Tell Us About You. Help us pick new songs to parody and cities to tour in by telling us about you. At least your zipcode and date of birth. (We won't tell anyone.) Tell us about you >>
Photos from the Road We try to take as many pictures of our concerts and fans as possible, and we have a bunch from our concert in Gahanna, OH on Sat., Nov 12.
See the photos from
Gahanna, OH and other concerts.
Come to the Show
Were You There? Fans love to look up the photos on our website, and email them around. These are the ten most recent concerts that we have no photos from. Pick any concert you have photos for and please upload them.
Upcoming Fan Birthdays
Happy birthday to all our fans and friends who are celebrating a birthday in the coming week including these 217 fans: | 07.02 | Dan L. - NC |
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Make sure we know about your birthday -- For your name to appear above, your profile has to have your correct first and last name and in the correct fields.Tell us about you >>
Wanna Help the Band?
We're often asked if we accept donations. Yes we do. Like other ministries, we have many expenses. Although the donations aren't tax deductible, they are immediately put to good use. If you'd like to donate, thanks. 
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J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here.
Today is my birthday. I was born on July 2, 1964, the same day and year as two notable major-league baseball players, Joe Magrane and Jose Canseco. We all had our best year in 1988: Magrane led the N.L. in Earned Run Average (ERA), Canseco won the A.L. Most Valuable Player Aware (MVP), and I turned my life over to Jesus Christ (PTL)!
As our American fans know, July 4 is Independence Day. But I learned long ago that I am absolutely dependent on the Lord. I'm reminded of that often when trying to come up with ideas for new parodies and also when I'm trying to come up with money to pay the bills.
This year on my birthday, I get to do one of my least favorite things: write an appeal letter. The good news is it's been just over four months since our last one, and the previous one was four months before that. Usually, it's every two to three months, so I praise the Lord for His provision.
When I sent our last appeal letter in late February, we had just released our first single of 2021. Since then, we've released nine more, so we're already up to 21 parodies this year, even after such a late start! Moreover, we have both songs recorded for the next single and lyrics and instrumentation done for one of the songs on the single after that!
We also finally got the new ApologetiX digital songbook finished and released in April, and we've begun work on our 62nd CD, which we hope to release by the end of July, Lord willing. So God has made this a very creative and productive time.
Unfortunately, ApologetiX has a lot of big expenses coming due. I don't even have the funds to order new USBs, which are a great fundraiser for us. And the band is five months behind in paying me. The stimulus checks helped to keep us going, but now my family also has big significant expenses coming up, too.
If you'd like to help, here are some options:
1. Pray (free but priceless)
2. Get our singles and CDs:
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php
3. Get multiple MP3s for one donation:
http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=3564
4. Get our complete library (1388 tracks) on MP3 for $100:
http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=4024
5. Get our new digital interactive songbook for a donation of $50 at:
http://www.apologetix.com/store/store.php#songbook
6. Get our USBs: http://apologetix.com/store/store.php#USB
(We hope to order more soon and will put you on the waiting list)
7. Give online: http://apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
8. Give by mail: ApologetiX, 208 Charlemma Dr., Pittsburgh PA 15214
Donations aren't tax deductible. Please only give if you feel led and able. If you'd like us to pray for you, email me at j@apologetix.com. Thank you.
New Single ('84 & '86)
June 28, 2021, 1:45 pm EDT
We've just released our 10 single of 2021. It spoofs a couple of Top Five hits from the 80's by two artists whose names begin with the letter O.
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php#ArrogantQueen
Here's what's on it:
Arrogant Queen - Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean
If You Believe - If You Leave - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
There are now 169 singles/EPs (343 songs) in our "downloads for a donation" series, including our previous single, "Change Your Tone" and "Two Spies," featuring parodies of Kenny Loggins and Kajagoogoo.
To get multiple downloads with one donation go to http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=3564
The Stories Behind the Songs on Our 10th Single
July 2, 2021, 3:15 pm EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the stories behind the songs on our tenth single:
ARROGANT QUEEN
I got the idea for this on May 29, while listening to a bunch of #1 songs from the 80's, looking for something to spoof. I never expected we'd do Billy Ocean's first #1 song, "Caribbean Queen," although I had spoofed that song for a journalism department banquet in 1987. Anyway, I'd been wanting to do a song about Athaliah, the only female ever to rule over God's people in the Old Testament.
