Whakaaria Mai (How Great Thou Art), by Stan Walker and Friends

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Songs of Influence Blog:

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There is probably no other Christian anthem that stirs the heart like this famous hymn!

Translated and composed by Stuart K. Hine, from the 1886 poem "O Great God", by Carl Boberg, it speaks of the awesome nature of our God - creating a special world for us to enjoy; loving us enough to spare us from His wrath in offering His Son as a sin sacrifice on our behalf; and the promise of eternal fellowship with Him after death.

Here are the lyrics of the original version, but for a special treat I thought I would post a New Zealand Maori version. 

This song is sung at almost every Maori funeral. 
There is something special and heart-warming when the Maori folk come together with just a guitar as accompaniment, and sing with love and passion with their unique, hauntingly beautiful tones.

I found this Maori / English version on Youtube, and it brought tears to me eyes. 
It is a tribute from friends of 'Audrey Phillips', and features (among others) artists Fourtunate, Vince Harder, and 2009 Australian Idol winner Stan Walker front and centre.
Stan is a full-blooded Maori, even though he was born in Australia. These people are affectionately known as Maori Auzzies, or 'Mozzies'.

It is obvious from the clip that not all of them know the words, but you can still worship with your eyes closed if that distracts you! 

Enjoy!

Lyrics to this version:

Whakaaria mai  
Tōu rīpeka ki au 
Tiaho mai 
Rā roto i te pō 

Hei kona au 
Titiro atu ai. 
Ora, mate, 
Hei au koe noho ai

(x2)

(Translation: 
Show Your Cross to me
Let it shine there in the darkness
To there, I will be looking
In life, in death
Let me rest in Thee.)


When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim
My God, how great Thou art

Then sings my soul
My saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art.

You'll Never Walk Alone, by Gerry & The Pacemakers

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Songs of Influence Blog:

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Here's one of those songs that can give you goosebumps when you hear it.

It's a common song that's sung at football matches in the UK, adopted primarily by the Liverpool Football Club, being from the home of the band.

It's a song of hope. When things are going from bad to worse, there will be something sweet at the end of it.

It reminds me of the security I have in Christ. I can go through storm after storm after storm, and still feel secure in the knowledge that He holds my eternity in His hands (Psalm 121).

Lyrics (courtesy lyricsfreak.com): 

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high 
And don't be afraid of the dark. 
At the end of a storm there's a golden sky 
And the sweet silver song of a lark. 


Walk on through the wind 
Walk on through the rain 
Though your dreams be tossed and blown. 
Walk on, walk on 
With hope in your hearts 
And you'll never walk alone 
You'll never walk alone. 

Walk on, walk on 
With hope in your hearts 
And you'll never walk alone 
You'll never walk alone. 

It Is Well, by Horatio Spafford

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Songs of Influence Blog:

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This beautiful hymn touches my heart for a number of reasons:

Firstly, it speaks of the beautiful peace we can have when we know whatever gets thrown our way, we can have assurance that God is working things out for good for us because we love Him (Rom 8:28)

Secondly, it was one of my father's favourite hymns. He loved the old ones, and he sung them with great gusto. This was like his anthem, peace personified in a turbulent world. I remember singing this at his funeral, struggling to get the words out.

Lastly, the story behind the song. 

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer and property dealer in the 19th century. However, he lost his son Horatio Jr to Scarlet Fever when he was only four years old. Then he lost almost all of his property fortune in the great Chicago fire in 1871. 

In order to get away from Chicago, Spafford decided to move his family to England. However, when the time came to set sail, a business emergency prevented him from sailing, so he sent his family on ahead and promised to set sail a few days later.

Tragically his wife's ship was struck by a British steel ship and sank- most of the passengers drowned, including all four of Spafford's daughters. Spafford took the next available ship to Britain to be with his wife Anna. During the journey, the captain called him to the bridge to inform him that that he believed he was passing over the site of the shipwreck. Spafford then went to his quarters and penned this great hymn.

Horatio and Anna soon returned to Chicago, and were blessed with three more children. One of the sons they also named Horatio, but unfortunately he also fell to the same disease as his brother, at the same age as well.

Spafford knew tragedy. He suffered immeasurable loss. But he also had a great comforter in his God. He knew that all things ultimately work for good because God was in control. Six of his eight beautiful children were at home with The Lord, and he knew that was a better place for them.

Soak in the beautiful words of this amazing hymn, remembering God's wonderful peace and assurance.

Honesty, by Billy Joel

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Songs of Influence Blog:

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This song by Billy Joel has a whole lot of truth in it.

Anyone can tell you what they want you to hear. And if you're desperate enough for the truth, you are willing to look in even the wrong places to find it, to our peril. 

But the problem is, everybody lies.

We lie to save face. 
We lie to protect others. 
We lie to cover the sordid truth. 
Then we lie to protect our lies. 
Then we forget which lies we've told to whom, and spend our time trying to cover this up with more lies.
Then we die.
Then we face God on Judgement Day.
Then we find that we can't hide anymore for our lies.
Then He tells us that lying lips are an abomination to Him (Prov 12:22).
Then He tells us that all liars will have a part in the lake of fire (Rev 21:8).

And that's the truth.

