Gospel Song Genre

By Michael I. Crawford
UWRT 1101-002
January 24, 2015

Gospel songs and specifically gospel song lyrics can be widely misunderstood. When
people hear the word Gospel it causes them to have ideas already as to what they will hear and
what it will sound like. Gospel has taken on many different forms over the years that to simply
try to categorize it based on the word Gospel is just simply wrong based on todays
understanding. People have their ideas of what gospel music is today and what many consider to
be gospel songs actually are not.
This topic interested me as generations have words that had one meaning and caused
them to have a completely different meaning. Since this has been happening we need to have a
clearer understanding of what Gospel songs were and what they are today. This is another case

Commented [Gu1]: Using the word simply twice in the same

sentence here really made it harder for me to understand where
you were going with it.
Commented [Gu2]: You make me want to know what songs get
confused with the genre of gospel and why they are not considered
that if they are often mistooken.

Commented [Gu3]: if you want to spice this up a little i would

love to see an example of what your talking about with different
words that have different meanings through the generations.

of people having one idea based on what the word originally meant as to how it is used and the
meaning of it today.
Gospel songs are also known by other names or titles. Gospel in itself denotes one
particular type of music and is classified by many names. Gospel music is a genre of mostly
American music characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) drawn
from Christian worship and often featuring Christian evangelical lyrics. (Gospel Music - New
World Encyclopedia, 2013) What many people would list under a broad topic of Gospel
Music is actually classified many other things today. Now Christian music is found in so
many different styles it is the only genre of music that is defined by its lyrical content. (Jones,
n.d.) Gospel music has taken on many different forms and faces over the years that the generic
topic of gospel is no longer adequate for much of what is heard.
What makes a song Christian is simply the lyrics. The content of what is sung must be
congruent with the principals of God and His Holy Word. (Hill, 2012) We strive to find ways
of being able to share our faith or our belief with others without offending them and without

Commented [Gu4]: i keep seeing that "gospel has taken so

many different forms that its changed now and we dont know the
meaning." but it is still not really made me know that or feel that, it
has just told me. You have a strong buildup to this point but i want
some simple examples so i can empathise with it.

turning them off. Music is a form that seems to be able to reach and touch so many that would
not typically come into a church setting. People will listen to various types of music both
knowingly and unknowingly as they go throughout their day. We hear music in stores, while
waiting on the phone, in some elevators, in restaurants, etc. The music that we listen to many
times has an influence on us and we have to recognize why that is.

Commented [Gu5]: I love that your using music as a form of

simple communion. I think that music is a universal language so
going back to what you said about gospel/christian music being so
spread out and mixed in with other types of music now it might be
interesting to elaborate how this could benifit/hurt the genre of
gospel.

Traditional was the word of the day . . . but not anymore. (Jones, About Entertainment,
n.d.) What is heard today by those who listen to Gospel or Christian music cannot be lumped
into one category as Traditional as it was years ago. The new word for now is

Commented [Gu6]: The flow going into this paragraph was just
too abrupt for my taste

Contemporary if you are looking for some form of music that would not come from a hymnal
and typically will not include an organ playing. There have been many new forms of music that
has evolved over the years and the music is largely geared towards those that it is specifically

Commented [Gu7]: I like that you classify this new age as

contemporary. It really sums it up nicely. Maybe just talk a little bit
about why it has shifted to be more like that now.

geared towards reaching. Traditional gospel was used as it was the only form of music that was
accepted at the time in the church. Today what is accepted is almost anything including the
traditional, as long as the message in the words is reaching people and helping to change them.
When people hear the term Gospel they already have set in their mind what the sound
should be like and what they are expecting to hear. Gospel songs have changed over the years
from what they started out being, putting the Bible to music and reaching the masses. Gospel
songs today still have some of that same tone and energy to them, but it also has taken on a much
mellower, not so straight forward approach. There are songs out today that are listed as gospel
songs that do not have any reference to the bible or the Word of God in them, but sound good
and have a positive message.
Two major types of Gospel music have developed along basically racial lines. These
include Urban Gospel (sometimes referred to as black Gospel) and its white counterparts,

