Hymns and Praise Choruses Explained

One of our gentlemen at church (who also has a thought-provoking blog) posted this on our church blog. Too funny and tongue in cheek- enjoy! :o)

Praise Songs explained…

Not long ago a farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well,” said the farmer, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.”
“Praise choruses,” said his wife, “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.

The farmer said, “Well it’s like this—If I were to say to you:
`Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn.

If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Martha Martha, Martha,
Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows,
the brown cows,
the black cows,
the white cows,
the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS
are in the corn,
are in the corn,
are in the corn,
are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus.”

Hymns explained…

A young, new Christian from the big city attended the small town church one weekend. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the young man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.”

“Hymns,” said his wife, “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.

The young man said, “Well it’s like this—If I were to say to you, `Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song.

If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn.
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

Then, if I were to do only verses one, three, and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”

Comments

I believe both musical expressions have a place in worship. I have long fellowshipped at a church that primarily sings praise songs, much like David. However, what a divine treat when every so often (wish it were more often, truth be told) a lovely hymn is sung.

I've heard it said that some of our most precious hymns were godly lyrics set to 'bar' tunes. Anyone know that to be true?

[Sherry aka Haus Frau]

I believe both musical expressions have a place in worship. I have long fellowshipped at a church that primarily sings praise songs, much like David. However, what a divine treat when every so often (wish it were more often, truth be told) a lovely hymn is sung.

I've heard it said that some of our most precious hymns were godly lyrics set to 'bar' tunes. Anyone know that to be true?

[Sommer]

Oh my how the did make me laugh!

At our church we sing both...but I grew up in a church that sang only one or two hymns and the rest were praise songs.

Thanks for giving me a smile on my face this morning:-)

Lots of love,
Sommer

[Steph VG]

I've only heard the first part before! So glad you posted the whole thing! Being a hymns girl myself (preference, not "conviction"), I thought it was hilarious, especially the hymn parody, which was new to me. That is certainly how hymns seem to those who've never heard them. About as popular as Shakespeare. But the same is true with Shakespeare, Jane Austen, hymns, or praise songs - once you get used to the language, the whole world opens up to you.

[Mrs. Elliott]

This made me laugh so hard this morning. Thanks!

[Kathy, Jeff's Wife]

FUNNY!!!!!!!

The old hymns are so RICH in doctrine.

Children are growing up on modern praise music and they don't know the old paths of music. To me it is just like a society that only knows fast food and can't appreciate the nutrition and taste of a slow cooked meal at home, full of veggies and a marvelous desert.

Modern praise music is not necessarily bad, I like some of it, but if you want to grow in your theology while you worship, learn those old songs.

[Evers]

The rumor about hymns coming from 'bar' tunes is strictly false; but really a point of misunderstanding.

"Bar" is a musical term for a certain type of melody progression. Gene Veith (http://www.worldmag.com/articles/9831) puts it this way:

“For the record, Luther did not take 'bar tunes' and put biblical words to them. That legend comes from a comical misunderstanding. Someone apparently heard a music historian referring to Luther's use of the 'bar form,' which refers to a stanza structure, not to what drunks sing in a tavern. Luther did borrow and adapt tunes from earlier hymns, medieval chants, and contemporary composers, but a good number of his melodies were his own original compositions.”

[Emily]

Haha, that is hilarious! Thanks for posting Mrs Wilt! :)

[Mrs. Wilt]

So glad everyone is enjoying this!

Thank you, Evers, for your enlightening comment. Fascinating- and yes, I too have heard others refer to "bar form" as a "bar tune". As a musician, that does my heart good to see it is indeed a falsehood! :o)

We have the blessing of attending a church which includes both hymns and praise choruses in music worship. I am a hymn lover and agreeing with Kathy, feel that great tenets of theology are expressed vividly within many of these older compositions.

Oh, how I feel my soul rise within me when we sing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" or my personal favorite, "Be Thou My Vision." I nearly cry every time we sing "How Great Thou Art" or "It Is Well With My Soul." What a blessing of encouragement godly music is to the believer! :o)

[homemakerang]

HILARIOUS! I love hymns!

