Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas Songs You May Not Know Pt. 4 - The Nunc Dimittis

Nunc Dimittis
Luke 2:21-40
 

This is the fourth and final installment in our series on Songs of the Incarnation. We are looking at "Christmas" or more accurately Advent songs from the Gospel of Luke.

21 And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Luke 2:21-24

There are many amazing ironies that weave their way through the story of Jesus’ birth. For example:

• A tiny infant’s frame contains the expanse of deity.
• Divinity’s lungs first breath is filled with barnyard dust.
• Shabby shepherds stand in for angelic hosts.
• The long-awaited Messiah is laid in a manger instead of a royal crib.

But to me one of the greatest ironies was that Jesus, as a Jew, placed Himself under the law which He had created.

Paul said in Galatians 4:4-5

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

Why did He place Himself under bondage to His own law?

5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Jesus redeemed us from the law’s judgment, not by getting rid of the law, but by meeting its demands. He Himself said (Matthew 5:17).

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

As we look at the story of His presentation we will see how, even in His infancy He fulfilled every aspect of the law. Thanks to the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph. In fact, the law is mentioned five times in this section of Luke. In addition to fulfilling the law, this section affirms that Jesus is indeed the one true Messiah – the Redeemer.

Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas Songs You May Not Know Pt.3 - The Gloria In Altissmus

THE GLORIA IN ALTISSIMUS

 

We have been looking at the Songs of the Incarnation from the Gospel of Luke. These are songs that revolve around the birth of the Savior and they point to God’s grace and mercy in His redemptive plan.

So far we have looked at the...

• The Magnificat of Mary – Luke 1:46-56 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
• The Benedictus of Zechariah – Luke 1:67-79 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel for He has visited and redeemed His people.”

In this post we are going to look at the song of the Angelic Hosts in what has been called The Gloria in Altissimus or “Glory to God in the Highest.” As has been the case over the last few weeks in order to appreciate the content of the song, we need to first establish some background and set the context of the passage.

Luke 2:1-5 “Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.”

The song is set in the context of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem in order to register there for a Census. The census is important because it was the vehicle that God used to move Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Little did Caesar Augustus know that the Sovereign God of the universe was going to use his (Caesar’s) imperial edict to fulfill His (God’s) word.

Paul says in Titus 1:2-3a - “In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie, promised before the world began; but hath in due times (proper times) manifested His word.” Also, in Galatians 4:4 - “And when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son - made of a woman.”

At this moment in time, God was bringing together people, places and circumstances to fulfill His prophetic word.

Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas Songs You May Not Know Pt. 2 - The Benedictus

The Benedictus

Luke 1:57-80

 

We are continuing our series on Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas Songs you May not Know.

 

Dr. E.J. Sullivan once said: “The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts - the greatest forces in the world are babies.” And indeed, when it comes to the story of God’s redemption of man, he was right. As we come to the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke we have recorded for us the story of two babies, two babies who would someday grow into two of the greatest forces in the world. John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah

John - A man, has his birth announced in Luke 1:5-25 – He would be the forerunner, the one who prepared the way, a prophet of the Most High.

Jesus - God in the flesh, has his birth announced in Luke 1:26-38 – He would be the Messiah of God - the one who would accomplish redemption for mankind - the Son of the Highest.

John would be “great in the sight of the Lord.” Jesus would be “great” without qualification - the embodiment of absolute greatness.

Now as Luke tells the story of these two babies, he weaves a masterful narrative that switches back and forth between the birth of John and the birth of Jesus. He also includes in this narrative several songs of praise, songs of praise to God for what He was going to do for mankind through these two babies. I call these songs, “Songs of the Incarnation” because they are entirely related to the fact that God has sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save the world.

Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas Songs You May Not Know Pt. 1 - The Magnificat

I want to share with you a Christmas series on the “Songs of the Incarnation: Christmas songs you might not know.” In it, we are going to look at four Christmas Songs from the Gospel of Luke.

