Top hits playlist
When you hear a song like 'You are so beautiful', written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and made famous by Joe Cocker, you may not think that this is a worship song, yet look at the lyrics:
"You are so beautiful
To me
You are so beautiful
To me
Can't you see
You're everything I hoped for
You're everything I need
You are so beautiful
To me"
Then there is a song like 'Love can build a Bridge', written by Naomi Judd, Paul Overstreet and John Barlow Jarvis, which became a hit for The Judds and was a UK no 1 in 1995 as the Comic Relief single. You may not think that this is God speaking to us, yet look at the lyrics:
"I would whisper love so loudly
Every heart could understand
That love and only love
Can join the tribes of man
I would give my heart's desire
So that you might see
The first step is to realize
That it all begins with you and me.
Love can build a Bridge
Between your heart and mine
Love can build a Bridge
Don't you think it's time?
Oh, don't you think it's time?"
God seems to be at work through popular songs that either tap into the desire to worship that is in each of us or show something of God's love for us.
So I searched the charts for the last 40 years and although there are many examples, here are some more which have various biblical themes:
You Raise Me Up written by Rolf Løvland and Brendan Graham and a hit for Josh Groban and Westlife.
Reach Out And I’ll Be There written by Motown's team Holland–Dozier–Holland and recorded by the Four Tops.
You Got A Friend written by Carole King and a hit for James Taylor.
Because You Loved Me written by Diane Warren and recorded by Celine Dion.
I Want To Know What Love Is written by Mick Jones and Lou Gramm of the band Foreigner.
Biblical themes of the long list of songs seem to be redemption, faith, comfort, worship, love, refuge, sacrifice, sin, healing, seeking, seasons, time, perseverance, etc.
My thought is that a church can easily hold a 'Top Hits' event for the public (especially in a neutral space) and use this for getting across some biblical messages including the gospel.
Download a longer list of hits here with biblical themes identified.
It's a great play list in any case.
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Geoff Knott, 30/05/2017