Rock and
Roll
The Sound of
Music or the Noise of War
By Bill
Fortenberry
As Joshua and Moses returned down the mountain after
receiving the Law from God, they heard what at first they thought was the noise of war; but as they hurried closer, they
recognized that the people were singing rather than fighting. Nonetheless, their
song soon proved to be the sound of war as three thousand men of Israel lost
their lives in punishment. The church of today faces a similar situation. With
the prevalence of rock music in Christian services, those approaching the
average church house will often find themselves wondering if the noise that they
hear is that of war against God or music praising God. It is a question well
worth pondering; for although we sing to a God who inhabits the praise of His
people, we also sing to a God who executeth judgment
upon all. Let us determine then in which category God Himself would place rock
music. Would He consider it to be the sound of music or the noise of
war?
The Definition of Rock Music
Before we can discuss whether
rock music is right or wrong, we have to establish a definition of what rock
music is. Throughout the course of my research, I have learned that very few
Christians are able to properly identify rock music. To most, it is simply
another musical genre to be distinguished from classical music, country music,
rap music and et cetera. However, the impact of rock music is not confined to a
single label; its influence has pervaded every genre from opera to heavy metal.
It has become so infused with all aspects of the American lifestyle that many
Christians, while decrying the evils of the rock genre, have accepted rock music
itself as a normal and indeed natural part of their existence. For the purpose
of this article, therefore, I would like to focus on a definition of rock music
which encompasses all of its forms without regard to labels.
While
American rock music was in its infancy, its defining characteristics were widely
known and discussed. The style was new to most people, and they wanted to learn
all they could about it. The musicians, eager to share their new knowledge, were
very willing to explain the secret of their style. That secret, the single,
definitive characteristic of rock music, was an emphasis on the backbeat. This
emphasis is the key to identifying rock music, for without it, rock simply
ceases to exist.
But what is the backbeat and what does it mean to
emphasize that particular beat? All music is set to a pattern or rhythm of
beats. The two most common patterns are referred to as 4/4 and 3/4 time. In 4/4
time, the pattern of beats is a repeating count to four: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3,
4... In 3/4 time, the pattern is a repeating count to three: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3...
These rhythms both have a naturally occurring emphasis on the first beat which
is often referred to as the downbeat. 4/4 time also has a secondary emphasis on
the third beat. This emphasis can be demonstrated by simply repeating the
sequence verbally while stressing the emphasized beat.
1, 2,
3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3,
4…
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2,
3…
The effect of rock music is accomplished by emphasizing the
unaccented beats or the backbeats either along with or in place of the natural
emphasis. This can again be demonstrated vocally by comparing the sound of the
natural rhythm above to that of the rock rhythm below.
1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3,
4, 1, 2, 3, 4…
1, 2, 3, 1, 2,
3, 1, 2, 3…
This emphasis on the
backbeat is vital to all forms of rock music, and it provides us with a
structure on which to frame our definition. Rock music can be defined as that
form of music which places undue emphasis on the backbeats.
This
emphasis can be accomplished through several different methods. The most obvious
means of establishing an emphasis on the backbeat is through the use of the
drums, and many Christians are under the false impression that the rock beat can
be removed from a song by simply eliminating the drums. To recognize and correct
this error, one needs only to notice that we did not use any percussion in the
above examples of the rock rhythm. We were able to demonstrate an emphasis on
the backbeat using just our voices. The same can be done in music. Aside from
the beat of the drums, the backbeat could also be emphasized by other
instruments, vocal inflection or poetic meter. It is incumbent upon the
Christian to learn how to recognize the rock beat in any aspect of
music.
The Source of Rock Music
Where
did rock music come from? It is not a natural part of God’s creation. In all the
many forms of natural music – the songs of the birds, the call of the whales,
the beating of the heart, even the electromagnetic radiation of the planets and
the stars – there is not a single evidence of rock music. All natural music
follows the natural rhythm of placing emphasis on the downbeat rather than the
backbeat.
The music of birds has been studied extensively for many
years, and several people have endeavored to capture the avian sonatas on paper.
