I Will Always Love…
I grew up solely on Christian contemporary music. My dad is a preacher, has been since I was about two years old, and in the 80’s it was still rather new and cool to have somewhat modern sounding music with Christian themes. He also put the Psalms to music. Word for word. He didn’t try to make the verses rhyme. Those Psalms have always made me think of the original singers and dancers and musicians of the Old Testament.
As a teenager I was cruel to dad about his life work. I remember telling him that I didn’t think I believed. The look on his face that moment is branded on my brain. But even in my lowest spiritual valley I was still fiercely proud of Dad’s Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In my deepest heart I knew that those songs would eventually bring me back home.
One of the first “secular” artists I listened to was Sunny Day Real Estate. Listening to them was like finding a colorful, new country in my backyard. The songs that I was writing at the time took quite a turn. My (very sweet) friends started telling me that could hear Enigk in my voice. I had an affected voice, because I hadn’t found mine yet. But I don’t mind those years of sounding like his shadowy little sister.
So when Chris told me about this new song today…
….hep hep huzzah, Jeremy! He sounds better than the last couple of times I’ve seen him. He looks a little more like Phil Collins, which I find positively delightful. I will always love that voice.
Back to my father and his music. These are a few songs we recorded with him in the last couple of years. I would not be who I am without him. Musically or spiritually. And now he is an equally rabid Enigk and Company fan. All is well.
Mom, I promise I will write a blog about you one day….