1. The Magnificat of Mary - Luke 1:46-55
2. The Benedictus of Zechariah - Luke 67-79
3. The Nunc Dimittis of Simeon - Luke 2:28-35
4. The Gloria in Altissimus of the Angelic Host - Luke 2:10-14 

Each of these “Christmas songs” gives us unique insight into the Incarnation and what it really means to us. The incarnation speaks of God the Son, becoming a man (John 1:1,14; Phil. 2:5-8) so that He (Jesus), might humble himself and die for our sins (1 Pet. 3:18).

What I love about each of these “Christmas songs” is that they glorify God in a way that most songs do not. The first song of the incarnation that I am sharing with you is called “The Magnificat.” The Magnificat comes from the lips of none other than Mary herself.

Now before we look at The Magnificat itself we need to set the stage for her great Christmas song by establishing some background and setting the context from Luke 1:26-45. This young woman had recently experienced an amazing event. An Angel had appeared to her and told her that she, a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, had found favor with God.

 

Rush Countdown - Pt. 3

In honor of Rush's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I am posting a countdown of my personal top-twenty favorite Rush songs. In addition, I am ranking all 20 Rush albums in reverse order. Albums and songs 20-16 can be found here. Albums and songs 15-11 can be found here.

Albums 10-6

Album #10 - Snakes & Arrows - It's no secret to most Rush fans that Neil Peart has issues with organized religion. There is no better example of that than Snakes and Arrows. Throughout the album, Peart's lyrics are focused on the worst parts of religion. The album seems foreboding in some ways, not only in its words but in its music. Yet, despite its sometimes darker subject matter and sound, I actually like this album a great deal. There are three instrumentals on the album as well, and in my opinion they are some of the band's best.

Album #9 - Permanent Waves - This was Rush's first album of the 80s. As the band started in its second decade of music, Permanent Waves was a clear departure from what preceded. Moving away from the Sci-Fi themed epic pieces of the 70s, this album delivers more commercially accessible music. Specifically, the first two songs on the album, The Spirit of the Radio and Freewill would become radio mainstays on the Rush playlist.

How to Be a Model Citizen

Titus 3:1-3

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. NAS

Think with me for a moment about the world at the time of the birth of Christ.

It was a world of slavery

It has been estimated that there were 3 slaves to every 1 free man in the world at that time. Slavery was a common and flourishing aspect of society.

It was a world of absolute rulers

At the end of the Roman Republic, the Caesars took power and ruled with absolute authority. August was proconsul and tribune of Rome for life. He was the commander in chief of the military, he reigned over the Senate, and he controlled all civil-affairs.

The same thing was true in the land of Palestine. Herod was a puppet-King, not even a real Jew (he was an Idomite). However, when it came to his ruling style he was a ruthless man. Remember what he did to the children of Bethlehem? He had absolute authority over life and death (he in fact murdered nearly all of his own family).

It was a world of high taxes

When Jesus came into the world – taxes were exorbitant. Those who worked as tax-collectors had sold themselves to Rome for money and then they overcharged the people (i.e. Zaccheus – Luke 19). Why did Mary and Joseph have to travel to Bethlehem in the first place? To take a census in view of taxation!

It was world of persecution

At the time of Jesus birth, the Jewish people were considered as nothing. They were chattel for the Romans. They were underprivileged and oppressed, they had no voice in government and they had to bear a heavy burden of taxation.

In the world that Jesus came into, they did not have democracy, the opportunity to vote, or most of the freedoms we enjoy today.

Yet Jesus did not come with power and force to overthrow the Roman government. He did not seek social change by eliminating slavery or other issues. He did not come with a political or economic agenda. He did not come to bring a new government or even wave the flag of Judaism.

Rush Countdown - Pt. 2

In honor of Rush's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I am posting a countdown of my personal top-twenty favorite Rush songs. In addition, I am ranking all 20 Rush albums in reverse order. Albums and songs 20-16 can be found here.

Albums 15-11.

Album #15 - Caress of Steel - When released, Caress of Steel was considered a disappointment, largely because it marked a new direction for the band. Caress of Steel can be viewed as a "Tale of Two Sides." Side one has a more traditional format and contains the #18 song on my top-twenty, Bastille Day. Side two reflects the band's first attempts at "sci-fi," "concept," or "epic" music. I'm not a big fan of side two although, you really get a glimpse of the band's musicianship when you listen to it.