Simeon Cheney recorded nearly three hundred pages of bird songs in his book,
Wood Notes Wild(1), and Xenos
Clark also published several bird songs in The American Naturalist(2). Once
written out for us, these songs can be easily examined for evidence of rock
music, but there is no unnatural emphasis of the backbeat within the songs of
the birds. Similarly, one could study the songs of the great whales and come to
the same conclusion. David Rothenberg, one of the few people attempting to
provide us with written recordings of these symphonies, concluded that their
songs were written in the same style as the classical music of medieval
times(3).
Professor Don Gurnett of the
University of Iowa has studied the electromagnetic radiation of celestial
objects by converting that radiation into sound(4). The
resulting symphony agrees with God’s statement in Job that the morning stars
sang together with joy, but the singing of the stars is missing any hint of rock
music. In the introduction to his book Wood Notes Wild, Simeon Cheney explained
that all natural sounds produce music. He demonstrated by notating the songs
produced from a dripping faucet, a swinging door and a whining clothes line
disturbed during a storm that even the sounds produced by inanimate objects
follow the same rhythmic pattern that is found in classical
music(5).
Rock music simply does not exist in nature, nor can it be found
within the patterns of the human body. Every function of the body operates on a
pattern of tension and relaxation similar to that found in classical music. One
can readily recognize this pattern by simply listening to a heartbeat. It is
this rhythm which makes the Mozart effect possible. Medical researchers have
found that exposure to the patterns found in classical music lessens the amount
of time that patients must spend in recovery. The audible reminder of that
pattern actually aids the weakened body in maintaining a healthy rhythm(6).
Many additional examples could be given to
demonstrate that the patterns of rock music are inconsistent with nature, yet
the question still persists; if rock music does not occur naturally, from whence
does it come? Many rock musicians have answered that question by claiming that
their music came straight from Satan himself(7).
Robert Palmer, contributing editor of Rolling Stone magazine and chief
advisor for the “History of Rock ‘n’ Roll” broadcast, openly admits that the
rhythmic patterns of rock music are derived from the rhythms of the voodoo
religion. He stated that “the idea that certain rhythm patterns or sequences
serve as conduits for spiritual energies, linking individual human consciousness
with the gods, is basic to traditional African religions… the fundamental riffs,
licks, bass figures, and drum rhythms that make rock and roll can ultimately be
traced back to African music of a primarily spiritual or ritual nature. In a
sense, rock and roll is a kind of voodoo.”(8)
Little Richard was very
open about where his music came from. He claimed, “My belief about Rock ‘n’ Roll
is this: I believe this kind of music is demonic… A lot of the beats in music
today are taken from voodoo.”(9) He also believed that he was “directed and
commanded by another power, the power of darkness, the power of the devil,
Satan.”(10) When asked about Christian rock music he said, “Rock ‘n’ roll
doesn’t glorify God. You can’t drink out of God’s cup and the devil’s cup at the
same time. I was one of the pioneers of that music, one of the builders. I know
what the blocks are made of because I built them.”(11)
It is important
to note that these men are not referring to the lyrics of rock music, but rather
to the rhythm or the pattern of beats which is prevalent in that style. In
labeling the rhythm itself as satanic, they are claiming that the act of placing
an unnatural emphasis on the backbeats of a song is demonic. The claims of these
men seem to agree with the teachings of the Bible on music.
According to
the Bible, there are certain songs which God associates with sin (Isa. 23:15)
and which He does not want to hear (Amos 5:23). The Bible also teaches us that
Satan is very wise in the realm of music (Eze.
28:12-19) and that his distinct sound was cast out of heaven with him (Isa
14:11-12). We are also told that the demonic forces cannot abide godly music (I
Sam. 16:14-23) thus leading us to the conclusion that Satan’s music must have
been fundamentally different from the music of God. The idea of a style of music
cunningly crafted by Satan to be disruptive of God’s natural pattern is fully
consistent with the teachings of Scripture.