[ukrainiac]

Definitely brought a smile to my face.

I, too, am blessed with a church that loves hymns and includes praise songs as well. All lyrics are approved by the elders before we sing them...

I believe I read somewhere that Michael Card still runs his lyrics by the session of his church to be sure that he is not making a theological error...

[Jendi]

Enjoyed this post!

[Sheri]

Thank you for posting this great explanation! I have linked it on my blog as I have been exploring a little bit the idea of worship and children. I love both kinds of praise.

[Lisa]

I have read your blog for a while but I had to post on this as it gave me such a laugh. I read it to my hubby and he enjoyed it too! We love hymns but we have a "contemporary service" and a "traditional service" at our church so both types of singing are offered. I do think it is sad though how hymns are falling out of favor in lieu of praise music. I think that having both in one service is a really good idea.

[Sheila]

Hilarious! I'm going to link to this on my blog.

[chickadee]

so funny. if i were ever in doubt i would now know for a fact that our church sings hymns. an occasional praise song in a special but old, glorious hymns rule the congregational singing.

[Lisa Kay]

I once heard someone refer to "Praise Songs" as 7-11 singing. I asked what that meant. His reply? "You know, you just sing the same 7 words 11 times."

:o)

Thanks for sharing!

[Lisa Kay]

I once heard someone refer to "Praise Songs" as 7-11 singing. I asked what that meant. His reply? "You know, you just sing the same 7 words 11 times."

:o)

Thanks for sharing!

[Kelly]

That was so fun, Mrs. Wilt! What a great post. :0) We sing all praise songs at our church and put some of the hymns to more contemporary music. I love seeing all of the youth dancing and really getting into the Spirit while singing the songs that they hear on the radio; however, my daughter was named after "Amazing Grace", and I always cry whenever its sung. When we move, we'll be serving at a church with my husband's cousin and wife, and they sing both hymns and praise songs. I'm SO excited for that!! Just as being well-rounded in your faith is important, I think that it's wonderful to experience and participate in both praise songs and hymns. God bless today, Mrs. Wilt!

[Ashley]

So funny! Thanks for posting it Mrs. Wilt.

[sara]

Although not "bar" tunes, many hymnwriters did put their words to folk melodies that were well known to their congregations. For instance "We Gather Together" was a Dutch folk tune with secular lyrics (something like "Wild unto wild, who can tame me?") until the words as we know them were penned and set to the tune (after Dutch protestants defeated their Spanish oppressors at the Battle of Turnhout.) There is so much great theology in old (and new!) hymns. I learned much of the theology I know from singing, and I continue to be absolutely passionate about hymns' value to our heritage and our current worship (whether public or private.) I blog about what different hymns mean to me as a way to encourage others, and to keep a little corner of hymnody alive and well!

[Melody]

That was very cute! :)

[Julie]

Thank you for the parody. I believe the differsnce between "praise songs" and "hymns" is not nessesarily in the words but in the format which they are sung. The majority of "Praise songs" are sung to the rhythms of contemporary Christian music (ie. the rock venue), whereas "hymns" are sung to a march or waltz. Much like the difference between popular and classical music. The words are only reflecting the manner in which the music is written and performed.

[Julie]

Thank you for the parody. I believe the differsnce between "praise songs" and "hymns" is not necesarily in the words but in the format which they are sung. The majority of "Praise songs" are sung to the rhythms of contemporary Christian music (ie. the rock venue), whereas "hymns" are sung to a march or waltz. Much like the difference between popular and classical music. The words are only reflecting the manner in which the music is written and performed.

[Monica]

Very funny and true!!

[diana]

Praise music is like grating your fingers on a chalkboard. CS Lewis said even of the Traditional Hymns they were second rate songs to third rate lyrics. It's racket. (Edit mine) Dante would of used it in Inferno if it was around. It found it's way into our Anglican church and it was thrown in the garbage, but had to return because a few liked it. So if you like Praise music does that mean Mozart's Mass in C minor sounds like a bear light bulb in a plywood basement? Can you like both?