Rush Countdown Pt. 1

In honor of Rush's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (FINALLY, I might add), I am going to be posting a countdown of my personal top-twenty favorite Rush songs. I will also be ranking all 20 Rush albums in reverse order. If you follow this link you can find an interactive list of all 20 albums.

First, albums 20-16.

Album #20 - Power Windows (1985) - Ummmm...I hate this album, I can barely stand to listen to it. This album typifies everything wrong with their synthesizer phase. Next...

Book Review - Here's The Story - Maureen McCormick

The other day I was at the grocery store in Bakersfield, picking up a few things that my daughter said we needed. I was in the meat department and looking at pork chops. While browsing through the selection of chops I caught myself saying: "pork chops and applesauce, pork chops and applesauce." I started laughing to myself because ever since I was a child I always associated pork chops and applesauce together. Why? Because of an episode I saw on the Brady Bunch. Watch the video.

Top Songs of 1978 - Part 8

In this series we have been looking at the top 100 songs from 1978. Songs 100-91 can be found here, songs 90-81 here, songs 80-71 here, songs 70-61 here, songs 60-51 here, songs 50-41 can be found here and songs 40-31 can be found here.  In this post we will look at songs 30-21.

This group of ten songs reminds me of what was right and what was wrong with music in the 70s. There are a few good songs on this list, and a clunker or two, but mostly they are just meh. On the other hand, there is once again a diversity of styles in the list. Disco, classic rock, pop rock, and then there is Barry Manilow and Meat Loaf. I am just never sure how to categorize either one. The list looks like this:

30. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, Meat Loaf
29. Dance With Me, Peter Brown
28. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
27. Can't Smile Without You, Barry Manilow
26. Baker Street, Gerry Rafferty
25. We Are the Champions / We Will Rock You, Queen
24. It's a Heartache, Bonnie Tyler
23. Love Is Like Oxygen, The Sweet
22. Hot Child In the City, Nick Gilder
21. Feels So Good, Chuck Mangione

30. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, Meat Loaf - I am not going to lie, I like Meat Loaf. I guess I would call his style theatrical rock or operatic rock. Whatever you want to call his style, it is always entertaining. The lyrics to his songs on the Bat Out of Hell album were written by Jim Steinman and they are catchy and often ironic, like those in this song. I have the Bat Out of Hell CD and usually play it when I am on a road trip. Crank it up and let it rip, there is not a bad song on the album.

29. Dance With Me, Peter Brown  - Not a bad song, just not my favorite.

Book Review - Date...Or Soul Mate?

Neil Clark Warren. You may have heard the name, but you just can't put your finger on when and where. Let me help you out. Think eHarmony. No doubt you have seen him on one of the many eHarmony commercials that run on television. You know the guy, he's the one always talking about those "29 dimensions of compatibility." In fact, he is actually, Dr. Neil Clark Warren.

Dr. Warren is arguably one of America's most respected experts on relationships, marriage and mate selection. He is a bestselling author, renowned speaker and leading relationship psychologist. Dr. Warren spent 35 years counseling thousands of singles and couples on how to activate healthy relationships. Through his clinical practice and specialized research involving more than 5,000 married people, Dr. Warren has been able to isolate the key factors that contribute to a happy successful marriage.

Date...Or Soul Mate? is Dr. Warren's attempt to share with singles some of the wisdom that he has discovered through his years of counseling. This wisdom primarily is about learning how to tell if someone is worth pursuing for a possible long-term i.e. marriage relationship. In fact, the book is subtitled: How to Know if Someone is Worth Pursuing in Two Dates or Less. That seems like a bold assertion, but Dr. Warren backs it up with his research and practical experience gained from counseling all of those, primarily unhappily, married couples. The purpose of the book then, is to give singles interested in marriage a blue print or plan of action that will help them navigate the dating process and avoid many of the pitfalls that come when looking for a mate.

