Last night at worship band rehearsal, I played "Leaning To Fly" for a few minutes when we were waiting for the tech team to fix some things. One of our drummers Dusty said "why can't more worship music sound like that?"
I tell this short story because when he said that, my thinking was spurred. Big time.
One. I along with a lot of other worship leaders get frustrated with the simple harmonic structure of a lot of the worship songs we sing in church. Usually it is four chords. I IV vi V or some sort of variation of those chords. C Am F G. I vi IV V. This happens a lot.
But it happened in Learning To Fly. F C Am G. IV I vi V. Four chords and the truth. And along with Dusty I agree, Learning To Fly sounds way cooler then most worship.
So why? It is four chords...just like In The Secret.
I don't know why. But I think, it has attitude. It has a feeling about it. I know its a great driving song. It evokes feeling and emotion.
Secondly I think it is a pretty solid arrangement, even though it is only four chords over and over, stuff (specifically guitars) just keeps getting layered. Vocals are layered. It doesn't get boring.
Third. A very singable chorus. And its catchy. I defy you to listen to the song and not sing it the rest of the day. FA FA FA Mi.
Four. Even though it is four chords, the ratio of lyrics line to chord, works. "Started out" (Am G) down a dirty road (Am G)
For whatever reason it works, and it doesn't sound like a tired four chord progression.
Those are reason I can think of. I wonder what your thoughts might be?
More Tom Petty Worship!