Lyrics (curtoesy lyricsfreak.com)

If you search for tenderness

It isn't hard to find 
You can have the love you need to live 
But if you look for truthfulness You might just as well be blind 
It always seems to be so hard to give


Honesty is such a lonely word 
Everyone is so untrue 
Honesty is hardly ever heard 
at I need from you


I can always find someone 
To say they sympathize 
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve 
But I don't want some pretty face 
To tell me pretty lies 
All I want is someone to believe


Honesty is such a lonely word 
Everyone is so untrue 
Honesty is hardly ever heard 
And mostly what I need from you


I can find a lover 
I can find a friend 
I can have security 
Until the bitter end 
Anyone can comfort me 
With promises again I know, I know
When I'm deep inside of me 
Don't be too concerned 
I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone 
But when I want sincerity 
Tell me where else can I turn 
Cause you're the one that I depend upon


Honesty is such a lonely word 
Everyone is so untrue 
Honesty is hardly ever heard 
And mostly what I need from you

The Cross, By Phatfish

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Songs of Influence Blog:

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OK, first up is getting my priorities straight...
As a Christian, God is centre and foremost to everything in my life. It therefore seems an appropriate place to start this journey.

This song thanks Christ for dying on the cross in my place, so that when I stand before God on Judgement Day, He can dismiss those sins that Christ covered up, and grant me eternal life.


Phatfish is a UK Worship band that continuously pumps out biblically sound worship songs. They have quickly become my favourite worship band.

The music is modern - not generally my taste, but because of the lyrics I can bear it!

Enjoy!

Lyrics (courtesy Lyricsfreak.com):


I see You hanging there, nailed to a splintered wooden beam,
Drinking pain and sorrow, breathing agony.
And in those dark, dark hours as life drained from Your flesh and bones,
I know my life had it's begining at Your cross,
And I thank You....
(CHORUS)
For the cross where You bled,
For the cross where You died,
For the cross where You've broken Satan's back,
For the cross where You won,
For the cross of victory,
For the cross where You paid the price for me.

You were my substitute in laying down Your life for mine,
Being cursed and bearing God's wrath for me.
You were crushed by my sin - Your punishment has brought me peace,
By the wounds You suffered I'm alive and healed.
And I thank You....
(CHORUS)
Two days in the grave and then You rose up from the dead.
Now You reign in glory, rule in righteousness
And I was raised with You, free at last from all my sin,
Safe forever in the home of my King.
And I thank You....
(CHORUS)
I'm free at last from all my sin, safe forever with my King 
(repeat to fade)......

Welcome, About This Blog

Thank you for visiting & enjoying this Blog!

Blogspot has been very valuable to me, but I have now moved to a Wordpress platform on my own website. All the posts on this site have been archived across. Go across and have a look!

https://headcountone.net

Songs of Influence Blog:

https://headcountone.net/category/songs-of-influence/

Hi All

Welcome to my new blog!

I really just started this blog so that I would have a collection of some of my favourite music.

There are moments in your life where you hear a song, and it strikes a chord (pardon the pun!) in your soul.
This can be anything from a Nursery Rhyme to an Anthem, Beethoven to The Beatles, Opera to Organic Punk (no, I didn't make that up, google it for yourself).

Everyone has their tastes, and no two people have the same. So what influences mine?
Well firstly and foremost, being a born-again Christian has an enormous sway. This immediately discounts songs that have blasphemous lyrics and themes against my Creator. I subscribe to the old adage of garbage in, garbage out. If my mind is being stuffed with impure information, then my mouth, hands, and feet will surely follow.
Having said that, I can't just label all non-Christian music as worthless. Some have themes we can all identify with and relate to, while still having a clear conscience from our beliefs. While singing '3 Blind Mice' doesn't glorify God as such, it only offends Him if it becomes a replacement of my worship of Him. That's how I see it, anyway.

I grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the early 60's. Being the youngest of 6 kids, I lived quite a sheltered life - I was protected from a lot of all the goings on in the world. This included a lot of the music I was subjected to in my early years as well.
I can remember my parents singing to Ray Charles' 'I Can't Stop Loving You' on the radio in the kitchen.
I can remember my mum humming hymns while doing the housework, and everyone tells me she used to sing 'Sleepy Joe' to me, to wake me in the morning.
I can remember my sister dancing to all the protest folk songs in her paisley dress and a flower in her hair.
I remember my other sister crooning to The Bay City Rollers 'Saturday Night', dancing to Abba's 'Waterloo', as well as doing the Brooklyn Shuffle to the Bee Gees 'More than a Woman' (she'll probably slap me for saying that...).
I remember my brother's obsession to Boney M's 'Night Flight To Venus' album, as well as Meatloaf's 'Bat Out Of Hell'. Hmmm, not very honouring there, are we? (I'll definitely get a slap for saying that...)

As for my own taste, well it was probably more middle-of-the-road easy listening. I could handle a bit of rock, but none of the head-banger stuff. I enjoyed singing along to songs whose lyrics had some sort of meaning for me. I couldn't be bothered with songs about sexual escapades . Meatloaf's "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad' seemed pointless to me - 'I want you, I need you, but there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you' - how stupid is that?

Anyway, I don't want to give away too much - you'll work it out as you go along!

I will be tweaking things here and there as I go, so don't be surprised if the next time you visit things have changed.

First music post coming soon...

Enjoy!