Change up Those Hillsong(s)

I’m stuck in a never-ending debate with the other worship leader at my church – in regards to song “tweaking”.

I change up our songs all the time. Little things, mind you. Never melodically….anymore (learned that lesson after unintentionally tricking the audience into singing before I came in with the chorus.) He chooses to stick to what the professionals created:

A) Because they’re professionals.

B) So that those in the congregation, if they’re already familiar with the song, won’t feel like it’s foreign to them.

Those are good arguments. Perhaps I just get sick of playing something the same way 60 times in a row. Perhaps it’s just a boredom issue.

Or perhaps these songs can be improved.

Let’s take the Adele song, “Rolling in the Deep.” If anyone else wrote it, it would be a really good song. In fact, I can audibly imagine the song being done in a variety of ways. All of them good. But, Adele makes that song SING. It’s perfect. By leaving songs the way they are, we’re assuming that each and every single one of them were constructed in the best possible way. Hillsong is a fantastic band that writes fantastic songs. Doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t improve on them. If you hear something in your head, try it. If the other band members in your democracy like it, try it on Sunday.