She was the daughter of wicked King Ahab of Israel and, presumably, his infamous wife, Jezebel, who introduced Baal worship to Israel and murdered most of the LORD's prophets. The Bible doesn't specifically say Athaliah was Jezebel's daughter (kings could have multiple wives), but most commentators seem to believe Athaliah was Jezzie's girl. She certainly acted like her.
By the time Athaliah came to power (841-835 B.C.), Israel had already been divided for almost a century into a northern kingdom, Israel (or Samaria), and a southern kingdom, Judah. Israel/Samaria suffered a succession of consistently wicked kings, but Judah had some good kings, though the majority were bad.
Athaliah first became queen when she married King Jehoram of Judah as part of treaty between Israel and Judah. After King Jehoram died, Athaliah's son Ahaziah became king at age 22. He reigned for one year but was assassinated by General Jehu, who took over the throne of Israel. With Ahaziah dead, the kingdom of Judah was ripe for the taking.
Athaliah killed all the royal offspring and seized the throne. She ruled for six years but didn't realize her infant grandson Joash had survived the slaughter. He was secretly raised and protected by the high priest, Jehoiada, who eventually led a revolt, executing Athaliah and coronating Joash at the tender age of six.
As I told Rich on June 3, after a fruitful lyric session: "Got more lyrics for Billy Ocean on this morning's walk. 'No more love on the run,' but lots more words on the walk." I sang the vocals on June 16. There were a lot of parts, so it was a long day. On my way home from the studio, I stopped at the grocery store, and they were playing Billy Ocean's second #1 song, "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)."
I know the cover of the single is a little scary, but so was Athaliah. I see that picture as capturing her at this moment from 2 Kings 11:13-14:
When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people in the house of the Lord. She looked and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
IF YOU BELIEVE
I got the first verse and half of the chorus to this parody in the last 15 minutes of my daily walk on May 29, 2021, the same day as "Arrogant Queen," and they wound up on the same single.
"If You Believe" was inspired by a Christian brother on social media who was posting things I felt were careless and insensitive. The Gospel is controversial enough (1 Corinthians 1:23) without us making it more controversial by certain things we say and do. I'm not talking about watering down the Word, mind you, but Jesus said, "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16).
The song we spoofed here, "If You Leave," was written for and prominently used in the film Pretty in Pink. As those of us who were in high school and/or college in the 80's know, before there was Brad Pitt, there was Brat Pack.
"If You Leave" was part of the soundtrack of the sunset of my college career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). It hit #4 in May 1986, shortly before I graduated. I remember going to a club with some girls I knew and dancing to it. I still had a summer internship to do, but most of my friends were leaving.
My daughter Janna and I saw Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in concert along with Howard Jones and Barenaked Ladies (two other artists ApologetiX has spoofed) in Pittsburgh on June 20, 2016. ApX released this parody exactly five years and one week later, on June 27, 2021. I hope the guys in Barenaked Ladies appreciate that we added "one week."
Bible-Reading Update: Joshua 13-1 Samuel 6
July 2, 2021, 12:02 am EDT
We began our latest trip through the Bible on April 28. Here's our Bible-reading plan for the next two weeks for those of you reading along with us:
Sat., July 3 - Joshua 13-15
Sun., July 4 - Joshua 16-18
Mon., July 5 - Joshua 19-21
Tue., July 6 - Joshua 22-24
Wed., July 7 - Judges 1-3
Thu., July 8 - Judges 4-6
Fri., July 9 - Judges 7-9
Sat., July 10 - Judges 10-12
Sun., July 11 - Judges 13-15
Mon., July 12 - Judges 16-18
Tue., July 13 - Judges 19-21
Wed., July 14 - Ruth 1-4
Thu., July 15 - 1 Samuel 1-3
Fri., July 16 - 1 Samuel 4-6
Note: If you don't have a Bible handy, you can look up these passages for free on http://www.biblegateway.com. They have about 60 different English translations/versions there to choose from, plus translations in many other languages, many of which also have multiple translations/versions.