The Evidence of Rock
Music
Since rock music is not found in nature but is attributed to Satan
and since the idea of a musical style developed by Satan is consistent with the
Bible, we are left with a question. Is rock music really the devil’s music? To
answer that question, we must look at the effects of the music, not the lyrics
but the music itself, to determine if the rock rhythm displays evidence of
satanic influence. If rock music is indeed the devil’s music, we would expect it
to contain fundamental differences from the music of God. We would expect it to
be found in places of demonic activity. We would expect it to be destructive of
God’s creation, and we would expect it to display the wisdom and subtlety of him
who was both the covering cherub and the beguiling serpent.
The first of
these evidences has already been mentioned. We have already seen that rock music
is fundamentally different from the music which God designed into nature in that
rock music’s characteristic emphasis on the backbeat is completely absent from
natural music. The hymns are also indicative of this distinction. The music in
the Christian hymnal is almost exclusively written in variations of 4/4 and 3/4
time, and it is noticeably absent of any emphasis on the backbeat. In fact, not
a single one of the hundreds of thousands of Christian hymns written before the
Americanization of rock music contains rock’s unnatural rhythm. Many of the hymn
writers were aware of rock music, for it has always been prevalent in the
strongholds of Satan. They simply rejected it as a medium unsuitable for the
songs of the Lord.
The second evidence has also been mentioned
previously, but let us further take notice that rock
music has been the music of choice for many satanic cults. For instance, the
demonic Process Church had very close ties to both the Rolling Stones and the
Beatles,(12) and the Beatles’ press officer said of
that band that “They’re completely anti-Christ. I mean, I am anti-Christ as
well, but they’re so anti-Christ they shock me which isn’t an easy thing.”(13) Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan also had very close ties to
several rock groups including Black Sabbath, The Who, and Ozzy Osbourne.(14) Clearly, the presence of an unnatural emphasis on the
backbeat does not in any way hinder the work of Satan and his
demons.
The Effects of Rock Music
But what
about the third evidence? Is rock music actually destructive? Since the
1950’s many experiments have been performed to study the effects of music on
plants.(15) It has been found that while classical
music is beneficial to plants, rock music is actually harmful. The most famous
of these experiments was performed by Dorothy Retallack in 1973, and the results are recorded in her book,
The Sound of Music and Plants. In her experiments, she subjected the plants to
several different kinds of music and found that those plants which were exposed
to rock music tended to flourish less, lean further away from the source of the
music and die more frequently than either the control group or those exposed to
classical music.(16)
Similar experimentation has been conducted with
mice. In 1987, Gervasia Schreckenberg and Harvey Bird determined that mice exposed
to the unnatural rhythms of rock music suffered from significant brain damage
resulting in a decrease in intelligence and attentiveness along with an increase
in aggression.(17) The results of these experiments and
many others demonstrate that rock music is inherently destructive in both the
plant and animal kingdoms. Surely, the God who daily provides for the needs of
His creation and who sees each sparrow fall would not endorse the use of rhythms
contrary to that creation.
Not only is the destructive nature of rock
music seen in nature, but it can be observed in humans as well. In his book, The
Secret Power of Music, David Tame observed that “there is scarcely a single
function of the body which cannot be affected by musical tones.” He referenced
Julius Portnoy who stated that, more than any other
influence on our bodies, music can “change metabolism, affect muscular energy,
raise or lower blood pressure, and influence digestion.”(18) Many studies have
found that rock music has a decidedly negative effect on the body, and that this
effect stems directly from the rhythm itself rather than the lyrics.
The
effects of rock music on the human body can be categorized in two groups, mental
and physical. The mental effects include poor coordination, memory loss,
emotional disorders, and brain damage; and the physical effects can be as mild
as hormonal imbalance and addiction or as severe as immune disorders and
premature death.