Is the Resurrection Important?

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Over the years no other Christian doctrine has been under attack as much as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is especially true in our world today. It is amazing to see the great lengths the skeptics, liberals and unbelievers will go to try and discredit the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Attempts to explain away the resurrection have been almost comical. In the name of a scientific world view they claim that Jesus body simply rotted away in the tomb.

 

What about the eye witness testimony of Peter and Paul and the other disciples? Peter’s testimony can be explained away by a subjective vision that resulted from his grief and guilt over denying Christ.

 

And the testimony of Paul? He had an unconscious “Christ Complex!”

 

Others have claimed that the tomb was indeed empty when Peter and the other disciples arrived on that morning, but not because Christ was resurrected, but because His body had been eaten by a pack of wild dogs…a fate they claim was typical of Roman criminals.

 

Many blasphemous books have been written over the years that have tried to explain away the resurrection. One international best seller “Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls” asserts that Jesus was buried in a cave by the Dead Sea but He was not really dead, he only appeared to be dead thanks to a slow-acting poison administered to Him on the cross.

 

This book goes on to assert that later, Simon Magus, a magician mentioned in the New Testament, gave Jesus a purgative and some myrrh to soothe His mucous membranes. Thus revived, Jesus went on to marry Mary Magdalene, father three children, divorce her and marry Lydia, whom we read about in the book of Acts. Eventually, Jesus would die in Rome.

 

As farcical as these explanations sound, they are representative of the predominant views of the day. Over the years various skeptics, theologians and others have been given platforms in premiere magazines and bookstores to promote their views.

 

So then we have to ask, is the resurrection important? To those of us who profess to be Christians, the obvious answer is yes!
 

Top Songs of 1978 - Part 7

In this series we have been looking at the top 100 songs from 1978. Songs 100-91 can be found here, songs 90-81 here, songs 80-71 here, songs 70-61 here, songs 60-51 here and finally, songs 50-41 can be found here. In this post we will look at songs 40-31. I like this list of songs, it is my favorite so far.

40. Magnet and Steel, Walter Egan
39. Dust In the Wind, Kansas
38. The Closer I Get to You, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
37. You're In My Heart, Rod Stewart
36. Hot Blooded, Foreigner
35. Hopelessly Devoted to You, Olivia Newton-John
34. Last Dance, Donna Summer
33. Sometimes When We Touch, Dan Hill
32. Take a Chance On Me, Abba
31. Jack and Jill, Raydio

40. Magnet and Steel, Walter Egan was one of the many "One Hit Wonders" from the 1970s. I really like this song though.

39. Dust In the Wind, Kansas is a very talented progressive rock band. Their Left-Overture album was one of the first I ever purchased. This song, however, is a bit of a downer and my least favorite of their hits.

38. The Closer I Get to You, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. I think this is a beautiful song, maybe I am getting soft in my old age.

Who Is My Neighbor?

In his book “Intellectuals,” Paul Johnson reveals that Karl Marx, the self proclaimed defender and lover of the working class, never truly knew or associated with a single member of the proletariat (working class). In fact, as far as historians know, Marx never set foot in a mill or a factory or a mine or any other industrial workplace in his whole life. Rather, he himself preferred to keep company with the upper-crust of society. When he and Friedrich Engels created the Communist League, he made sure that the working class members were eliminated from any position of influence. It is also clear, that despite his supposed efforts to be the social benefactor of humanity, he truly disliked people.

Marx lived his life in an atmosphere of verbal violence, quarreling with anyone whom he associated with including his own family. He also fathered an illegitimate son with his wife’s maid and then refused to have anything to do with him. He spent the last two decades of his life in comfort with no less than two servants waiting on him!

So what?

All humans find it difficult to live up to what we espouse intellectually and often those who proclaim their ideas the loudest are the same people who will not hold themselves to that which they are perpetrating on others. It is after all, easy to love the idea that you love people, without actually living a life of love for others. This is especially true of our ruling/political class.

