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RIP Robin Williams (1951-2014) Tribute – Best Movie Moments

Actor Robin Williams dead from apparent suicide

Robin Williams Dead — Commits Suicide

Nation Mourns Death of Comedic Actor Robin Williams

By Heather Sells

CBN News Reporter

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

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America is mourning the death of actor and comedic genius Robin Williams. The Hollywood icon died in an apparent suicide Monday at his California home at the age of 63.

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,” Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider, said.

“On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions,” she said.

Williams burst onto the scene in the late 1970s, playing an alien on the sitcom “Mork and Mindy.”

He would go on to become an Oscar-winning actor that could make us all smile – and cry.

Through the years Williams starred in countless hit films, like the now classic “Mrs. Doubtfire.”  Overnight Monday in San Francisco, fans laid flowers at the original home where the movie was shot.

Williams was perhaps known more for his comedic talents, with experts calling him a comic genius.

“Robin was one of the greatest comedians of all time,” Jamie Masada, founder of The Laugh Factory, said.

But he was also known for his range and depth on stage and on screen, like in the movie “Good Will Hunting” where he won an Oscar for playing psychologist Sean Maguire.

Fans say he changed their lives.

“When I was 12 years old I saw ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ for the first time and that range and his energy was just electric.  And I said that’s what I have to do for a living,” one person said.

Another person said, “He made everyone laugh. One of the very best… he brought so many smiles to so many people. Everyone in America tonight feels like they just got punched in the stomach.”

President Barack Obama described Williams as “one of a kind” and someone who “ended up touching every element in the human spirit.”

In his personal life, Williams struggled with depression and substance abuse addiction and talked openly about it over the years.  Just last month, he announced he was returning to a 12-step treatment program.

“When a person stops an addictive behavior and there are symptoms of traumatic stress, the risk of suicide increases significantly,” Regent University counseling professor Sherry Todd told CBN News

Williams leaves behind his wife and three children – and something for the fans:  four upcoming movies.

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Here is a very revealing article from 2009 about Robin Williams:

• Vanessa Thorpe
• The Observer, Saturday 21 November 2009

Robin Williams, 58, was forced to postpone his comedy comeback earlier this year when a heart problem required surgery. Photograph: Reed Saxon/AP

It takes some confidence to extend the Broadway run of your one-man show before opening night, especially a few months after undergoing heart surgery. But then Robin Williams has never been short of nerve. His lengthy career is due in equal measure to the fearless nature of his comedy and to the frenetic energy of his performance: he has a reputation as an entertainer that is built as much on his nerve as it is on his nerves.

Now, after six years away from the stage, a relapse into alcoholism, a divorce and an emergency operation to replace a faulty valve in his chest, Williams is resuming live stand-up. His comeback show, which reopens on Monday, is already one of New York’s hottest tickets, and then later in the week a Disney film, Old Dogs, in which Williams co-stars with John Travolta, opens in cinemas across America. What will follow is a series of wiser, more sensitive choices.

Rather like the legendary Fisher King, the character he once played on screen for Terry Gilliam, our dishevelled hero has returned, ruined by life but still searching for that grail. “It’s the idea of going, ‘Relax, you got the gig, what do you want to do now?'” Williams has explained to his fans.

Williams, who studied drama at the renowned Juilliard School of Music and Drama with fellow student and close friend Christopher Reeve, first made his name on the comedy circuit in the late 1970s alongside such emerging beacons of the alternative scene as John Belushi, Bill Murray and Richard Pryor. Once he made it to Hollywood his fortunes rose steadily, riding on the success of his Oscar-nominated portrayal of the DJ in Good Morning, Vietnam, until the point came in 1993, with the release of the hit family comedy Mrs Doubtfire, that Williams could justly claim to be one of the biggest box office draws in the world.

In the late 1990s a dangerous relationship with drink served to rub some of the shine off Williams’ star, but he kept on working. He was set to return to Broadway for a short live engagement and the appetite of his audience was clear. Tickets reportedly sold out in less than 10 minutes.

But then fate struck. Williams, who had been feeling a little out of breath and could not shift a persistent cough, was given an angiogram that uncovered a serious problem with a heart valve, a valve that was, in the comic’s words, “just blown”. The tour was put on hold while he underwent surgery.

It seems the realisation of just how close to death Williams had unknowingly been, more than the impact of major surgery itself, has jolted the performer into a new appraisal of his life and values. “I think, literally, because you have cracked the chest, you are vulnerable, totally, for the first time since birth,” he has said.

It is not that he has not had mortal shocks before. In 1982 he was with his old friend Belushi the evening before he died of a drugs overdose in the Chateau Marmont hotel, and in 1995 the serious horseriding accident and subsequent early death of his close friend Reeve had a profound impact on his life. Yet since his recent surgery Williams has spoken of a fresh thirst for life.

A close brush with death has given the 58-year-old a new perspective. He met his friend Susan Schneider, a 45-year-old graphic designer, shortly before his operation and she nursed him through convalescence at his California home. (Last year Williams separated from his second wife, Marsha, after 19 years of marriage).

A warm wave of nostalgia is washing through America this month in anticipation of seeing Williams perform again. It has prompted shared memories of some of the staging posts in his career: there was the early playful television appearance on the Richard Pryor Show, and then Williams in the guise of the alien Mork from Ork encountering Henry Winkler’s Fonz on Happy Days. (This was the part that spawned the spin-off sitcom Mork and Mindy which ran from 1978 to 1982 and made him a household name).

