Revisiting Some Pro-Life Songs

Psalms 139: 13-16

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

When I was in the 10th grade I worked on a Pro-Life project for my English class. While I don't remember all the ins and outs of the project itself, I do remember using several songs and their lyrics to help me take a stand. I recall evening playing one of the songs in class, handing out the lyrics to everyone to follow along as they listened.

Now you may be asking why am I bringing this up? Well with the recent news of abortions being allowed in Virginia and New York, its really had me riled up and angry. With abortion being in the headlines again the songs of my youth came rushing back to me. I thought since this is a music blog after all, why not share these songs and lyrics? I know some may find it odd for a male to feel so passionate about abortion, but it's something that for some reason God laid on my heart a long time ago. Just because our society may deem abortion more "appropriate" these days, to me it's still murder. I know this is a controversial topic, even in Christian circles, however I feel the need to defend those who don't have a voice and these songs helped me share my faith and my position on this topic as a young adult.

A lot of these songs are by rock bands, so while the style of music may not be your cup of tea, I do encourage you to at least read the song lyrics if nothing else. These songs are listed in no particular order by the way.

BARREN CROSS "Killers of the Unborn"

Lay her down, commence to drill | A primo murder, the legal kill | I am a child about to die | My mother does not hear my cry, no

Killers of the unborn, killers | Killers of the unborn, stop the killing

Injection starts to work its way | I don't feel love, I just feel pain | I'm getting weaker, my poison blood | And death surrounds me like a flood

The operation is over | I'm now in pieces in a garbage bag | Guilt will now take over | 

'Cause where is the relief you thought you had | 

The shame and tears she bears | 

The scar of guilt she is going to wear | 

But he can forgive her | 

If she gives her life to the savior | 

No, no, they're gonna kill me | 

I don't want to die, just let me be | 

No, no, I feel the pain | 

I feel, I feel the pain, no

GALACTIC COWBOYS "If I Were a Killer"

This is just a hypothetical story | Of someone, let's just say it's me | I'd gain acceptance for my murderous ways | By stalking a defenseless prey

If I were a killer | I'd smile just like the boy next door | If I were a killer | I'd say I do it for the poor | If I were a killer | You'd bring me victims more and more | If I were a killer

Supreme Court would agree to hear my case | And find me innocent of crime | Holding public rallies to incite sympathy | Creative actuality

If I were a killer | I'd smile just like the boy next door | If I were a killer | I'd say I do it for the poor | If I were a killer | You'd bring me victims more and more | If I were a killer

If I were a killer | I'd smile just like the boy next door | If I were a killer | I'd say I do it for the poor | If I were a killer | You'd bring me victims more and more | If I were a killer | I'd hide behind a doctor's door | If I were a killer | I'd scrape you off my office floor | If I were a killer

Killer

KING'S X "Legal Kill"

I only know what I believe | The rest seems so absurd to me | I close my eyes so I can't see | But the picture just gets clearer everyday | I read somewhere to learn is to remember | And I've learned we all forgot |There was peace in her before | But that was yesterday | But I can see the beauty that is here for me | The chance to live and walk free | From a legal kill

I know your side so very well | It makes no sense that I can tell | The smell of hell is what I smell | And you hand it out with handshakes everyday | I have trouble with the persons, with the signs | But I feel the need to make my own | Yes there's two ways to be | And truth does not depend on me | But I can feel the fight for life is always real | I can't believe it's no big deal | It's a legal kill

I can feel the fight for life is always real | And I can't believe it's no big deal | It's a legal kill | And I can see the beauty that is here for me | The chance to live and walk free | From a legal kill

DC Talk "Children Can Live (Without It)"

I don't want another country | I want ta recognize intent | Of our forefathers when they wrote | Precisely what they meant | Taken on the form of Christian | But the power is denied | In God we trust only when we lust | For the apple of our eye | One nation under God | With morals out of proportion | An end result is murder | Under legalized abortion 

Children can live without it | Who's gonna take it away? | Children can live without it | Maybe we'll learn someday | Oh, that we'll learn, I pray 

A miracle of God | Now looked on as a choice | It's time for all His children | To unify a voice | With influence in our numbers | And power in out prayer | We must defend the children | And fight for what is fair | What appears to be an upset | Can change its ugly course | And we can do it all | Through Jesus Christ our Lord

Children can live without it | Who's gonna take it away? | Children can live without it | Maybe we'll learn someday | Oh, that we'll learn, I pray 

O, they can fight, but they cannot win | They can scream, but none will hear them | Don't ya know that our conscience will die | If we take away the freedom to survive? 