Commented [Gu8]: so have we stereotyped and changed

gospel music too much? or is the whole "positive message" idea of
modern gospel here to stay?

among them: Southern Gospel and modern, popularized Gospel (now more commonly known as
praise music or Contemporary Christian music). (Gospel Music - New World Encyclopedia,
2013) Gospel songs have to be understood for what they are saying, the message, more than for
the racial group or ethnic group that we think is being reached. Some argue that Gospel music
is rooted in Africa and was brought to the Americas by slaves. However, Gospel harmonies and
many of the hymns themselves also show a clear Scottish influence. (Gospel Music - New
World Encyclopedia, 2013)

Commented [Gu9]: Everybody loves the scottish. dont just

leave me hanging with telling me they are the background for
gospel music because quite honestly... i want to know how the
drunkards of scottland are the background.

The face of Christian music has spent the last 30+ years evolving and growing. (Jones,
About Entertainment, n.d.) Gospel music or Christian music as it is commonly called has had to
change or it would have died out to many that listen to it today. There are many times that it is
only in certain settings that you will find hymnals and organs today. Hymnals have been
replaced by hard hitting lyrics that speak of today and a God that is fully in control of our times.
(Jones, About Entertainment, n.d.) What worked for people years ago is not what this generation
today is looking for or wanting. One of the problems with Gospel music is that it has to be able
to change with the time yet hold the simplicity of the message in it. The generation today is
looking for that Microwave reaction to everything that they are a part of, this includes religion
or church. If someone does not understand what is happening and does not hear the message

Commented [Gu10]: so is this a problem with the religion or

the evolution of the music. Or just a problem with it all?

being delivered quickly, they tune themselves out for the remainder of what is happening.
The genre of Gospel songs over the past forty to fifty years has changed and is still
changing. What was as easily classified as a gospel song years ago no longer can be so easily
classified? There have been so many adjustments made over the years simply due to do peoples
interests have changed and more and more people are not being attracted by the same things. To
truly be able to reach and impact the lives of those who need it, we have to be willing to find new

Commented [Gu11]: Read back over this sentence. Try

rewording this, it just does not flow with the rest of the paragraph.

and different ways of getting their attention. Music always can reach people, but when trying to
get a positive message through based on the music, we have to make sure that we do not go so
far from truly reaches them. Gospel songs from years ago talked about the bible and could be
clearly understood what the real message was. The songs today that some would classify as

Commented [Gu12]: so gospel music has changed so much but

yet we need to find new and different ways to get peoples
attentions? this sounded like a circle to me and confused me

Commented [Gu13]: so far from truly reaching them? maybe?

re read this. "music always can reach people" also needs re-stated
possibly like, "music is always and always will be influencing and
changing our viewpoints, but....ect"

gospel do not have such a clear and distinct message to them, even though they are still aiming to
impact the lives of individuals with the message. The more that we keep our focus on the true
meaning of the message in the songs and do not allow the pressures of society to influence what
is said, the songs will still have the impact and the influence that they did years ago.

Commented [Gu14]: i think its important to note that you said

will STILL have the impact and influence that they did years ago. But
i think all the significant songs of the gospel time still have their
meaning, they havent changed. And songs from today dont have
that same "meaning" you were talking about so i think that not
allowing the pressures of societies and influence to riegn that the
songs will regain the meaning and influence rather than saying they
will still have it.

Works Cited
Gospel Music - New World Encyclopedia. (2013, december 23). Retrieved from
www.newworlkencyclopedia.org/entry/gospel_music
Hill, D. (2012, october 8). Different Types of Christian Music: A Look at the Genres. Retrieved
from www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/different-types-of-christian-music-...
Jones, K. (n.d.). About Entertainment. Retrieved from Types of Christian/Gospel Music:
http://christianmusic.about.com/od/artistsandbands/tp/history101.htm
Jones, K. (n.d.). About Entertainment. Retrieved from The Changing Face of Christian Music:
http://christianmusic.about.com/od/trivia/a/ccmhistory.htm