Friends: 

Welcome to the First Pres Contemporary Music email/blog, dedicated to enhancing your Contemporary Christian music experience!  

In Christ,  Mark

SONG OF THE WEEK    This week’s feature is Switchfoot’s DARK HORSES, from their upcoming 2011 album, “VICE VERSES”.  I realize I haven’t blogged for a month and that the last time I did, I featured Switchfoot.  Yes, I am a fanboy of Switchfoot, but I will defend this choice by saying I really looked hard tonight for something outstanding other than this song, and I couldn’t find anything that is even close, so we will talk about DARK HORSES. 

What I like about Switchfoot is they are not a formulaic Christian band – they are spiritual, but they don’t necessarily knock you down with it with every song – they are very much in the outreach business as a successful crossover rock band that reach a very broad audience.  It also helps that they write distinctive music and lyrics.

Musically, DARK HORSES is a rock anthem – a grinding guitar start, a “Hey!” led chorus (note – any song that has Hey! as a lyric will become an anthem of some sort).  Lyrically, I thought it was about Christian kids and the pressure they face from peers everyday, but I was wrong.  At the beginning of the video I’ve attached (live version of the song from Fox & Friends), Jon Foreman explains that the song was inspired by and is dedicated to homeless children.

DARK HORSES

Yeah
I’ve made my mistakes
I’ve seen my heart cave in
I got my scars
I’ve been to hell and back again

Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

[Chorus:]
We’re singing
Hey!  You can’t count us out
We’ve been running up against the crowd
Yeah we are the dark horses
We’re singing
Wait!  It’s not over now
We’ve been down but we’ve never been out
Yeah we are the dark horses

We found the way out
The city takes everything it can
But outside the crowds
I can feel my lungs again
Born for the blue skies
We’ll survive the rain
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

[Chorus]

We’re singing
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

Yeah!

Born for the blue skies
Born for the blue skies
Born for the sunrise
We’ll survive the pain

[Chorus:]

Keep running for the dark horses
Hope makes the blood change courses
Keep running for dark horses
Stand up for the dark horses
Keep running for the dark horses
Hope makes the blood change courses

You can hear DARK HORSES here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYNnqaNuaYc

 

SONGS THIS WEEK:  Partial list includes GOD WILL LIFT UP YOUR HEAD, STARRY NIGHT, HE REIGNS

 VERSE(s) OF THE WEEK:   

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”     – John 14:23

 

FEATURED MUSIC    Songs we are listening to – some for church, and some for just the fun of it.  Let us know what you think of them! 

 

UPCOMING CONCERTS   

ROCK THE UNIVERSE FEATURING SWITCHFOOT, DAVID CROWDER BAND, CASTING CROWNS, THIRD DAY, ANBERLIN, RELIENT K, MORE – September 9 & 10, Universal Studios Orlando. http://www.universalorlando.com/Events/Rock_the_Universe/2011.aspx

NIGHT OF JOY FEATURING NEWSBOYS, JEREMY CAMP, SKILLET, MERCYME, TOBYMAC, JARS OF CLAY, MORE –September 9 & 10, Disney World Magic Kingdom, Orlando http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/night-of-joy/

AMY GRANT, MICHAEL W. SMITH – October 25th, Ruth Eckerd Hall

 

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