MusicScribe BLOG

1 | Anonymous

June 19th, 2008 at 1:04 am

I have to disagree w/the idea that it’s the fans who set Southern Gospel aside from any other genre.Personally speaking,I voted for the lyrics.If one were to venture to other genres (i.e.-Country,Pop,or Rock),the messages would not be of hope and encouragement as Southern Gospel music is.Even Southern Gospel lyrics are different from Christian Contemporary because there’s an identification of who this “Him/He” really is.Southern Gospel music gives an uplifting to the soul/spirit and reminds the Christian and sometimes the sinner of his eternal destination.In my opinion,that is what sets Southern Gospel apart from all other types/forms of music.

2 | Glenn

June 19th, 2008 at 1:35 am

Amen! Amen! Amen!

3 | admin

June 19th, 2008 at 11:07 am

Anonymous,
The poll question didn’t ask what distinguished SG from secular music forms like country, pop, rock, etc. If that had been the question, then yes, the lyrics would have been key. What the poll question asked, though, was what distinguished SG from other forms of CHRISTIAN music.

So it isn’t the lyrics. You seem to be under the impression that all “contemporary” Christian music is of the Praise and Worship variety. It’s true that there are trends in SG lyrics that are different from trends in Praise&Worship, but Southern Gospel lyrics have a lot in common with certain hymns, bluegrass gospel, black gospel, and inspirational music.

I wonder how many other people answered the question without really reading it.

4 | Anonymous

June 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

Well,I understand that not all of CCM is Praise and Worship.I listen to CCM just as much as I listen to Southern Gospel and still have to say that it is the lyrics that set Southern Gospel aside from all of the others.Of course Southern Gospel has more “in common” with all of the others;however,the lyrics of those songs set Southern Gospel in its own genre.The hymns are what founded any type of Christian music so they would be the closest.The fans don’t set SG music from any other form of Christian music because the music/singers/lyrics are there before the fans are.

BTW-Where’s your defense in this discussion?I would like to know more of your idea of what truly sets Southern Gospel aside from all other forms of Christian music.

5 | admin

June 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm

Did you read the first article I wrote regarding the poll where I mentioned a few reasons why audience should be the best choice? See: http://www.musicscribe.com/blog/wordpress/?p=991

In addition to the elements I mentioned already, the Southern Gospel audience is unique in other ways. In what other genre, for example, do you hear fans rave on and on about their favorite artist while totally mispronouncing the artist’s name? As recently as this morning, I read a message where a woman said she heard people discussing a group called New Vision. She realized eventually that they were actually talking about Greater Vision.

In response to your assertion that without the music, lyrics and singers, there would be no fans, I would say you are correct, but that also works the other way. With no audience, a style won’t be sustained for any significant amount of time.

Had it not been a poll, the question could have been posed as a series of questions.

1. Does SG share common traits with other forms of Christian music? Yes. There are some distinguishing traits in SG you may not notice as often in other styles, but you can find some examples if you know where to look.

2. Do SG lyrics share common traits with other Christian lyrics? Yes, very much. A song like “Midnight Cry” or “I Bowed On My Knees” or more recently “Orphans Of God” gets attention across the board, not just in SG, plus CCM artists record songs that originated in SG from time to time, and SG artists easily drift to songs that originated in the CCM realm at times.

3. Do SG singers share common traits with other Christian singers? Yes, very much. You don’t hear too much breathy singing in SG, thank goodness, but you hear a great deal of full tone singing in other forms of Christian music and even harmony from time to time. SG does still revere the male bass singer. Acappella Gospel is the only other genre that does this.

4. Do SG audiences share common traits with other Christian audience? Not so much.

Of the four, the only area where there is a sharp contrast is the audience. Compare an NQC crowd with any other gathering at a Christian concert, and there’s a noticeable difference in the ratios of age, race, behavior, and personalities found in the audience.

6 | Revpaul

June 20th, 2008 at 12:39 am

I don’t understand how you can say “I’m still convinced it’s the fan”. Didn’t the Singing News poll say otherwise? And isn’t the Singing News poll the final, definitive voice in all things Southern Gospel? ;)

7 | admin

June 20th, 2008 at 10:00 am

Rev.
Good point! :-)

8 | shirley faircloth

June 25th, 2008 at 11:50 pm

I love old campmeeting style music, bluegrass gospel and southern gospel. The lyrics to these songs should not be sang with gospel rock band or anyother music that would degrade the songs with any beat that pumps up the dance and sexual of this very reverent music.

9 | DRL

July 9th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

I think Shirley Faircloth just proved your point. :-P

Seriously though, what is it about the music and/or lyrics that attracts that different audience? Personally, I think it’s largely the nostalgia factor. Even the “modern” sg songs are more reminiscent of early CCM from the 1960s. The typical foot-stompin’, dirt-kickin’, sg song is not dissimilar in style to pop music from 60 years ago.

When I think of the Statesmen or the old Kingsmen, Cathedrals or Gold City … really I don’t know of any other type of music like that. I suppose there is some base in traditional gospel, bluegrass, country, or even barbershop (although that’s a truly different form), but almost every type of music has influences from other genres. But the sound of that type of sg is truly unique.