09 AM on Mar 1:]

4

Women have many fine attributes but only Jesus saved my soul.

[5. Gina Dalfonzo said the following at 11:45 AM on Mar 1:]

5

I think I see what you're getting at, Motte (having seen the performance and interview as well). And you're right, it was a very sweet moment.

[6. Samantha said the following at 11:58 AM on Mar 1:]

6

FYI: Chris Sligh is a christian. :o)

[7. Matt said the following at 12:46 PM on Mar 1:]

7

The Relevant podcast had interviewed one of the contestants that had been kicked off that was a Christian and he said that alot of the people that made it to Hollywood were Christians.

Chris Sligh also did "Typical" by Mute Math (a "christian" but not a christian band).

I liked his performance of "Trouble" much better than "Typical"

[8. Becca said the following at 2:44 PM on Mar 1:]

8

One factor contributing to the absence of marriage in today's love songs is that marriage songs fill a niche -- they aren't applicable to the average twelve year old teenybopper, they're applicable to people of marrying age and above. Since very young people make up so much of the audience pop musicians cater to, they mostly write generic love songs which are just as applicable to dreamy teenyboppers as they are to a cute old couple. (The wedding songs of both sets of my grandparents were standard love songs, for example.)

I think this was probably true even in the '50's -- a quick glance over the number one hits for 1956 , 1955, and 1954 reveals no overwhelming good old days of marriage-minded pop songs.

The Tin Pan Alley songs he talks about do, overall, emphasize marriage more than today's pop songs -- but we should keep in mind that there wasn't anything like the huge, young-teen-dominated pop music market that's existed more or less since the '50's back then, so there wasn't as much concern with marketing to people who weren't of marrying age yet, which as I said is probably at the root of the vast number of generic love songs there've been since the '50's.

Also, lest we get too despairing over comparisons to an idealized past, we should remember that there are plenty of plain romantic, mischievous, and naughty songs in the Tin Pan Alley repertoire too. For example, in "Take Your Girlie to the Movies," Billy Murray sings:

When I call to love my girl
Her folks are always there
That's why I'm blue
Now what shall I do
[something incomprehensible]...
Take your girlie to the movies
If you can't make love at home
There's no little brother there who always squeals
[and so on]

Of course the naughty songs of today are much, much worse (and of course Mr. Murray means "make love" in the old sense) -- but the music of the past wasn't all as completely innocent and marriage-focused as the Courant article makes it seem - there's plenty more mischief where that song came from. And it should also be noted that the next most popular genre next to love songs in those days were comic songs mocking the Blacks, the Irish, the Germans, the Jews, and virtually any other stereotyped group you can think of -- a problem which, fortunately, our pop music no longer has.

All that being said, there are plenty of innocent little songs from that era (and I love getting people into these great old songs!) - so if you're interested, you can download a ton of them perfectly legally from The Cylinder Project - I recommend the Ada Jones song mentioned in the article, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" and "Come Josephine in my Flying Machine" (both of which can be found through the site's search feature) -- and be sure to check out other places to get more songs in the links section!

Anyway, I'm done with that tangent...

I guess my point is just that both society and pop music have always had their problems. Despairing over the long lost good old days -- which weren't all that good anyway, human nature being what it is -- won't get us anywhere -- setting a good example (perhaps by getting other people into the cute old songs of yore...), encouraging the next generation of pop singers (your adorable singin', dancin' kid sister) about what's really important in music, and so on will make much more of a difference.

[9. Sarah said the following at 10:25 AM on Mar 2:]

9

I really enjoyed his performance of that song and how he dedicated it to his wife. I totally got the "beautiful" part Motte was speaking of.

[10. Joe said the following at 3:14 PM on Mar 2:]

10

Amen to what Sarah, Motte, and Dawn had to say

[11. Leah said the following at 5:59 AM on Mar 3:]

11

For all the cynics out there who have to pick something simplistically beautiful to theological pieces -- there is more than one way to save someone! If I were drowning and a surf life saver saved me, would I be wrong to say "he saved me"? No. We are saved many times in our life in different respects. So stop making everything a theological debate.

[1. Nick said the following at 8:48 PM on Feb 28:]

1

"Saved by a woman" from "trouble ...doggin' my soul"? I think I need you to unpack why exactly that's so beautiful.

[2. Dawn said the following at 6:21 AM on Mar 1:]

2

I can't personally reply to why Motte called it beautiful, but I have an opinion. A mentor of mine has said many times that "Marriage is the greatest discipleship you will ever experience." Marriage requires that we give of ourselves unselfishly. Marriage requires that our lives be lived for more than selfish ambition and individual acclaim. These seem to be pretty good qualities to help us be conformed to the image of Christ as well.