Far from looking back though, the actor says he is searching for work that will mean more to him. He cites a dark comedy released in America this summer, called World’s Greatest Dad and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. It is the kind of work he hopes to make more of now.

The highlights of Williams’s film career so far are the roles that have suited his extraordinary energy level or caught the mood of the times, films such as The World According to Garp and Good Will Hunting. Latterly, Williams has also enjoyed critical success in a number of spooky parts, which mysteriously also seem to fit him like a glove, for example as an obsessive in One Hour Photo or the sociopath in the thriller Insomnia.

But as the camera has rolled on through the years, Williams’s more unfortunate choices have stacked up too. Flops have included Bicentennial Man, RV, Patch Adams, Jack and Robert Altman’s Popeye, of which Williams has said: “If you watch it backwards, it has a plot.”

Though Williams may be born again, his new show will not be evangelical. While the star has learnt his own lesson in relation to booze and still attends AA meetings, he says he does not want to preach. All he can tell people, he has said, is simply not to do it.

“There’s nothing romantic about it. This idea that as an artist you have to push yourself and explore the dark side? I went there. You can do a lot more interesting stuff when you’re not messed up,” he explains.

All the same, Williams’s friend and fellow comedian Billy Crystal believes the stand-up show will offer some kind of therapy for the performer. “Over the last couple of years and the pain that he’s gone through, his brain is the one thing that’s kept him buoyant,” Crystal has said. “I think he needs the stand-up in a different way than he did before. It’s still a safe place for him to be, but he can talk about things and make himself feel better, not just everybody else.”

Eric Idle suspects that all the Williams voices are an elaborate piece of misdirection: “I’ve always felt that Robin’s blinding speed and flash of wit was an effort at concealment, rather than revealing,” said Idle. “He would be talking about something personal or sexual, but it was always in general, not about him.”

Whether or not Williams’s attention-seeking behaviour is designed to communicate more openly or to hold his audience at arms’ length, the entertainer is clearly more determined than ever to shake people into noticing more about their lives, just as he has been forced to take account of his own.

Even before his illness, Williams spoke strikingly about his drive to go out in front of an audience and talk. “There’s anger there, and a fear, too,” he said. “I want to shout, ‘Wake up! Snap out of it!’ The hypnosis is over!”
• This article was amended on 27 November 2009.

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There are two usual approaches to this problem that young people take.

First, you have the worm approach. They crawl into the ground because they don’t want to be close to anyone.

Second, the puppy approach. They do anything they can to get people to like them.

The better approach is to act like the child of God that you are. Feeling loved and accepted starts with your relationship with Christ who is the only one able to meet the deepest needs of your life. (Fast forward to the end of this post if you need a relationship with Christ.) Talking to Jesus and reading his Word- The Bible – are steps to strengthening your friendship with him. He laid down his life for you, so it is obvious that he regards you as a friend worth dying for (John 15:13) That is powerful comfort when you wonder if anyone cares.

Portions of the above post were taken from the excellent devotional book by Josh McDowell, and Ed Stewart “Youth Devotions 2,” published in 2003 by Tyndale. Back then my kids were 17, 14, 9 and 7 and we went through several of these devotions together. Just recently I got the book out of the garage and three of my kids have been meeting with me at 5:30 am every morning and we are going through some of these same devotions again. I thank God for kids who came to me and asked to start meeting with me every morning to spend 30 minutes studying Bible applications and praying together. To God be the glory.

Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version)

This series of posts concerns the song “The Last Resort.”

Amy Winehouse died a few months ago and it was a tragic loss. That really troubled me that she did not seek spiritual help instead of turning to drugs and alcohol. This post today will give hope to those who feel like it is all hopeless.

The band’s place in the pop music landscape was established with the release of their breakout single, “Last Resort,” which was quickly picked up by MTV and nominated for a “Best New Artist Video” award at the 2000 Video Music Awards. The song is a gut-wrenching first-person chronicle of hopelessness that’s gone so deep the singer is seriously contemplating suicide.   But the band is adamant about the fact that the song is about fighting to survive by overcoming depression, rather than allowing it to lead to suicide. “It’s not saying I can’t go on living. It’s saying I can’t go on living this way,” says Dick (Spin, 10/00).

I know there are some curse words in the following song. I have eliminated both times the curse word is used. I really think that there needs to be a response to the young people who are saying things like the words in this song Here are some of the words:

Do you even care if I die pleading, Would it be wrong, would it be right, If I took my life tonight, Chances are that I might, and I’m contimplating suicide, ‘Cause I’m losing my sight, losing my mind, Wish somebody would tell me I’m fine, Nothing’s alright, nothing is fine, I’m running and I’m crying, I never realized I was spread too thin, Till it was too late andI was empty within, Hungry, feeding on my chaos and living in sin, Downward spiral, where do i begin, It all started when i lost my mother, No love for myself and no love for another,Searching to find a love upon a higher level, finding nothing but QUESTIONS AND DEVILS, I can’t go on living this way, Cut my life into pieces, This is my last resort.

My response to these words:”Do you even care if I die pleading, Would it be wrong, would it be right, If I took my life tonight, Chances are that I might, and I’m contimplating suicide” is that you should plead to someone who can do something about your situation and that is Christ!!!!

Below David Powlison asserts:

How do you get the living hope that God offers you in Jesus? By asking. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Suicide operates in a world of death, despair, and aloneness. Jesus Christ creates a world of life, hope, and community. Ask God for help, and keep on asking. Don’t stop asking. You need Him to fill you every day with the hope of the resurrection.