You see, love for people or the lack of it, reveals the true quality and effectiveness of the philosophy or belief system that we hold to. For us as Christians, our love for others is even more revealing, because it actually indicates the authenticity and the health of our relationship to God. All of which is made clear in a passage of scripture that I want to examine.

Luke 10:25-37 is a great passage that deals with the dual emphasis of Loving our God and Loving our fellow man. It is the case that the two are intricately connected together, because if you truly love God as you should, then you will love your fellow man as you should. These two things should be as basic to the Christian as a football is to a football team or as a half note is to a musician or as a book is to a librarian. My friends, if we truly love God then we will truly love our fellow man.

Can't Sleep Cinema - Into the Night

Ever had one of those nights where you can't sleep. No doubt you have. What do you do when you find yourself up late at night and wide-awake? I suppose you could read, or try counting sheep, or you might even try a warm glass of milk, and if you are really desperate to sleep, a pill may be an option. When it happens to me, I generally flip on the television in search of a rerun of something I've seen dozens of times before (especially a John Wayne or Clint Eastwood flick). Usually, I end up just flipping channels until I fall back asleep. However, on a few rare occasions, I wwill come across something that catches my attention. You know, one of those movies that you have never heard of, but once you started watching you can't stop. One of those little gems that I found several years ago on one of those can't sleep nights was an off-beat little John Landis film called, Into the Night.

Plot Summary:

Ed Okin's life is not what he expected it would be. He has a dull job, his friends are boring, his marriage is in a funk and he is on a fast track to nowhere. In addition, to all of that (or because of it), he is suffering from insomnia. One day while in a meeting at work, his insomnia affects his performance, so he is sent home early. Upon arriving home, he walks in on his wife having an affair. That night he gets in his car and starts to drive through Los Angeles where he finally ends in a parking garage of L.A.X. Moments later a beautiful young lady being chased by four Iranians jumps onto the hood of his car and asks Ed for help. What follows is a wild chase through the streets of Los Angeles and ultimately back to the Airport again. It is this wild ride through LA that makes the film so entertaining. Here's the original trailer.

Top Songs of 1978 - Part 6

In this series, I am looking at the top 100 songs from 1978. Songs 100-91 can be found here, songs 90-81 here, songs 80-71 here, songs 70-61 here and finally, songs 60-51 are here.  


In this post I present to you, songs 50-41. Like most of the songs in the top 100, this section brings an assortment of styles and genres. From the hard driving pop of Thunder Island to the Disco/Funk of The Groove Line. From the blues/folk of Slip Slidin' Away to the soft rock of Goodbye Girl. From the R & B of Used Ta Be My Girl to the novelty of Short People. This list has it all! 

50. Thunder Island, Jay Ferguson
49. The Groove Line, Heatwave
48. Slip Slidin' Away, Paul Simon
47. Goodbye Girl, David Gates
46. Love Is In the Air, John Paul Young
45. An Everlasting Love, Andy Gibb
44. Love Will Find a Way, Pablo Cruise
43. Our Love, Natalie Cole
42. Use To Be My Girl, The O'Jays
41. Short People, Randy Newman

#50 - Thunder Island (Jay Ferguson) - Who wouldn't want to be stuck on Thunder Island?

#49 - The Groove Line (Heatwave) - I have to admit that I like this sound. It is very danceable and not strictly disco but really on the funkish side. And...if you watch the video, it's pretty cool to see everyone including the musicians dance together, in sync.

Top Songs of 1978 - Part 5

In this series, I am looking at the top 100 songs from 1978. Songs 100-91 can be found here and songs 90-81 can be found here. Songs 80-71 are posted here. Songs 70-61 are here.

Now let's look at songs 60-51...

#60 - Here You Come Again - Dolly Parton
#59 - You Belong To Me - Carly Simon
#58 - This Time I'm In It For Love - Player
#57 - Back In Love Again - L.T.D.
#56 - Come Sail Away - Styx
#55 - On Broadway - George Benson
#54 - Disco Inferno - Trammps
#53 - My Angel Baby - Toby Beau
#52 - Still the Same - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
#51 - Imaginary Lover - Atlanta Rhythm Section

This is an interesting and diverse list of 10 songs. It just reminds me of the variety of musical genres that we got to experience during the 70s.

