Larry Norman passed away yesterday at age 60. In his farewell message on his website, he said, “I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up…I am ready to fly home.”
“Dubbed by the media as ‘the father of Christian rock,’ Norman recorded three albums for Capitol Records in the 1960s, including the seminal Upon This Rock. He later signed with MGM Records for Only Visiting This Planet and So Long Ago the Garden.” (From Christian Etailing)
This brave, flawed, prophetic, crazy man almost single-handedly blazed the trail for the likes of Jars of Clay, Emery, Sixpence, and others against the efforts of hostile American churches and Christian leaders who hated our music (and Christian bookstores that wouldn’t carry his albums).
The vast majority of his musical catalog was musically and lyrically brilliant. His music still stands as adventurous and progressive (“Moses in the Wilderness,” “Diamonds,” “The Last Supper,” “Ha Ha World”). His lyrics were biting (“It’s Christmas Time,” “Reader’s Digest,” “Shot Down”), fun (“The Rock That Doesn’t Roll,” “Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music,” “Let That Tape Keep Rolling”), emotionally daring (“Pardon Me,” “She’s A Dancer,” “Lonely By Myself”), and heartfelt spirituality (“I Am a Servant,” “Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation,” “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”). (Here’s a site dedicated to all his song lyrics.)
He made a profound impact on my life as a teen in the 70s. Those three albums mentioned above literally changed my life, and formed my future tastes in music. I saw him in concert probably 20 times over the decades and interviewed him a couple of times. He was one of the funniest and most intelligent people I have ever encountered in my life.
As we all do in life, he made many bad decisions and made some enemies. (I think research would validate that the most brilliant artists are more inclined to do so.) He was driven and self-indulgent, passionate and focused.
Apparently he died a pauper and in relative obscurity; his death caused by heart problems. It figures it’s his heart that gave out. He used the heck out of it.
I sit here misty-eyed and thankful to God for allowing my path to cross with this pious pioneer.
In his own words (“Nothing Really Changes,” 1968)...
nothing really changes
everything remains the same
we are what we are till the day that we die
(unless JC sets you free)
Thanks Larry…can’t wait to catch your next concert.
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