Here’s the soundtrack of my life right now.

• I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie
• Viva La Vida - Coldplay
• (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
• Pork and Beans - Weezer
• Godspeed - Anberlin
• Run (I’m a Natural Disaster) - Gnarls Barkley
• March (A Prelude to Spring) - Jon Foreman
• Infiltrate - Worth Dying For
• Casimir Pulaski Day - Sufjan Stevens
• Love is Here - Tenth Avenue North
• What Do You Think About That - Montgomery Gentry
• Something To Believe In - Poison
• See the Sun - The Kooks
• I Miss You Now - Stereophonics
• Make Some Music - Ziggy Marley
• Rapid City South Dakota - Dwight Yoakam
• Breathe In Breathe Out - Mat Kearney
• Everyday - Buddy Holly
• My December - Linkin Park
• Fa-Fa-Fa - Datarock
• Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
• The Maker of Noses - Rich Mullins
• With a Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
• I Want a Broken Heart - Derek Webb

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Isn’t it genius that David Cook (from American Idol) has already (re)released an album while still competing on the show AND it’s the number one album on Amazon.com?

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Here’s a sampling of what’s bangin’ my ear drums these days.

“Always Look On the Bright Side of Life” - Monty Python
“Unbelievable” - downhere
“My December” - Linkin Park
“Go Tell It” - Lee McDerment
“On Distant Shores” - Five Iron Frenzy
“Never Too Late” - Three Days Grace
“Casimir Pulaski Day” - Sufjan Stevens
“Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” - Gnarls Barkley
“Rocky Raccoon” - The Beatles
“Eleanor Rigby” - David Cook (American Idol)
“I’m Shipping Up to Boston” - Dropkick Murphy’s
“Control Freak” - Copeland
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” - Stevie Wonder
“Better Than Wine” - Derek Webb
“The Night Sky” - Keane
“What About Now” - Daughtry
“Love is the Protest” - Jars of Clay
“Vultures” - John Mayer
“The Cure for Pain” - Jon Foreman
“Redemption Song” - Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer
“Hard to Get” - Rich Mullins
“We’re Going to Be Friends” - White Stripes
“Jesus is for Losers” - Steve Taylor
“Good Ol’ Boys” - Waylon Jennings
“Ants Marching” - Dave Matthews Band
“Wasteland” - Dakoda Motor Co.
“Believe It Or Not” (Great American Hero theme) - Joey Scarbury

What songs from this list would be on your playlist?

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First of all, Idol Gives Back, is incredible. It really is. No child- anywhere- should be without food and even more- without hope. It’s great to see such a huge platform being used for good.

If that wasn’t enough, the show concluded with the contestants singing “Shout to the Lord.” Are you freakin’ kidding me? That blew me away. Didn’t they get the memo that you’re not supposed to do stuff like that on national television?

What Idol has done is what the church should be doing. Being “recklessly compassionate” (thanks Josh) and inspiring others to do the same.

I would have loved to see some churches as major sponsors and partners along with all of the companies listed. Maybe next year. If nothing else, churches can begin to impact the cities where they are. One life at a time. And it starts with you and me.

Awesome! Kudos American Idol.

Donate

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My confession is not that I wish I had a cool name like Chikezie, had dreads like Jason Castro, or rocked like David Cook.

My confession is this: I don’t vote.

Do you?

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I thought it would be fun to post what a typical playlist would’ve been in my senior year of high school. Keep in mind, I was young and just acquiring my taste in music.

1. Tucker’s Town - Hootie & the Blowfish
2. 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins (Reminds me of driving around with my buddies Paul, Zach, and Erik)
3. Wonderwall - Oasis
4. Run Around - Blues Traveler
5. Teenage Politics - MxPx (Christian musicians who weren’t lame- what a concept)
6. What Would You Say? - Dave Matthews Band
7. Big Me - Foo Fighters (Loved the video)
8. What If I Stumble? - DC Talk
9. Gangsta’s Paradise- Coolio (Not to be confused with Amish Paradise by Weird Al)
10. Buddy Holly - Weezer
11. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? - REM
12. Comedown - Bush
13. Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Deep Blue Something (I discovered this song before it ever was a hit)
14. When I Come Around- Green Day
15. Selling the Drama - Live
16. The World I Know - Collective Soul (People thought they were a Pearl Jam knock off. They proved they were better).
17. All About Soul - Billy Joel
18. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
19. All I Want - Toad the Wet Sprocket
20. Where It’s At? - Beck (I loved how experimental Beck was/is with his music)
21. Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter
22. California Love - Tupac / Dr. Dre (Yes, I know. I’m a white boy in SoDak.)
23. Don’t Speak - No Doubt
24. Creep - Radiohead
25. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - The Beatles (Class Song- that should tell you something)
26. 6th Avenue Heartache - The Wallflowers
27. The Change - Garth Brooks
28. Popular - Nada Surf (I didn’t say they were all good songs)
29. Who Will Save Your Soul - Jewel
30. I’ll Be There For You - The Rembrandt’s (C’mon, “Friends” was in it’s prime)