Book Review - "Why We Get Fat" - Gary Taubes

*One of the things I have committed to do this year is to read at least 20 books. I used to love to read, but after what was essentially seven straight years of college (finishing my Bachelors and then obtaining my Masters Degree), I was burned out on reading. Not a day went by during those seven years that I didn't have an assigned article or a textbook with me to read. Since completing my Thesis last March, I haven't done much reading other than what I have read on the Internet. So, I have some catching up to do, starting with the stack of books on my bookcase. I just finished my first book last week. It was so good, I wanted to share with you my thoughts about it.   

I'm not a Dietitian, I just play one on TV. 

I may not be a Doctor nor a Dietitian, but what I am is a person that has struggled with my weight for most of my adult life. In 2006 my weight had ballooned to 284 lbs. I was starting to experience the health issues associated with being over weight and it scared me. I wrote about my situation more extensively here, so I don't want to rehash the gory details in this post. As a reminder, over the course of 18 months, (from November 2006 to May of 2008) I lost 115 lbs. My weight went from 284 lbs to 169 lbs (before and after photos can be seen at the link above). It was such a personal blessing for me to lose that weight, and of course, I fully believe a life saving one as well. I have not been able to keep my weight at the lowest level I reached, but I am happy to report that I have not gained too much of the weight back. It seems strange to say this, but it has been much more difficult keeping the weight off, than it was to lose it in the first place.

Prior to my efforts in 2006 I had attempted several different ways to lose the weight. None of them worked very well. One "diet" I had tried previously, did give me good initial results, however, I did not stick with it. It was the Atkins low-carb plan. When it became clear to me in 2006 that I needed to do something, I decided to give Atkins another try, this time, i modifed it slightly to what worked for me AND I made a serious commitment to follow through.  This was really an attempt of last resorts, as my family was pushing me to get gastric bypass surgery and my doctor wanted me to try a pharmacological approach. I want to try neither. For me, it was an issue of self-respect. I needed to do it the "right way," as hard as it might be. The rest, as they say, is history.

Album Review - El Camino - The Black Keys

I don't think it is a secret that I like music. Music has been a big part of my life over the years. However, when it comes to music, I tend to like the "classic" stuff. You know, classic rock, classic R & B, classic Christian and classic country. You might say I tend to be a little "old school" when it comes to my musical tastes. One of the things I have tried to do lately though, is listen to some "newer" music. This has not been easy for me since there is so much new stuff on the market. Where do I start?

One of the best things to happen to me is dance lessons, especially the West Coast Swing classes. Our instructor plays a lot of "contemporary" music. Whenever I hear a song I like, I ask Josh (the instructor) for the name of the song and the artist/group. I then go home and youtube the artist and listen to some other songs from their discography. I discovered Adele this way. I love her 21 album.

Another way I have discovered some of the newer music is through Facebook. I have friends that post music videos regularly and I try to listen to the stuff I am not familiar with, just to see if I like it. I also see what my twenty-something sons are listening to, they both generally have good taste in music. Although, there are some genres they listen to that I don't care for (mostly hip-hop), I have gained appreciation for some contemporary music through them. My son Aaron put me onto Mumford & Sons. Their Babel album is excellent.

And finally, I read a lot about culture and entertainment online, so I pick up information about new artists and groups that way as well. That's how I discovered John Legend. I love his music. His Once Again album should be on every ipod! I also learned about the Black Keys by reading about their Grammy Awards. I recently downloaded their El Camino album and can't stop listening to it. It is VERY good.

In light of my recent musical discoveries, I wanted to review a few of the albums I mentioned. I hope some of my, how shall I say, "more mature" readers will check out the music! First up is El Camino by the Black Keys.

Valentine's Playlist

In honor of Valentine's Day, and since I have nothing better to do, I thought I would recommend some songs for my friends in relationships. I am pretty sure if you play these songs tonight you will get lucky!

This song is a great cover of a Bob Dylan tune, but the video makes it special.

 
No one sings it like the Minister, Al Green.