In a 2004 study, Ibrahim Basoglu et al. conducted a series of tests in which they
assessed the influence of rock music on high school students. During those
tests, they found that “the precision of voluntary action decreased in pop
music, and it increased in classical music.” In other words, they found that the
rhythm of the rock music produced a lack of coordination whereas the rhythm of
the classical music increased the student’s coordination.(19) Similarly Joseph
LaVoie and Betty Collins found that listening to rock
music can cause memory loss. In their study of high school students subjected to
periods of rock rhythms, classical music, and silence, they found that
“retention was significantly lower in the rock music condition.”(20)
Many studies have demonstrated that rock music causes emotional and
behavioral disorders. Most of them have tended to place the blame on the
language used in the lyrics of the songs; but in a 1989 journal entry, two
scientists, Wanamaker and Reznikoff, tested this
theory by playing the lyrics of the aggressive songs with softer rhythms and
vice versa. They found that the intensity of the emotional disorders paralleled
the intensity of the rock rhythm regardless of the lyrics.(21) From their results, we can postulate that the use of
strong negative lyrics in rock forms such as heavy metal and gangster rap is
very likely the result of the excessive influence of the rock rhythm on the
performers.
Examples of research confirming the emotional effects of rock
music include a study by Weidinger and Demi which found that “hospitalized adolescents who
primarily listened to heavy metal music had a history of more preadmission,
dysfunctional psychosocial behaviors than adolescents who primarily listened to
other types of music.”(22) A study by Harris, Bradley and Titus found that after
subjecting patients to a month long diet of rock music they tended to display
more inappropriate behavior than they did after a diet of music with classical
rhythms,(23) and research by Eliana Tropeano demonstrated that
watching rock music videos significantly increases the subject’s likelihood to
display negative behavior.(24)
In many cases, the mental effects of the
backbeat can also cause significant brain damage. We have already seen that the
brain can be harmed by this type of rhythm in that Schrekenberg and Bird discovered significant brain damage in
mice subjected to rock rhythms, but it can further be stated that the human
brain is equally as vulnerable to musical influence. The Russian scientist Malyarenko tested this idea by taking EEG measurements of
children who had listened to music every day in school and comparing the results
with children who had not listened to music. He discovered that those who
listened to music showed significant changes in their brain functions.(25)
Another Russian study by Pavlygina et al. demonstrated
that the changes produced by rock music are significantly different from those
produced by classical music, thus demonstrating that those who listen to the
unnatural rhythms of rock music are risking the same brain damage as that which
afflicted the mice.(26)
As for the physical effects of listening to rock
music, Dr. Weinberger has found that the rhythms in rock music cause the body to
produce an increase in the hormones cortisol and
epinephrine. Both of these hormones are designed to help the body withstand
stressful situations by affecting changes such as increasing blood flow to the
muscles, increasing the level of oxygen in the brain and increasing blood sugar.
The influence of these two hormones in a non-stressful situation can generate a
natural high, producing a feeling of euphoria in the listener; but there are
many negative side effects as well. Excessive amounts of these hormones can
cause headaches, palpitations, arrhythmia and hypertension. Both cortisol and epinephrine suppress the immune system and
inhibit digestion thus leaving the body vulnerable to numerous pathological
attacks.(27)
One of the greatest dangers
associated with these hormones is that they are addictive. As high levels of
cortisol and epinephrine are maintained for great
lengths of time, the brain and muscles become dependent on them desiring that
those levels continue to be maintained; and, as with any other drug, the body
eventually develops a tolerance thus requiring the listener to consistently
progress toward music with a greater intensity of the rock rhythm.(28)
The combined dangers of the physiological and psychological effects of
rock music produce among its most ardent followers a society well known for
misery and death. Of the 339 rock stars who have died
within the past 60 years, 316 of them died before their 55th birthday. If we add
to that the 19 who died at ages greater than 55 and the 98 who are still living
at ages greater than 55, we can determine that only 27% of all rock stars live
to see their 55th birthday. The average age of death for rock musicians has been
determined to be a mere 37 years – approximately half the national average.(29)
To put these figures in perspective, we could
compare them with similar statistics from a group of people in the same industry
as rock musicians and under similar amounts of stress to produce for the public
– classical composers. Among this class of musicians, 44% of them passed the age
of 70 before they died making them nearly twice as likely to reach the age of 70
as rock musicians are to reach the age of 55. The average of death for classical
composers is also nearly twice that of rock musicians at an average of 66
years.(30) This difference greatly increases in
significance when we consider that most of the classical composers obtained long
life without the aid of modern medicine.