Darnell Cline: Continued Improvement, Long Way to Go
July 2, 2021, 5:45 pm EDT
Here's an update we received Thursday evening from ApX fan Sonja Cline, regarding her husband, Darnell, who has been battling severe complications from COVID, which he contracted in early May.
Darnell continues to improve but he still has a long way to go.
The good news is that he has been given a more basic model of trachea which is wonderful because now he can actually breathe through his nose and his mouth without breathing through the trach. They have capped off the trach hole which makes this possible for him.
In addition to that change, he was able to be removed completely from all oxygen support! If he can continue to handle this for two more days they will be able to completely remove the trach all together! Hallelujah!!!
His lungs are able to maintain normal oxygen levels. This is a miracle! PTL!
Things to continue to pray for
He is still on dialysis three times a week for 3 1/2 hours a session.
Please continue to pray for the staff here — that they will attend him as they should, because that is not really happening when I'm not here, and he really suffers a lot as a result of that.
PTL one day at a time,
Sonja and Darnell We rejoice with Sonja and continue to pray for Darnell's continued recovery.
Influential Albums: 414-420
July 1, 2021, 9:54 pm EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020. Rather than listing the albums in order of preference or excellence, I've been listing them in chronological order of when they influenced me, as best as I recall. We were well into 1987, and you'll start seeing a lot of Christian albums once we get to 1988.
However, in May 2021, I realized that I'd neglected to include many influential albums along the way, so I've been catching up on those for a while before we get to that momentous moment in '88 when my life and musical trajectory was forever changed. You'll still see plenty of secular albums after that, but music was never the same for me after.
414. 16 of Their Greatest Hits - The Mamas & The Papas
The Mamas & The Papas had 10 songs that hit the Top 40, and they're all on this album, including six that hit the Top Five: "Monday, Monday" (#1), "Dedicated to the One I Love (#2), "California Dreamin'" (#4), "I Saw Her Again" (#4), "Creeque Alley" (#5), and "Words of Love" (#5). I thought Tom Dellaquila owned this record, but he says he had Farewell to the First Golden Era, so I'm not sure where this one came from. If I recall correctly, one of his favorites was "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)," which went to #20. That's a pretty good one. So is "Go Where You Wanna Go," which didn't chart but was later a Top 20 hit for The 5th Dimension. I remember "Monday, Monday" from my childhood, but my first recollection of hearing "California Dreamin'" was actually a cover version released by America in 1979. It was recorded for and featured in a movie called California Dreaming but only went to #56. You can't even get it on iTunes now, but I used to own it on 45. I also had "I Saw Her Again" by The Mamas & The Papas on 45, but my favorite tune by them is probably "Creeque Alley" (named after a place in the Virgin Islands — the first word is pronounced "creaky"), although I thought they did a great job with "Dedicated to the One I Love," which had already been a #3 hit for The Shirelles in 1961.
415. Grootste Hits Cliff Richard
I got a used copy of Groostste Hits at Backstreet Records while I was in college. It was an import from the Netherlands and contained 18 tracks. The grootste hits I was most interested in were the last three, "Devil Woman" (#6 in 1976), "We Don't Talk Anymore" (#7 in 1980), and "Dreaming" (#10 in 1980). Sir Cliff Richard was a megastar in England, with over 125 U.K. chart hits, including 14 chart-toppers. Here in the United States, he had nine that hit the Top 40 from 1959-80, and only the three I mentioned above actually hit the Top 10. His other two singles that hit the U.S. Top 20, "Suddenly" (with Olivia Newton-John) and "A Little in Love" (both released in late 1980), were either too recent for this 1981 collection or they weren't considered "grootste" enough. Richard's first U.S. Top 40 hit, "Living Doll" (#30 in 1959), did make it, though. I knew how popular he was in England, so I tried to get into the older tunes, but they just didn't do much for me. However, those three U.S. Top 10's still made this a worthwhile purchase. I know he's Sir Cliff Richard now, but he looks like Dr. Cliff Richard in the cover photo. For a a look at the cover and a complete track listing, go to https://www.discogs.com/Cliff-Richard-Grootste-Hits/release/2317936
416. Meet the Beatles! The Beatles
This was the album that took America by storm the year I was born. My brother-in-law Dan gave me his old copy, and I liked owning a piece of history, but Meet the Beatles! was "hit or miss" on my musical scorecard. You can't go wrong with the first two songs, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There," and the last song on side one, "All My Loving," but there are several tracks that might not make the cut for my top 100 Beatles tunes. Exhibit A: "Till There Was You." I love the Broadway musical The Music Man, and I love Paul McCartney, but I also love peanut butter, and I love tuna fish. That doesn't mean I want to have them on the same sandwich. Having said that, Meet the Beatles! still provides plenty of fun for the whole family, including yours truly. My favorite lesser-known numbers are probably "It Won't Be Long," "Little Child," "Don't Bother Me," and "I Wanna Be Your Man."