[3. Motte said the following at 9:05 AM on Mar 1:]

3

Thanks Dawn. That was close. But I'll admit it Nick. I was over the top on this. Though maybe some context will help.

In the interview portion leading up to the performance, Chris spoke of his wife's love and support. So I think his dedication was more I'm-a-better-man-because-of-my-wife than my-wife-saves-my-soul.

[4. John said the following at 9:09 AM on Mar 1:]

4

Women have many fine attributes but only Jesus saved my soul.

[5. Gina Dalfonzo said the following at 11:45 AM on Mar 1:]

5

I think I see what you're getting at, Motte (having seen the performance and interview as well). And you're right, it was a very sweet moment.

[6. Samantha said the following at 11:58 AM on Mar 1:]

6

FYI: Chris Sligh is a christian. :o)

[7. Matt said the following at 12:46 PM on Mar 1:]

7

The Relevant podcast had interviewed one of the contestants that had been kicked off that was a Christian and he said that alot of the people that made it to Hollywood were Christians.

Chris Sligh also did "Typical" by Mute Math (a "christian" but not a christian band).

I liked his performance of "Trouble" much better than "Typical"

[8. Becca said the following at 2:44 PM on Mar 1:]

8

One factor contributing to the absence of marriage in today's love songs is that marriage songs fill a niche -- they aren't applicable to the average twelve year old teenybopper, they're applicable to people of marrying age and above. Since very young people make up so much of the audience pop musicians cater to, they mostly write generic love songs which are just as applicable to dreamy teenyboppers as they are to a cute old couple. (The wedding songs of both sets of my grandparents were standard love songs, for example.)

I think this was probably true even in the '50's -- a quick glance over the number one hits for 1956 , 1955, and 1954 reveals no overwhelming good old days of marriage-minded pop songs.

The Tin Pan Alley songs he talks about do, overall, emphasize marriage more than today's pop songs -- but we should keep in mind that there wasn't anything like the huge, young-teen-dominated pop music market that's existed more or less since the '50's back then, so there wasn't as much concern with marketing to people who weren't of marrying age yet, which as I said is probably at the root of the vast number of generic love songs there've been since the '50's.

Also, lest we get too despairing over comparisons to an idealized past, we should remember that there are plenty of plain romantic, mischievous, and naughty songs in the Tin Pan Alley repertoire too. For example, in "Take Your Girlie to the Movies," Billy Murray sings:

When I call to love my girl
Her folks are always there
That's why I'm blue
Now what shall I do
[something incomprehensible]...
Take your girlie to the movies
If you can't make love at home
There's no little brother there who always squeals
[and so on]

Of course the naughty songs of today are much, much worse (and of course Mr. Murray means "make love" in the old sense) -- but the music of the past wasn't all as completely innocent and marriage-focused as the Courant article makes it seem - there's plenty more mischief where that song came from. And it should also be noted that the next most popular genre next to love songs in those days were comic songs mocking the Blacks, the Irish, the Germans, the Jews, and virtually any other stereotyped group you can think of -- a problem which, fortunately, our pop music no longer has.

All that being said, there are plenty of innocent little songs from that era (and I love getting people into these great old songs!) - so if you're interested, you can download a ton of them perfectly legally from The Cylinder Project - I recommend the Ada Jones song mentioned in the article, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" and "Come Josephine in my Flying Machine" (both of which can be found through the site's search feature) -- and be sure to check out other places to get more songs in the links section!

Anyway, I'm done with that tangent...

I guess my point is just that both society and pop music have always had their problems. Despairing over the long lost good old days -- which weren't all that good anyway, human nature being what it is -- won't get us anywhere -- setting a good example (perhaps by getting other people into the cute old songs of yore...), encouraging the next generation of pop singers (your adorable singin', dancin' kid sister) about what's really important in music, and so on will make much more of a difference.

[9. Sarah said the following at 10:25 AM on Mar 2:]

9

I really enjoyed his performance of that song and how he dedicated it to his wife. I totally got the "beautiful" part Motte was speaking of.

[10. Joe said the following at 3:14 PM on Mar 2:]

10

Amen to what Sarah, Motte, and Dawn had to say

[11. Leah said the following at 5:59 AM on Mar 3:]

11

For all the cynics out there who have to pick something simplistically beautiful to theological pieces -- there is more than one way to save someone! If I were drowning and a surf life saver saved me, would I be wrong to say "he saved me"? No. We are saved many times in our life in different respects. So stop making everything a theological debate.