The unnatural rhythms of rock
music have proven to be destructive to every class of life in God’s creation:
plant, animal and human; and yet those rhythms have been gladly accepted by many
Christians. The acceptance of rock music by Christians provides the fourth
evidence: that rock music displays the wisdom and subtlety of Satan. The same
Bible passage which speaks of Satan’s great musical ability also explains that
he seeks to defile sanctuaries, and in II Corinthians 11:12-15, God further
explains that one of Satan’s primary tactics is to deceive the church into
accepting his philosophies as if they were God’s. Nowhere else is this tactic
more evident than in the Christian music industry of the past 50
years.
In reference to these false ministers of righteousness, Jesus
informed us in Matthew 7:15-20 that we can recognize the ministers of Satan by
their fruits. From the adulterous relationships of Amy Grant, Sandi Patti and
Michael English to the occultic imagery of Michael W.
Smith and Third Day to the open blasphemy of P.O.D., the corrupt fruits of rock
music’s infiltration of the church are abundantly obvious.(31) We have demonstrated already that rock music is
fundamentally different from the music of God, that it is found in places of
demonic activity and that it is literally destructive of God’s creation. Is it
any wonder that those Christians who advocate the use of this music in the
church are often found to be false prophets?
The Solution to Rock
Music
And yet Christians continue to be
deceived, and those who most loudly denounce the evils of rock music regularly
allow it to creep into their lives unawares. Today’s Christians are too often
ignorant and gullible in this realm, believing that only that music which is
actually labeled as rock is evil. But it is not the label that makes the music.
As was mentioned at the beginning of this article, the unnatural and indeed
satanic rhythms of rock music are pervasive throughout many different genres. It
would indeed be naive of a Christian to assume that a song is acceptable to the
Lord because it is labeled as Southern Gospel instead of Contemporary Christian
Music or that a popular Christian rock song could be made pleasing to our holy
God by simply excluding the use of the drums.
The Christian who truly
wishes to please God with his music must learn to recognize the defiling
presence of the rock rhythm. To do this, he must learn how to count time in the
song and how to read music. He must be able to recognize the natural downbeats
in order to detect the unwelcome emphasis on the backbeat. Church musicians must
be especially capable of detecting Satan’s influence; for once a song is
permitted in the church, it will be forever in the houses of its members. The
founders of our great nation recognized that if the knowledge of the holy is understanding, then ignorance must produce a knowledge of
the profane; and to this end they passed the Ole Deluder Satan Act establishing
schools throughout the country for the education of its citizens. In like manner
also, the church must recognize the need for musical training, for knowledge is
the only sure means of checking the spread of rock music among Christians.
This training must be accomplished in four ways. Since the song leader
of a church usually has the final say in all matters of church music, then it is
necessary that a successful attack on the stronghold of Satan’s music begin with
the education of the song leader. The church should see his continued training
as an investment in their own safety. The church
musicians and the choir should be the next consideration. The congregation often
looks to this group for recommendations in their personal music choices. An
investment in the continued enrichment of the churches music program will pay
great dividends in the homes of the members. Furthermore, as children are both
more susceptible to the influence of wickedness and more receptive to the
knowledge of righteousness than adults, any successful music program in the
church must also include special training for the children. And finally, to
properly maintain a defense against the music of Satan, the church must
regularly inform the body as a whole of the attributes and dangers of rock music
as well as the benefits to be gained in choosing that music which is pleasing to
the Lord.
Imagine for a moment how different would have been the
reactions of Joshua and Moses had they heard the distinct sound of godly music
coming from the camp rather than that which sounded of war. Imagine the effect
Christians would have on this world if their churches, their homes and their
vehicles resonated with the praises of our Savior rather than the rhythms of His
enemy. How much greater would this nation be were our youth to seek after that
music which promotes a long life of wisdom and health? Let us rise to the
challenge, reject the noise of rock music, embrace the songs of the Lord and
teach others to do the same.