417. John Denver's Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits Vol. 2 John Denver
This is one of the few greatest-hits tandems where I'm more familiar with the songs on the second volume. That said, I think one of my sisters owned the first, which came out in late 1973. If I'm not mistaken, my college friend Barb Hunter owned Volume 2. But John Denver's big breakthrough single, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (#2), was my jam long before either of those compilations, back in '71. It's one of the first pop songs I can remember singing along to, although I thought the place was called "West Bejoonia." ApologetiX spoofed that song in 2017. My childhood friend Chris Marsh, who would later introduce me to bands like Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and Rush, was into John Denver before moving on to those heavyweights. He was a big fan of "Rocky Mountain High" (#9), another one of my favorite Denver tunes. My sister Kris had a 45 of "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," and I played and sang that one a lot and still remember all the words. The flip side was "My Sweet Lady," which later became a Top 40 hit, too. I occasionally sing love songs to my wife, Lisa, and "Annie's Song" is one of her favorites, except for the line that says, "let me die in your arms." John Denver had four #1 hits (technically five, because one was a double-sided single): "Sunshine on My Shoulders," "Annie's Song," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and "I'm Sorry/Calypso." Respected Billboard chart historians differ in the way they classify the last one; Joel Whitburn considers "I'm Sorry" a #1 hit but "Calypso" a #2 hit, while Fred Bronson lists them as a double-sided #1. Of course, I had to have recordings of all those for my #1 and #2 songs collection (which later expanded to #3, #4, and #5). My favorite was "Calypso," which was not about the style of music Harry Belafonte made famous but the research ship of undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau. Other highlights include "Follow Me," "Back Home Again" (a #5 hit), "Sweet Surrender," and "Grandma's Feather Bed."
418. Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Linda Ronstadt
Unlike many artists, Linda Ronstadt had plenty of hits left over for Greatest Hits, Volume 2. It picked up where Greatest Hits left off, in late 1976, and went the whole way through mid-1980. All 11 tracks had been previously released as singles, with nine of them hitting the Top 40 and the other two just barely missing ("Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" went to #42 and "Just One Look" went to #44). Five of them were Top 10 hits: "Blue Bayou," "It's So Easy," "Ooh Baby Baby," "How Do I Make You," and "Hurt So Bad." My favorite track on the album, "I Can't Let Go," only went to #31. I'd purchased that single before I bought Greatest Hits, Volume 2. It's a cover version of an old U.K. #2 hit by The Hollies. Interestingly, The Hollies' version of the aforementioned "Just One Look" was also a U.K. #2 hit, although theirs was a cover version of U.S. #10 hit by Doris Troy. Linda Ronstadt was the queen of the cover versions, but she did always give them the royal treatment. I read her autobiography in 2020. She seemed to spend as much time talking about horses as she did about her pop/rock career, but there's a hilarious story in there about the time she was performing Pirates of Penzance live in Central Park and a mosquito got stuck on her lipstick just as her leading man, Rex Smith, was about to kiss her. They both had to stay in character and proceed with the script, and the mosquito stayed on her lips through it all
and afterward.
419. Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
I mentioned very early on this list how the first Greatest Hits album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (released in 1970) was some of the first music I remember hearing at home as a young lad. Well, while I was in college, I borrowed (and recorded) that album and Greatest Hits, Volume 2 (released in 1973) from the IUP library. And I still play many songs from both of them when I need instrumental background music. Ironically, the biggest hit on this album wasn't an instrumental; "This Guy's in Love with You," which features vocals by Herb himself, went all the way to #1. Other hits on Volume 2 include "What Now, My Love?" (#24), "Work Song" (#18), "Flamingo" (#28), "A Banda" (#35), "and "Wade in the Water" (#37). "Bittersweet Samba" and "So What's New" didn't chart, but those are great tunes, too. Another Herb hit I really like from this era that's not on either album is "Casino Royale" (#27). I have that one on iTunes. A lot of people today don't realize how popular Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass were in the 1960's — 14 Top 40 singles and nine Top 10 albums, including five that went to #1! Then in 1979, Herb had a comeback hit that went the whole way to #1, "Rise." Finally, in 1987, he had a #5 hit with "Diamonds," which included vocals by Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith.