Below is a portion of the article “Papa Roach—Infesting and reflecting youth culture by Walt Mueller. 

Papa Roach’s Music

In a day and age where the walls are crumbling between what had been a variety of distinctive popular music genres, Papa Roach is like many other chart-topping bands whose music combines sounds that were once distinct. Coby Dick’s raspy and throat-wrenching vocals join with music that incorporates sounds of rap, rock, thrash, funk and metal. Listeners familiar with popular music will hear the influence of Faith No More, the band Dick cites as one of his early favorites. Similar contemporary bands include Korn, Limp Bizkit, The Deftones and P.O.D.

Reviewer Tim Kennedy of Spin describes the resulting sound as “an amalgam of below-the-belt guitar riffage, punk-rock urgency, and half-sung, half-rapped vocals (10/00). Rolling Stone’s Anthony Bozza says listening to Papa Roach is “like standing on a precipice—sustained tension and the threat of a tumble” (8/31/00).

The sound combines with Dick’s lyrics in a powerful and emotional blend that addresses the reality of life for kids who have been burned over and over again. Tobin Esperance says, “We write about things that have happened to our singer, specifically, and friends around us. It’s real life stuff. We’re not writing about s___ that we don’t know about, like girls and cars and money … we only know real life bulls___ that happens” (nyrock.com). Coby Dick says of his autobiographical music, “I’m venting my emotions. It’s blunt” (Rolling Stone, 8/31/00). He says “Papa Roach, lyrically, is my counseling” (Billboard,6/10/00). 

Infest (2000)

Papa Roach released the album they now consider their first in April of 2000. The album quickly began to sell as a result of radio and MTV exposure, went gold after two months thanks to scoring with MTV’s Total Request Live audience, and had gone double platinum by September 2000.

Papa Roach offers an introduction to their music, mission, message and intentions on the album’s title cut. After introducing himself to his listeners, Coby Dick informs them his “God-given talent is to rock all the nations.” In this, the band’s “first manifesto,” the group lays out their plan to “infest” the world and young minds (“wrap you in my thoughts”) with an angry musical message of anarchy and rebellion against a messed-up world that’s let them down: “We’re going to infest/We’re getting in your head/What is wrong with the world today/The government, media or your family.” Institutions and people are not to be trusted. In fact, “First they shackle your feet/Then they stand you in a line/Then they beat you like meat/Then they grab you by your mind … people are the problem today.” Dick admits the struggle so many young people feel: “the game of life is crazy.” Alone in this sea of brokenness and hopelessness, Dick asks, “Would you cry if I died today/I think it be better if you did not say.”

The band’s place in the pop music landscape was established with the release of their breakout single, “Last Resort,” which was quickly picked up by MTV and nominated for a “Best New Artist Video” award at the 2000 Video Music Awards. The song is a gut-wrenching first-person chronicle of hopelessness that’s gone so deep the singer is seriously contemplating suicide. (See lyrics on page 7.) The fact that “Last Resort” is part of the mainstream pop music landscape indicates it is connecting with more and more kids who see it as an expression of their own inner struggles. For casual listeners, the song is very confusing. Listening to the song reveals the criticisms claiming the song promotes suicide could certainly be warranted. Kids who are riding the fence because of numerous other problems in their lives could interpret the song in a way that would give them permission to go over the edge, especially if they don’t know the story behind the song. But the band is adamant about the fact that the song is about fighting to survive by overcoming depression, rather than allowing it to lead to suicide. “It’s not saying I can’t go on living. It’s saying I can’t go on living this way,” says Dick (Spin, 10/00). He also says, “Last Resort” has “a positive edge to it, as far as like, ‘Don’t succumb to it. Keep yourself afloat.’ With these problems in your life, find a friend you can confide in” (Sonicnet.com). Based on the band’s resolve to survive like a roach, one would have to take them at their word. The song chronicles the suicide attempt of one of Coby Dick’s former roommates. After his “unsuccessful” attempt, the young man “turned to God” … Dick claims the attempt was what killed the rotting part of his roommate’s soul. The song has definitely connected. “We’ve gotten so many e-mails from people who tell us ‘Last Resort’ saved their lives,” says Dick. “It makes some people feel less alone” (Rolling Stone,8/31/00).

The album’s third cut is equally powerful. Released as a single and put in heavy rotation on MTV, “Broken Home” (See lyrics) is an overt lyrical, sonic and visual cry from the heart of one whose young life has been shattered by family breakdown. Written by Dick about his feelings after his parents’ divorce, the song offers listeners an emotional window into the reality of kids beaten up by our current culture of divorce. Every parent considering divorce should sit and watch this video. It is powerful.

“Dead Cell” has been called “a darkly sarcastic paean to Columbine kids the world over” (Alternative Press, 10/00). If that’s the case, the sarcasm is not easily heard. The dead cells are described as “born with no soul/lack of control/cut from the mold of the anti-social … sick in the head/living but dead.” Loud, angry and fast, the song could be interpreted by some who are young and angry as a call to arms: “I’m telling ya the kids are getting singled out/Let me hear the dead cells shout.”

