As the recording process began, I reworked several of the song lyrics, fine tuning them as I approached the deadline. As my producer and I feverishly worked, we discovered a central truth to writing Christian music as opposed to secular: Lyrics in Christian music has “certainty.” Meaning, because the songs are based on the Bible, which is the Truth, the lyrics have an understanding that there is basis God’s promise in lament.
The song, “Saturday’s Gone” went through so many rewrites I lost count. But the main refrain was so strong, I couldn’t let it go:
Saturday’s Gone, Sunday is Here
expressed in any situation (or song subject,) that the fear had left, and that hope through the resurrection of Christ had returned. However, no matter what we did, we couldn’t make it work lyrically.
At first, the story was told from the perspective of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:40-43). About how midst death, Paradise with Jesus was inevitable. Still, we couldn’t make the narrative work. Next, we jumbled around “Christian-ese” type phrases to see if we could make things work. But, nothing did.
Finally, we settled on our own experiences. In the matter of our own marital relationships, we realized that no matter what we fought with our wives about, went through, or said, there was a matter of certianty that we would never get to the point of divorce. Sure, the rough parts of “Saturday” would happen, but no matter what, “Sunday” always comes.
The forgiveness, the understanding, the promise kept, was inevitable.
Like the days of the week, its inevitable. Just like God’s promise is inevitable.
I really think of Christ’s words are key to any lyric of lament:
Matthew 27:26: “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli,t lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
No matter what happened for Jesus on the cross, there still was certainty of God. this is the tipping point of faith. Admitting even though there is a Saturday, God still exists on Sunday. Its inevitable. There never was “there is no God,” or “why does this happen to me, God” phrases. It’s a matter of fact, or certainty.
God: Why is this happening?
God: Why am I suffering?
God: Why is my life falling apart?
This under coating, constant, acknowledges that God is the central player in all parts of life. The underscore of all lyrical metaphor.
This is the main difference writing Christian music vs. any other. All questions begin with the existence of a possible answer.