Children can live without it | Who's gonna take it away? | Children can live without it | Maybe we'll learn someday | Oh, that we'll learn, I prayChildren can live without it | Who's gonna take it away? | Children can live without it | Maybe we'll learn someday | Oh, that we'll learn, I pray
Children can live without it | Who's gonna take it away? | Children can live without it | Maybe we'll learn someday | Oh, that we'll learn, I pray

GRAMMATRAIN "Execution"

Watch while I'm burned in salt | Tell me now where's my fault | I'm torn in two, you pull me through | Oh ignore my shout now scrape me out

Oh nation murders me, me, me

Suck me down your hose | Pieces of my fingers and toes | Use me to brew your lab rat stew | Oh dissolve my voice for your woman's choice

My execution, it's your revolution

Spill my blood on "civil" hands | And I pay to make you free

Oh, nation murders me | Yeah, with politicians dreams | Now silencing my screams, screams, screams

My execution, it's your revolution

HOLY SOLDIER "See No Evil"

I float inside her womb | Oh mother, I am coming soon | Suddenly, fear and dread | When mother says she wants me dead

Oh how can you do this to me?

Thousands come | Please don't kill me | Thousands go | I want to live | Day by day | Can anyone hear me | The numbers grow |I want to live

God hears them cry | We hear the lie | And we simply look the other way

See no evil | Hear no evil | Speak no evil

From a pail with open eyes | I see the man that I despise | He looks at me and turns his back | As my life fades, it fades to black | And there's no turning back

Thousands come | Please don't kill me | Thousands go | I want to live | Day by day | Can anyone hear me? | The numbers grow | I want to live

God hears them cry | We hear the lie | And we simply look the other way

See no evil | Hear no evil | Speak no evil

Mommy, mommy, I'm afraid

Pete Stewart "Pete Stewart"

Pete Stewart

Pete Stewart

1998 ForeFront Records

Produced By: Michael Tait

pre-release disc

Track Listings

Out of My Mind (4:42)

Better Off (4:08)

Uphill Battle (3:09)

Worship Song (3:08)

Little Country Church (3:03)

Don't Underestimate Me (3:59)

Spinning (5:03)

Up in the Sky (2:48)

The Reason is You (5:07)

The One (4:22)

Waiting for the Son (4:39)

Musicians

Guitars: Pete Stewart

Bass: Otto Price

Drums: Rick May

Backing Vocals: Michael Tait

Like many Christian teens in the 90's that listened to Christian music, I was a fan of Grammatrain. I soaked up everything they released. Their CDs stayed in my CD wallet I kept in my truck. Many days pulling out of the high school parking lot you could hear Grammatrain blasting out the windows. Needless to say when my brother handed me this pre-release of Pete Stewart's first solo album after Grammatrain disbanded, I was excited. Then I popped the CD into my truck's player...

I wanted to like this album, I really did...but strings? Is that a tambourine I hear? What happened here?! This isn't Grammatrain!! 

Correct, this is Pete Stewart. Still on the ForeFront label, Pete decided to go a different direction musically. I don't know if that was his idea or the labels decision, but all the sudden Pete had a different sound. The first listen through the album I just wasn't all that impressed, but the more I listened the more I started to appreciate the new approach. 

The lead track, Out of my Mind is great opening number. It's got a very catchy guitar riff to open the song...but then it stops and it's replaced by a drum machine? Give it a second though and you're hit with those guitars again. The vocals are strong and overall the song could almost appear on a Grammatrain album..almost.

Better Off shows off a different side. It's a mid-tempo song and I always find myself singing along more so than some of the other tracks.

Uphill Battle might as well have appeared on a Tait album as the song opens with vocals by Michael Tait. It's a great song, but I can't help but think Pete is trying too hard in the vocal department to match Michael's performance. The song is actually one of my favorites on the album, but then again I loved both of Tait's albums.

Worship Song is the albums "ballad". It's just Pete and an acoustic guitar. "You lift me up | so high where my voice fills the sky | high above the Heavens | You fill my soul with peace and deliver me | and I will call upon Your name"

Little Country Church is an odd song, but it's very catchy. When it starts you're not sure if you're still listening to Pete or not. Gospel background singers and a different sound are eventually replaced with some great guitar work and more of a driving rock sound. With this latest listen I found myself tapping my foot driving up interstate 85.

I guess when I listened to this album the when it was new, I only listened to the first "side" as after Little Country Church a lot of the songs just didn't sound familiar to me. In fact I found this CD tucked into the very last page of a massive CD binder that I found in the garage the other day. I tossed it in my van as I knew I'd be traveling for work soon and would need some music to help make the drive bearable. I'm glad I gave the album another listen as I really enjoyed it.

The album has a very different sound from his days with Grammatrain, but I've learned that is OK. Artists should continue to mature and grow, not only in their walk with the Lord but also with their music. I have no idea how this album came to be and what Pete thinks about it, but I really enjoyed listening to it from beginning to end recently. Somehow I never got around to picking up his other two solo efforts, but I will be on the look out for them. I may even consider picking up the retail release for this album just so I can have the album art and liner notes. It can be had for less than $3 (at the time of this post) on Amazon.