“Between Angels and Insects” is an insightful rant against American greed and materialism. Dick says he wrote the song to remind himself that the things the band’s success will bring are not the things that make one happy. The lyrics are powerful and excerpts could serve to spark discussion with teens about the false promises of materialism: “Diamond rings get you nothing/But a life-long lesson/And your pocketbook stressin’/You’re a slave to the system/Working jobs that you hate/For s___ that you don’t need/It’s too bad the world is based on greed/Step back and stop thinking ‘bout yourself … ‘cause everything is nothing/And emptiness is in everything … Possessions they are never gonna fill the void … the things you own, own you.” When discussing the message of the song Buckner says, “all the worldly things that people equate with happiness—do they necessarily make you happy? You can have Rolexes and diamond rings and cars and houses … but really the things that make you happy are peace of mind and passion in your life” (Alternative Press, 10/00).

Relational selfishness and greed are the subject of “Blood Brothers,” a song offering powerful evidence of the depth of sin’s hold on humanity: “It’s our nature to destroy ourselves/It’s our nature to kill ourselves/It’s our nature to kill each other/It’s in our nature to kill, kill, kill.” The song speaks about allegiance in a world where you can’t trust anybody and you’ve got to watch your back. The lyrics leave one thinking the song could serve as an anthem for a street gang or other fringe subculture: “Blood brothers keep it real to the end.”

Themes of severe relational breakdown and the resulting pain continue in “Revenge,” a song about a girl who was “abused with forks, knives and razorblades” and who finally left the man who abused her in fits of rage. Listeners who have been abused will identify with the song’s mention of the ever-present and visible emotional scars they so often feel: “Chaos is what she saw in the mirror/Scared of herself/And the power that was in her/It took over and weighed heavily on her shoulders/Militant insanity is now what controlled her.” The song indicates that she exacts revenge on him, although the method and outcome is unclear.

Backstabbers are the subject of “Snakes,” an angry and threatening rant at those who betray friends. The song reflects the distrust so many kids feel because of the parade of letdowns they’ve experienced. The chorus asks, “Do you like how it feels to be bit in the neck by the snake that kills?/Do you know how it feels to be stabbed in the back then watch the blood spill?/I don’t like how it feels.”

Coby Dick chronicles his wrestling match with alcohol on “Binge,” a song that serves as a personal confession. “All I need is a bottle/And I don’t need no friends/Now wallow in my pain/I swallow as I pretend/To act like I’m happy when I drink till no end/I’m losing all my friends, I’m losing in the end … When I’m sober, life bores me/So I get drunk again.” The song is a heart cry about what drives the binge drinker, how he really feels inside and his desire to see it end. In the song’s final lines, Dick sings, “I wish things would change/Wish they’d rearrange.”

“Never Enough” is another cry for help from a confused and tortured young soul that is deeply longing for redemption. “Life’s been sucked out of me/And this routine’s killing me … somebody put me out of my misery,” Dick sings. The song will resonate with kids who are lost, purposeless and without peace. The song’s conclusion is a loud cry for help: “I feel as if I’m running/Life will knock me down.”

“Thrown Away” offers a view of life through the eyes of a kid struggling with ADD, something Coby Dick knows well as he watched his brother’s personal struggle with the disorder. “My heart is bleeding and the pain will not pass … I want to be thrown away … I am a mess, I’ve made a huge mess/I can’t control myself/I’m losing it, I’ve lost it/I’ve spilt all my marbles … sometimes I want to be thrown away.”

The album concludes with an unlisted hidden cut called “Tightrope.” The track is stylistically unlike any other cuts on the album as it is done in reggae style. The lyrics are a confusing mix of thoughts where Dick calls his words “weapons in which I murder you.” The song offers a confession regarding the ethical dilemmas faced by kids in these confusing times: “there is a thin line between what’s good and what is evil/I will tiptoe down that line/But I feel unstable/My life is a circus and I’m tripping down the tightrope/There’s nothing left to save me now so I will not look down.”

Help for the Suicidal

God offers you true, living hope–not a false hope based on your death.
By David Powlison

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

It’s easy to see the risk factors for suicide—depression, suffering, disillusioning experiences, failure—but there are also ways to get your life back on track by building protective factors into your life.

Ask for help

How do you get the living hope that God offers you in Jesus? By asking. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Suicide operates in a world of death, despair, and aloneness. Jesus Christ creates a world of life, hope, and community. Ask God for help, and keep on asking. Don’t stop asking. You need Him to fill you every day with the hope of the resurrection.

At the same time you are asking God for help, tell other people about your struggle with hopelessness. God uses His people to bring life, light, and hope. Suicide, by definition, happens when someone is all alone. Getting in relationship with wise, caring people will protect you from despair and acting out of despair.

But what if you are bereaved and alone? If you know Jesus, you still have a family—His family is your family. Become part of a community of other Christians. Look for a church where Jesus is at the center of teaching and worship. Get in relationship with people who can help you, but don’t stop with getting help. Find people to love, serve, and give to. Even if your life has been stripped barren by lost relationships, God can and will fill your life with helpful and healing relationships.

Grow in godly life skills

Another protective factor is to grow in godly living. Many of the reasons for despair come from not living a godly, fruitful life. You need to learn the skills that make godly living possible. What are some of those skills?

• Conflict resolution. Learn to problem-solve by entering into human difficulties and growing through them. (See Ask the Christian Counselor article, “Fighting the Right Way.”)
• Seek and grant forgiveness. Hopeless thinking is often the result of guilt and bitterness.
• Learn to give to others. Suicide is a selfish act. It’s a lie that others will be better off without you. Work to replace your faulty thinking with reaching out to others who are also struggling. Take what you have learned in this article and pass it on to at least one other person. Whatever hope God gives you, give to someone who is struggling with despair.

