Song of the Week - "These Are Days" - Natalie Merchant / 10,000 Maniacs
A light new feature (free post)
Trying out a new feature, The Song of the Week.
It occurred to me recently that music sits pretty close to the intersection of the key themes of this Substack: reading/writing, community, and formation. The songs we sing are deeply formative for us as persons and communities. So, I thought I’d share a song each week that has been formative for me, and offer a couple of brief thoughts that connect it with this particular week (in the church calendar and/or natural year) and explore why it is significant for me. Let me know what you think…
(NOTE: Much of the music that has been formative for me, and that I regularly listen to is not the newest or the hippest tunes — alternative music from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000’s, and some theological-tinged songs that may or may not fit into the above category. Some of you may revel a bit in the nostalgia of these mostly older songs; others may find an occasional gem that didn’t previously know about.)
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Natalie Merchant is one of artists that I have listened to most frequently over the last decade or two. I enjoyed her work with 10,000 Maniacs when I was in high school, but it was by no means among my most listened to music. So, I don’t know when that switch flipped, and I really started to listen obsessively to her songs? Certainly, my wife Jeni was one influence in that shift.
It’s hard for me to pick a favorite Natalie Merchant song, but “These Are Days” has to be near the top (with “Kind and Generous,” “Thank You,” and on and on). Although not explicitly theological in any way, I am convinced that this song is a perfect anthem for the Easter season. (Maybe some would argue that it’s merely an anthem for spring? But I hear notes of resurrection life dancing through its lyrics.)
These are days you'll remember
When May is rushing over you with desire
To be part of the miracles you see in every hour
You'll know it's true that you are blessed and lucky
It's true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you
Easter song or not, it is definitely a song of hope, and particularly a hope that comes from outside ourselves, a hope that we receive and that will ultimately transform us (“something/ that will grow and bloom in you”). And I love that the song takes shape around a thread of gratitude, which of course is one of the most prominent biblical themes, but one that much less prevalent in contemporary Christian music (but I could be wrong, as I’m not the most seasoned CCM listener!)
I hope you enjoy this song that celebrates the superabundance of life in this Easter season!
This post is made freely available to Substack readers, but if you appreciate The Conversational Life, please consider helping to sustain our work with a paid subscription ( $5/month or $50/year ).
Super addition. Lyrics can use insightful poetic economy, and melody gives the flowing support & emotion, ... and joy.! Music is a rich heritage to be leveraged.
The song thing... Great idea & thanks.