420. I Can't Stand Still Don Henley
Everybody knows this album's big hit, "Dirty Laundry," the million-selling single that went to #1 on the rock charts and #3 on the pop charts. It took me a while to pay attention to that tune back in the winter of 1982-83. You see, I didn't realize at the time that Don Henley had been singer, songwriter, and drummer for The Eagles, and I wasn't familiar with the expression "dirty laundry," so I assumed it was something racy. Although I was a freshman in college, I'd led a relatively sheltered life. Once I listened to the lyrics, I understood
and, man, was that song good! And I still feel that way after having been a bubble-headed bleach blond (and journalism major) myself for 20 years. "Dirty Laundry" was actually the second of three singles on Henley's solo debut LP. The first and third singles just missed the Top 40: "Johnny Can't Read" (#42 and pretty catchy, plus there's a teensy little Eagles preference on the fadeout if you listen closely) and "I Can't Stand Still" (#48). I bought a used copy of this album in the second half of my college career, sometime after I fell in love with Henley's second LP, Building the Perfect Beast. Other memorable songs for me on I Can't Stand Still included "You Better Hang Up," "Nobody's Business," "Them and Us" and "The Unclouded Day." The closest you'll get to an Eagles song on this one is probably the ballad "Talking to the Moon." Fans of that band's country side will also appreciate "Lilah," another beautiful ballad, with an instrumental intro, "La Eile," that sounds like it came from the Titanic soundtrack, even though it predates it by 15 years.
Note: Just because the albums on my list influenced me back then doesn't mean I give them all a blanket endorsement now. I started actively listening to music in the early 70's and didn't become a born-again Christian until early '88. However, I hope you'll see (as I do) how God's hand was at work behind the scenes from the start, preparing me for the work I believe He intended for me to do.
Get 1388 Tracks for $100 This Week
June 28, 2021, 1:38 pm EDT
We're giving our complete library on download to everyone who donates $100 this week.
That's 1388 tracks, including various versions (studio, live, rarity, album, single, EP, revised, remastered, etc.), plus side projects.
Standard CDs 1993-2020 (772 tracks)
Remastered Classics CDs (219 tracks)
Singles, EPs, Rarities, Side Projects (397 tracks)
Just make your donation at http://www.apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
After we receive your donation, we'll send you an email with links for all the downloads. Want to gift our library to a friend? Tell us their name, and we'll write 'em a personal email saying it's a gift from you. We'll send it and cc: you (or you can send it yourself).
Get in Our Next USB Order
July 2, 2021, 7:56 pm EDT
We recently ran out of USBs, but we plan to order more as soon as we have the funds to do so. Order now, and we'll put you on the waiting list and send yours out as soon as they're in stock again.
Emblazoned with the ApologetiX logo, the USBs include the digital versions of all 61 of our CDs, plus any parodies or rarities we've released that aren't on those CDs.
They're available for a donation of $150 or more. If you've donated for our complete library before, they're available for a donation of $50 or more.
http://apologetix.com/store/store.php#USB
How to Donate & How to Get Multiple MP3s
July 2, 2021, 7:51 pm EDT
If you'd like to donate to the ministry of ApologetiX, you can do so online at http://www.apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
If you prefer to mail a check or money order, please make it out to "ApologetiX" and send it to:
ApologetiX
208 Charlemma Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15214-1414
There are now 169 singles/EPs (343 songs) in our "downloads for a donation" series, including our latest single, "Arrogant Queen" and "If You Believe."
To get multiple downloads with one donation go to http://apologetix.com/news/news-details.php?news_id=3564 for a complete list of songs and how to do it.
Although the donations are not tax-deductible, they will be received very gratefully and used immediately.
Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. |