Live for God

When you live for God, you have genuine meaning in your life. This purpose is far bigger than your suffering, your failures, the death of your dreams, and the disillusionment of your hopes. Living by faith in God for His purposes will protect you from suicidal and despairing thoughts. God wants to use your personality, your skills, your life situation, and even your struggle with despair to bring hope to others.

He has already prepared good works for you to do. Paul says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). As you step into the good works God has prepared for you—you will find that meaning, purpose, and joy.

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Related posts:

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 4

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Larry Norman – 9 – The Sun Began To Rain – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 10 – Shot Down – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 11 – Six Sixty Six – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 12 – Diamonds – In Another Land (1976)

 

 

 

 

In Another Land (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Another Land
Studio album by Larry Norman
Released	1976
Recorded	1975
Label	Solid Rock Records
Producer	Larry Norman
Larry Norman chronology
So Long Ago the Garden (1973) In Another Land (1976) Streams of White Light (1977)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

In Another Land is an album recorded by Larry Norman and released in 1976. It is the third album in Norman’s “trilogy,” which began with Only Visiting This Planet and continued with So Long Ago the Garden. The album contains some of Norman’s most well-known work.

Contents

 [hide] 

• 1 History
• 2 Tracks
  • 2.1 Original LP release
    • 2.1.1 Side 1
    • 2.1.2 Side 2
  • 2.2 “The Missing Pieces” reissue
  • 2.3 Extra tracks on CD releases
• 3 Covers
• 4 Personnel
• 5 Production notes
• 6 See also
• 7 References

History[edit]

In 1975 Norman recorded In Another Land, the third album in his trilogy, which was released in 1976 through his own Solid Rock label and distributed through Word Records,^[2] making it “the first of his albums to be released on a Christian label”.^[3] However, according to Norman, “In Another Land, was executorially censored by the “mother company” which insisted on removing any music they felt was “too negative” or “too controversial.”^[4] Commercial pressure from Norman’s “American publisher and American and European distributors”^[5] forced Norman to remove four songs from In Another Land: “I Dreamed that I Died”, “Looking for the Footprints”, “Top 40 Survey”, and “You’ll Never Find No One (Who Loves You Like I Do”,^[6] as they believed that Norman had included too many songs, and that the deleted songs could be released on his next album.^[7]One of the songs included on this album was “The Sun Began to Rain” (The Son Began to Reign),^[8] an allegory written by Norman, was “knocked out … in just over a minute” with British comedian Dudley Moore on piano.^[9] In a 1980 interview Norman explained the purpose of In Another Land:

In Another Land is the third part of the trilogy It’s about the future, and rather than speculate about what the future might hold, I tried to stick closely to what the Bible says it will hold. I think because the future orientated album was so directly tied to the scriptures, people felt this is Larry’s best album, because this is the one I like best. Or This is the most Christian album. I think that Only Visiting This Planet or So Long Ago The Garden were much better conceptional statements, much better medicine for a non-Christian to swallow. The front cover of In Another Land posed a problem. I couldn’t really go and stand on a hillside in front of The New Jerusalem, so I just put together a lot of photographs of Israel and photographs of mountainous terrain. The front cover shows a painting of me standing on a hill, for the first time smiling at the camera, because in the new age I won’t be troubled as I have always been on my other albums about things like world hunger, and world ignorance, human anger and jealousy and pettiness.^[10]

Norman provides a more detailed analysis of In Another Land in the producer notes of the 1991 re-issue.^[11] In Another Land was Norman’s best-selling album ever,^[12] and had the best reception of any of his albums from the Christian establishment.^[13] In 2005 Norman recalled:

The Church finally accepted me in 1976, I think it was, and that’s just because I had so many songs people knew that the records stores said, “Okay, I’ll take a chance.” I did In Another Land, which was such a mellow album. It’s really for Christians (none of the other albums were), but what do you say when the concept of the album is eternal life with God in heaven? … Of course they liked that album and the record stores sold it and it was Album of the Month for Word Record Club and it was the #1 seller for a long time.^[14]

By 1985 In Another Land had sold 120,000 copies in the USA alone, compared with average sales of less than ten thousand for other gospel albums,^[7] Responding to the better acceptance of In Another Land by many church leaders who had previously opposed him and his music, Norman indicated in 1980: “I realised that the music itself would probably appeal to the middle of the road Christians who are offended by the extremes in my observations. But if they like this album, and if they suddenly decide that I have returned to the fold and I am now one of them, they’re going to hate the next album – it’s all blues.”^[15] Norman held several concerts in Australia in October 1976.^[16]

A different version of the song “I Love You” was first recorded by Randy Stonehill on the now-rare album Born Twice, which was produced by Larry Norman back in 1969. That album credits Stonehill as the writer of the song. Norman’s version completely changes all the verses, retaining only the first line of the first verse of Stonehill’s original composition.

“Righteous Rocker #3” is a reprise of a song which originally appeared on Only Visiting This Planet.

The album also contains a souped-up version of “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus,” another song which made its first appearance on Only Visiting This Planet. In the later version the controversial second verse from the original (“Gonorrhea on Valentine’s Day / You’re still looking for the perfect lay,” etc.) is conspicuously absent.

“I Am A Servant” was recorded and popularized as a Christian pop ballad by Christian singer Honeytree.