__________________________
Notes:
1. Simeon Pease Cheney, Wood Notes Wild: Notations of
Bird Music, Boston, MA: Lee and Shepard Publishers,
1892
2. Xenos Clark, B.S., “Animal Music, Its Nature and Origin,” The American
Naturalist, vol. 13, April 1879, pg. 209-223
3. David Rothenberg,
Thousand Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound, New York, NY: Basic Books,
2008
4. http://www-pw.physics.uiow
5. Cheney, Wood Notes Wild, pg. 1-4
6. “Music’s
Surprising Power to Heal,” Reader’s Digest, August,
1992
7. Bro. David Cloud and Dr. Terry Watkins have both published extensive
research on the satanic origin of rock music which can be found at their
websites, http://www.wayoflife.org/ and
http://www.av1611.org/
respectively. I have met both men on multiple occasions and have personally
verified much of their research in this area.
8. Robert Palmer, Rock and
Roll An Unruly History, Harmony Press 1995, pg.
53
9. Charles White, The Life and Times of Little
Richard, New York, NY: Da Capo Press 1994, pg.
197
10. Ibid, pg. 205
11. The
Dallas Morning News, Oct. 29, 1978, pg. 14A
12. Donald Phau, “The Satanic Roots of Rock Music”
13. Derek Taylor, Saturday Evening Post, Aug. 8, 1964
14.
Donald Phau, “The Satanic Roots of Rock Music”
15.
Nuran Ekici, et al., “The Effects of Different Musical Elements on
Root Growth and Mitosis in Onion Root Apical Meristem,” Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, vol 6, no. 2, 2007, pg. 369-373
16. Dorothy Retallack, The Sound of Music and
Plants, Devorss and Co., June 1973
17. Gervasia M. Schreckenberg and
Harvey H. Bird, “Neural Plasticity of MUS Musculus in
Response to Disharmonic Sound,” Bulletin, New Jersey Academy of Science, vol.
32, no. 2, Fall 1987
18. David Tame, The Secret
Power of Music: The Transformation of Self and Society Through Musical Energy,
Rochester, VT: Destiny Books, 1984, pg. 136-138
19. Ibrahim
Basoglu, M. Tunaya Kalkan and Nil Sari, “The Physiological Effects of Classical
Music and Pop Music on Female High School Students,” Yeni Symposium, 2004, Cerrahpasa
Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
20. Joseph C.
LaVoie and Betty R. Collins, “Effect of Youth Culture
Music on High School Students,” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 4, no. 1,
1975
21. Wanamaker CE and Reznikoff M., “Effects of Aggressive and Nonaggressive Rock
Songs on Projective and Structured Tests,” The Journal of Psychology, vol. 123,
no. 6, Nov. 1989, pg. 561-570
22. Weidinger
CK and Demi AS, “Music Listening Preferences and
Preadmission Dysfunctional Psychosocial Behaviors of Adolescents Hospitalized on
an In-patient Psychiatric Unit,” J Child Adolesc
Psych., vol. 4, no. 1, Jan-Mar, 1991
23. Harris CS, Bradley RJ and Titus SK,
“A Comparison of the Effects of Hard Rock and Easy Listening on the Frequency of
Observed Inappropriate Behaviors: Control of Environmental Antecedents in a
Large Public Area,” Journal of Music Therapy, vol. 29, no. 1, Spring, 1992, pg.
6-17
24. Eliana Tropeano,
“Does Rap or RockMusic Provoke Violent Behavior?”
Journal of Undergraduate Psychological Research, vol. 1, 2006,
pg. 31
25. T. N. Malyarenko, “The Development of Brain Electric Activity in 4
Year Old Children by Long-Term Sensory Stimulation with Music,” Human
Physiology, vol. 2, 1996, pg.76-81
26. R. A. Pavlygina, D. S. Sakharov and V. I. Davydov, “Spectral Analysis of the Human EEG during
Listening to Musical Compositions,” Human Physiology, vol. 30, no. 1, Jan. 2004,
pg. 54-60
27. N. M. Weinberger, “The Musical Hormone”, Musica Research Notes, vol. 4, no. 2, Fall 1997
28. ibid
29. Dr. Terry Watkins, “Premature
Death of Rock Stars,” http://www.av1611.org/rock
30. Based on a random sampling of 650 classical composers. There
are over 2200 known classical composers, and my research into their lifespans is currently ongoing.
31. Dr. Terry Watkins,
“Christian Rock Exposed,” http://www.av1611.org/croc