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“Judge a man by his playlist.” - Ancient Chinese Proverb

1. The Remedy (I Won’t Worry) - Jason Mraz
2. Be My Escape (acoustic) - Relient k
3. For the Love of the Game - Pillar
4. When Did Your Heart Go Missing? - Rooney
5. Soul Meets Body - Death Cab for Cutie
6. We Are Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes
7. The Maker of Noses - Rich Mullins
8. Troubled Times - Your Vegas
9. Control Freak - Copeland
10. Empty Me - Chris Sligh
11. Don’t You Evah - Spoon
12. Fa-Fa-Fa - Datarock
13. God of this City - Chris Tomlin
14. Feels Like Tonight - Daughtry
15. Are You Gonna Go My Way? - Lenny Kravitz
16. Equally Skilled - Jon Foreman
17. The Road I Must Travel - The Nightwatchman
18. Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That - Robert Randolph & Family
19. Revolutionary Love - David Crowder Band
20. Vultures - John Mayer
21. Somewhere Out There - Our Lady Peace
22. Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn and John
23. Somewhere I Belong - Linkin Park
24. Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
25. Song of Hope (Heaven Come Down) - Robbie Seay Band
26. Better Than Wine - Derek Webb
27. Midnight - Rock Kills Kid
28. Together - The Kin
29. All We Are - OneRepublic
30. Count Me In - Leeland
31. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
32. Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson

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Switchfoot frontman, Jon Foreman is incredibly talented. His latest project is a series of four EP’s- each representing a season. So far his first two, Fall and Winter, have been released. And I gotta say- I dig it.

It’s a raw, acoustical sound blended with honest songwriting. A real work of art. Check out a sampling on Foreman’s MySpace page.

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I believe Psalm 24:1 when it says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…”

This would include music.

When I hear a sick bass line or an incredible vocal, it moves me. And as a Christian, I know who the source of all good things come from- God. He dishes out talent.

I’ve always wanted to be a rock star but God simply didn’t enable me with the natural abilities of a John Mayer. I know that John has developed his mastery of the guitar over time, but it began with a God-given inclination. And when I hear his music, I often think about God, the life he’s given me, the girl I love, or the state of the world that I’m in. Even if that was or wasn’t John Mayer’s intent.

My favorite kind of music is good music. I don’t really care if it’s mainstream or Christian. Hard Rock or 70’s R&B. Old School or Fresh. Good music is good music. In fact, 70’s Stevie Wonder is playing as I write- which will be followed up with some Linkin Park or Mute Math.

God deserves our best. I think it offends him to create crappy music. And that’s what most “Christian” music is. Crappy, cheap knock-offs. Nothing irritates me more than hearing a Christian artist who’s an obvious “alternative” to a mainstream artist. Give me a break. What about originality? What about creativity? What about talent? Doesn’t that give glory to God?

Have you checked out the top Christian songs on iTunes lately? The top songs are still ones that were there years ago. For instance, “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe. Although overplayed, it is a great song. But it was released in 2001! C’mon, is that the best Christians can do?

So one may ask, do you like any Christian music? Yes, I like some. They aren’t all bad. I believe there are some true, talented artists who fall under the banner of Christian music. I’m also sure there are a lot of unknown artists out that I would really dig if i listened to them.

To prove that there are some good Christian artists, here are some favorites from those I do know- Derek Webb, Leeland, Anberlin, David Crowder Band, Jeremy Camp, Rich Mullins, Relient k, John Reuben, Steve Taylor, Jars of Clay, TobyMac, Todd Agnew, and Five Iron Frenzy. See, I knew I could think of some.

I can think of more but now it’s your turn.

What talented Christian artists do you dig? Anyone I may not have heard of but need to? What mainstream songs or artists have spoken to you?

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