“Song For A Small Circle Of Friends” was a piece written for Norman’s famous friends in the music industry. The song includes allusions to Randy Stonehill, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney. There has never been any evidence that, other than Stonehill, Norman actually knew any of these people.

Tracks[edit]

Original LP release[edit]

Side 1[edit]

1. “The Rock That Doesn’t Roll”
2. “I Love You” (Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill)
3. “UFO”
4. “I’ve Searched All Around”
5. “Righteous Rocker #3”
6. “Deja Vu (If God Is My Father / Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus)”
7. “I Am A Servant”

Side 2[edit]

1. “The Sun Began To Rain”
2. “Shot Down”
3. “Six, Sixty, Six”
4. “Diamonds”
5. “One Way”
6. “Song For A Small Circle Of Friends”
7. “Hymn To The Last Generation”

“The Missing Pieces” reissue[edit]

“This is the running order on the original master tape which was sent to Word U.K.”^{[citation needed]}

1. “Tuning”
2. “The Rock That Doesn’t Roll”
3. “UFO”
4. “I’ve Searched All Around”
5. “Shot Down”
6. “Song For A Small Circle Of Friends”
7. “The Sun Began To Rain”
8. “Looking For The Footprints”
9. “Six Sixty Six”
10. “Righteous Rocker #3”
11. “If God Is My Father”
12. “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus”
13. “Diamonds”
14. “One Way”
15. “I Am A Servant”
16. “Hymn To The Last Generation”

Extra tracks on CD releases[edit]

1. “Looking For The Footprints”
2. “Dreams On A Grey Afternoon”
3. “Six Sixty Six” (alternate take)
4. “Strong Love, Strange Peace”
5. “Dear Malcolm, Dear Alwyn”
6. “Joyful Delta Day”
7. “I Don’t Believe In Miracles”

Covers[edit]

Frank Black, a longtime admirer of Norman who became a friend, covered “Six, Sixty, Six” on his album Frank Black and the Catholics.^{[citation needed]}

Personnel[edit]

• Larry Norman: Vocals, Harmonies, Guitar, Percussion, and Piano
• Randy Stonehill: Guitar and backing vocals
• Jon Linn: Guitars
• Dudley Moore: Piano
• Mark Walker: Drums
• Tim Ayres: Bass
• John Michael Talbot: Banjo

Production notes[edit]

• Produced by Larry Norman
• Engineered by Andy Johns
• Assistant engineer Tom Trefethen
• Pre-production recording at Solid Rock studios
• Recorded at Mama Jo’s and Sunset SOund
• Mastered at A&M, Studio 3

See also[edit]

• Larry Norman discography

References[edit]

1. Jump up^ In Another Land at Allmusic
2. Jump up^ “New Music Interview 1980 Part 3”, http://dagsrule.com/stuff/larry/intvw80c.html
3. Jump up^ “Larry Norman – 1947-2008”, Cross Rhythms, http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Larry_Norman__19472008/30703/p1/
4. Jump up^ “Larry Norman (Part 1)”, http://www.onlyvisiting.com/larry/about/story1.html. This is taken from A Moment In Time and Footprints In The Sand CD booklets. See also linear notes, “Looking For the Footprints”, White Blossoms From Black Roots (1997 CD):4.
5. Jump up^ Philip F. Mangano, “Linear Notes”, Only Visiting This Planet re-issue (1978):2.
6. Jump up^ “The Compleat Trilogy” insert in 1978 re-issue of Only Visiting This Planet.
7. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “Larry Norman Down Under But Not Out”, On Being (1985/1986):7.
8. Jump up^ The alternate title, The Son Began to Reign, was registered on 15 January 1976. See http://www.faqs.org/copyright/why-should-the-devil-have-all-the-good-music-one-way-dear/. For lyrics, see “The Sun Began to Rain”,http://www.onlyvisiting.com/gallery/lyrics/songs/sun/sun.html
9. Jump up^ Larry Norman, liner notes, Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: The Anthology (September 2007); Linear Notes, “The Sun Began to Rain”,White Blossoms From Black Roots (1997); Mike Rimmer, “A Legend Quizzed”, Cross Rhythms (27 August 2005):2,http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/A_Legend_Quizzed/15761/p2/.
10. Jump up^ “New Music Interview 1980 Part 3”, http://dagsrule.com/stuff/larry/intvw80c.html
11. Jump up^ Larry Norman, “Producer’s Notes (Part 1), http://www.onlyvisiting.com/larry/articles/producers_notes1.html; Larry Norman, “Producer’s Notes (Part 2), http://www.onlyvisiting.com/larry/articles/producers_notes2.html; Larry Norman, “Producer’s Notes (Part 3),http://www.onlyvisiting.com/larry/articles/producers_notes3.html
12. Jump up^ See Robert Termorshuizen, “Notes”, http://www.meetjesushere.com/in_another_land.htm
13. Jump up^ See Robert Termorshuizen, “Notes”, http://www.meetjesushere.com/in_another_land.htm
14. Jump up^ David Sanford, “Larry Norman Says Good-Bye” (3 March 2008),http://www.burnsidewriterscollective.com/general/2008/03/larry_norman_says_goodbye.php?page=2
15. Jump up^ “New Music Interview 1980 Part 3”, http://dagsrule.com/stuff/larry/intvw80c.html
16. Jump up^ “Larry Rocks Along with Christ”, The Age (21 October 1976):12.

