Welsey Crusberg, (Dave Matthews) Blog # 8

in another course of mine I am writing a paper on the relationship between Christianity and music. I chose to go a different route in this regard because I wanted to relate how chiritian stories are projected in more modern ways to gain a younger audience. My paper dicusses three songs by Dave Matthews and how these songs tell famous Christian stories just in a more modern way, and in turn gain a more younger audience that is interested in religion because of the lyrics. The songs I chose were “Christmas Song,” “Save Me,” and “Bartender.”
“Christmas Song,” is a story of Jesus Christ. The song goes through detail of his birth, some of his life, the last supper and eventual his death. It is a powerful song that Matthews plays on occasion. He rarely plays this song at all and when he does it is usually with his friend and fellow guitar player Tim Reynolds. The two both play guitar and when they do it together the sound is amazing. The song is directly an interpretation of what Dave Matthews thinks actual scripture is saying. His personal take on scripture is interesting in its own way. The paper goes back and forth between scripture and lyric and compares the two.
“Save Me,” is Dave Matthews’s interpretation on the temptation of Christ. Like previously stated I managed to find scripture within the bible and how it relates directly to the song. Dave Matthews wrote this song as he was the one providing temptation to Christ. He is not the devil though; instead he is a lost man just asking for help. In this way the scripture is different than the song but nonetheless the point of the song is still there and an audience can appreciate the symbolism.
“Bartender,” is the final song I chose to describe by Dave Matthews. The song does not necessarily describe a certain event within Christianity, but instead provides examples within Christianity using symbolism. The first symbol is the bartender itself. The bartender acts as a symbol for God and the man drinking is the sinner asking for forgiveness. This is powerful within the song because throughout the man is asking his brother, his sister and his mother for forgiveness. This is a form of another symbol. The brother can serve as man as a whole. Sister can serve as the land and the other can serve as the soul for it is your mother that grants life. The wine is also another symbol within the song. Not only does it represent Christ but it also represents poison and medicine. I do not want to give away all of my paper but if anyone is interested in the paper I will send you a copy.
Song and lyric are important within society and they help people in lots of ways. I just wanted to write on an artist who has affected me in my life and point out the types of lyrics that directly refer to Christianity.