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The Stories Behind the Songs on Our Fourth Single
Fri., Apr. 16. 2021 9:19pm EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the stories behind the songs on our fourth single:
STRIVE
What happens when society lets go of the truth and embraces lies? Will you have the courage to break away and say, "I refuse"? Maybe baby, but that's a dangerous type of behavior when people scrutinize everything you say. Getting through the day without leading a double life is a real challenge. It's only through Christ we can pull it off.
"Drive" was The Cars' biggest hit — #3 pop, #3 rock, and #1 adult contemporary — a rare triple threat. I love The Cars but was always kind of indifferent to that song; I guess the lyrics didn't speak to me. Hopefully these parody lyrics will speak to our listeners.
After we finished recording "Strive," I was reminded of a song I heard in religion class when I was in grade school — "Who Will Answer?" by Ed Ames, a Top 20 in January 1968. I only ever heard it once, but I still remember a number of the words to the verses and all of the words to the chorus, so it left quite an impression.
I looked it up this week and listened to it again. The lyrics lamented things going on in society at that time and asked who would answer the questions that went along with them. "Strive" has a similar tone. The Ed Ames song seems to be saying, "The only person who could answer these questions would be God. Is there a God? If so, will He answer?"
Obviously, I believe there is a God and that He answers prayers, but my questions are more along the lines of who is going to seek Him and His will and stand up for Him in these troubling times.
TALK TO DOCTORS
Some say God and science have nothing in common; don't listen to their lies. Medical miracles can happen when you have God's love on your side. Don't presume, but don't preclude — pray! The One who can stop the rain from falling and calm a storm on the sea is also the One who keeps your heart beating and your lungs breathing day after day.
I believe Christians shouldn't forget or neglect to ask God for healing (James 5:14-15), and we should pray everything according to His will (1 John 5:14). As far as His will in a particular situation, we don't know unless/until we ask. And whether a doctor or medicine is involved or not, God is the one who ultimately heals us (Exodus 15:26).
He holds the cure for the most terminal illness of all — sin (Psalm 103:3). The line "He can heal the most unwanted, foul disease" can be taken two ways: 1. He can heal any disease, no matter how horrible. 2. He can heal the worst of disease all, spiritual death.
Two days after finishing the lyrics to "Talk to Doctors," my wife and I were watching a TV show, and the main character was in the hospital after recovering from a near-fatal gunshot wound. A born-again pastor came in — a friend of a friend of a relative. He said he'd heard the main character was in the hospital and added, "I thought I would come and pray with you."
It was so similar to the second line in this parody, I looked at my wife and said, "That's basically the same thing I said in the song I just finished!"
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