[hide] v t e Larry Norman Discography Songs Studio albums Upon This Rock (1969) Bootleg (1972) Something New Under the Son (1981) Home at Last (1989) Stranded in Babylon (1991) Tourniquet (2001) Live albums Street Level (1970) Trilogy Only Visiting This Planet (1972) So Long Ago the Garden (1973) In Another Land (1976) Record labels One Way Records Phydeaux Records Solid Rock Records Street Level Records Related topics Early life and career Later life and career Musicals List of Larry Norman songs People! Relationship with Randy Stonehill Category

Categories:

• 1976 albums
• Larry Norman albums
• Contemporary Christian music albums

 

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 3 (Larry met Paul McCartney)

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Larry Norman – 7 – Deja Vu – Look Into Jesus – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 8 – I Am A Servant – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman on John Lennon, Paul McCartney and the Beatles

John Lennon: One of Jesus’ “Biggest Fans”

By Jesse Carey
Interactive Media Producer

CBN.com During his lifetime, he became one of the most controversial figures in popular culture, effecting not just how people listen to music, but how many view religion and faith. But a recently discovered interview with the late Beatles frontman John Lennon indicates the singer’s real views about Jesus and Christianity. The interview, which was unearthed two weeks ago, took place in 1969 for a segment on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation show before getting lost in studio obscuirty for nearly 40 years.

Lennon’s views on Christianity first came into focus when he made his infamous 1966 proclamation that the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.” The statement drew scorn and boycotts like nothing rock ‘n roll had seen before. Christians decried Lennon and his band, blasting the audacity of such an irreverent statement. But, according to the interview, irreverence wasn’t the singer’s intention. And, as it turns out, he was actually really interested in Jesus.

“It’s just an expression meaning the Beatles seem to me to have more influence over youth than Christ,” he said in the interview. “Now I wasn’t saying that was a good idea, ‘cos I’m one of Christ’s biggest fans. And if I can turn the focus on the Beatles on to Christ’s message, then that’s what we’re here to do.”

He went on to express how he felt many Christians seemed to be very “uptight” and even hypocritical for not allowing him to marry Yoko Ono in church because he had been divorced. He said that his original distaste for church first came at a young age, when he was kicked out for giggling. But, in the interview, Lennon said that his feelings only extended to the organized church, not Jesus Himself.

“If the Beatles get on the side of Christ, which they always were, and let people know that, then maybe the churches won’t be full, but there’ll be a lot of Christians dancing in the dance halls. Whatever they celebrate, God and Christ, I don’t think it matters as long as they’re aware of Him and His message,” his voice says on the unearthed recording.

And though this is the first time many Beatles fans have heard this particular conversation, Lennon’s interest in Christ was no secret in the early ‘70s. In his book, The Gospel According to the Beatles, writer Steve Turner said that there was a period in his life when the world’s most famous songwriter deeply wanted to know who Jesus was. According to the book, in an effort to escape the chaos of public life, Lennon would often retreat to television and became a regular viewer of the era’s most influential evangelists including Billy Graham, Oral Roberts and even Pat Robertson.

In 1972, Lennon even took part in a written correspondence with Roberts, in which he apologized and further explained his statement about being “bigger” than God. The Beatles frontman, who had experimented with a variety of drugs and spiritual ideas wrote this to Roberts:

“The point is this, I want happiness. I don’t want to keep on with drugs. Paul told me once, ‘You made fun of me for taking drugs, but you will regret it in the end.’ Explain to me what Christianity can do for me. Is it phoney? Can He love me? I want out of hell.”

Oral Roberts sent him a long response, giving him a copy of his book Miracle of Seed Faith and a detailed explanation of God’s love for him.

Five years later, in 1977, Lennon became deeply moved by NBC’s broadcast of the movie Jesus of Nazareth and told his friends that he had become a born-again Christian. A week after seeing the film, Lennon returned to church on Easter Sunday with his wife Yoko and son Sean in tow.

It was during this time that Lennon even penned several Christian songs (“Talking with Jesus” and “Amen”), and according to Turner’s book, even called The 700 Club prayer line.

The change in his life disturbed his wife Yoko Ono, who pulled her husband away from his new religion, and eventually, after months of isolation in Tokyo, Lennon found his life going in a dark direction, and ended up abandoning his faith and retreating into New Age practice and further searching. Before he was murdered in 1980, Lennon embraced a universalistic belief of religion and no longer seemed interested in his born-again lifestyle.

Although the new interview doesn’t change what we know about John Lennon at the end of his life, it does shed some light on what help developed his view of Christianity in the first place. It wasn’t confusion about theology or the nature of God. It wasn’t the pull of a conflicting lifestyle. According to Lennon, it was Christians who made him not want to be a part of the church.

Many unbelievers (and believers for that matter) could say that some Christians can be “hypocrites” and “uptight” and may even be responsible for turning people away from church. But that shouldn’t be a discouragement. Rather, it should be an encouragement to prove them wrong.

No one is perfect, and we can’t undo the actions of others (even when they are well-intentioned fellow believers), but we can change people’s perspectives by being the change. Reading between the lines of scripture shows that Jesus was pretty good at that. Even His own disciples couldn’t figure out what He was going to do next. Whether it was healing on the Sabbath (a major taboo in religious circles), dining with sinners or preaching messages of love and forgiveness, Christ didn’t always please the religious establishment of His day.

But He wasn’t out to ruffle feathers and just change people’s minds. He was out to change hearts.

Christ wanted people to see that God desired a personal relationship, and wanted His church to reflect His passion for loving others. Though God is perfect, we (Christians who make up the church) are often victims of our own imperfection. But, as the apostle John noted, a key to becoming effective in reaching the lost is this prayer: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30, NIV).

So whether it’s an artist looking for answers like John Lennon in the early ‘70s, an “uptight” fellow Christian who is focused more on church rules than Christ’s love, or just an unbelieving neighbor who may have had their own bad experience with church, showing the real message of Christ (and a genuine picture of His Body, the church), a little bit of truth can go a long way.

Send Jesse your comments on this article.

Read more book excerpts and author interviews on CBN.com.

Discuss: In light of the recent interview uncovered about his thoughts concerning Jesus, how did John Lennon’s music influence the way you view culture?

Check out Jesse’s Blog, The Morning Five

Jesse Carey is the Interactive Media Producer for CBN.com. With a background in entertainment and pop-culture writing, he offers his insight on music, movies, TV, trends and current events from a unique perspective that examines what implications the latest news has on Christians.

For more stories like this one, sign up to receive Entertainment News from CBN.com in your email every Friday.

Christian Rock Pioneer Larry Norman’s Songs Part 2

I posted a lot in the past about my favorite Christian musicians such as Keith Green (I enjoyed reading Green’s monthly publications too), and 2nd Chapter of Acts and others. Today I wanted to talk about one of Larry Norman’s songs. David Rogers introduced me to Larry Norman’s music in the 1970’s and his album IN ANOTHER LAND came out in 1976 and sold an enormous amount of copies for a Christian record back then.

Larry Norman – 4 – I’ve Searched All Around – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman – 5 – Righteous Rocker #3 – In Another Land (1976)

Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill- He is a Friend of Mine

Uploaded on Apr 24, 2010

LEGENDS

Larry Norman

By CBNmusic

CBN.com – In 1969, Capitol Records released Upon This Rock by 22-year-old California kid Larry Norman. At the time, no one suspected this would be a watershed moment in Christian music history. With one album, a longhaired outcast from San Francisco began a legacy that ushered in the Jesus movement and brought blunt Christianity to rock’n’roll.

Larry Norman was born April 8, 1947. Saved at the age of five, he started singing at nine. By the mid-1960s, he formed the musical group People! and scored a Billboard hit with “I Love You.” Norman toured with artists such as Janis Joplin and the Doors. It was not long before Norman had issues with his record label over the Christian content in his music. In the midst of the success of People!, Norman left to go solo.

After People!, he spent time sharing the gospel on the streets of Los Angeles. A near death experience in 1968 pushed Norman further towards his obsession with the Rapture and salvation. Out of these spiritually awakenings came Upon This Rock, and the 1968 album broke the mold.

It was the first major label record to marry rock music with the gospel. With street language and gritty imagery, Norman was the first to put into practice that Christian music could be powerful in its message yet relevant to the times.

Norman parted ways with Capitol Records soon after and was snatched up by MGM. His first record under the subsidiary Verve label, Only Visiting This Planet, is hailed as Norman’s best work. Its abrasive, urban reality of the gospel was meant to reach the flower children disillusioned by the government and the church. Norman mixed his Christian message with strong political themes. Protest-esque songs like “I Am the Six o’Clock News” and “The Great American Novel” spoke out against racism. The landmark re-recording of “Wish We’d All Been Ready” from Upon This Rock painted an eerie picture of life after the Rapture.

Banned by the Christian music industry, Norman received his early kudos from mainstream audiences. The Billboard magazine named him “the most important writer since Paul Simon.” Norman was loved mostly overseas. He performed across the globe in Australia, Italy and Japan. He sold out the Royal Albert Hall in London six times.

In 1974, Norman started Solid Rock Records after leaving MGM. His 1976 album, In Another Land, put him back in touch musically with the Jesus he proclaimed on Upon This Rock. “Six Sixty Six” was akin to “Wish We’d All Been Ready” in his view of the Antichrist. His testimony strongly shined through “I am a Servant.”

In addition to his contributions to Christian music, Norman discovered and mentored fellow Jesus rocker Randy Stonehill. Norman also launched the careers of Steve Camp, Keith Green, and Daniel Amos.

Norman’s life changed dramatically in 1978 when an airplane accident caused him spinal and brain damage. It would be the beginning of his life-long health battle. He toured less but continued to release live albums. In 1980, he started Phydeauz (pronounced “Fido”) Records.

Norman’s watermark hits such as “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music” continue to inspire. In 1995, during the success of Jesus Freak, dc Talk resurrected “Wish We’d All Been Ready.” The cover, recorded live, introduced a new generation to the Jesus Movement.

After 30 years, the Christian music community recognized Norman for his pioneering efforts. The Gospel Music Association inducted him into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Only Visiting this Planet was CCM Magazine’s greatest album in Christian music, second only to Amy Grant’s Lead Me On.

With over 50 albums under his belt, Norman is still the righteous rocker. In 2004, he released Snowblind, a live album recorded in Utah containing many of his classic hits. Currently, Norman is recovering from his 2002 quadruple bypass surgery in Oregon.

Larry Norman is a veteran of Christian music in many ways. He survived death threats, censorship, relentless touring, and harsh criticism. He made his name preaching to the outcast, offending the church and making record executives nervous with his brand of Jesus rock. Norman wrote songs that spoke to the heart but aimed for the jugular. It is nothing less than legendary for the original Jesus Freak.