Devon DickON MOTHERS' Day I heard No woman nuh cry, One Love and Three little Birds, three Marley songs, played in a church but Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Planning, in a lecture at the African-Caribbean Institute of Jamaica bemoans the lack of use of Wailers songs in church. What then is surprising is that there has been no greater use/adaptation of their songs of praise in Christian churches, particularly where liberation theologians have influence.
Whilst there have been local compositions in the region, it is difficult to comprehend why there has not been a widespread movement to adapt and incorporate songs like Marley's Thank You Lord and Give Thanks or Tosh's Creation and Jah Sayinto the worship services of the mainline churches (The Wailers - Giving Thanks and Praise p. 22).
The chairman of the African-Caribbean Institute of Jamaica, Professor Rupert Lewis and chairman of the Institute of Jamaica, Professor Barry Chev-annes, who were present at the lecture and whose organisations sponsored the lecture given by Davies could tell him that when they gave lectures at the Churches Emancipation Lecture Series they heard renditions by Bob Marley. Perhaps the reason why Dr Davies isn't aware of these developments is because he is attending the wrong 'church.'
Furthermore, to expect widespread use of songs by the Wailers so early after composition is to ignore the process by which songs become adapted in the Church. It takes time. Noel Dexter's composition, The Right Hand of God was not accepted as the winning entry for the inauguration service of the Caribbean Conference of Churches in the 1970s but now there is a growing acceptance of this hymn within church circles.
That has the process from time immemorial. Great hymns that are sung now were not readily accepted in the beginning. Isaac Watts (1674-1748) who wrote present favourites like, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and Jesus shall reign where'er the sun were not used in the church of that time because Watts was seen as a radical musician and only radicals like National Hero Paul Bogle would be found dead with Isaac Watts' hymn book.
Instead of regretting the absence of adaptations of songs of Wailers within a worship service, Davies should instead commend the church for the great strides in using indigenous music and compositions. The cultural renaissance that affirmed black pride and worth gathered momentum with experiments at St Michael's Seminary and Aquinas Centre by Father Richard Ho Lung and Barry Chevannes. Chevannes wrote Blak Op in 1967, which was using folk rhythms to communicate the traditional classical liturgy while Fr. Richard Ho Lung has an annual indigenous internationally acclaimed concert in aid of the persons who are poor.
Since the 1960s there has also been the Mento Mass, Reggae Mass and Folk Mass. These compositions have been reinforced by the increased use of drums, tambourine, guitars, keyboards, the Steel Pan, as part of the worship services. Interestingly, the Diocesan Festival Choir will focus attention on African worship songs as part of its repertoire as of this Sunday in its Annual Concert at the University Chapel.
Although Davies' observation has some weaknesses, nevertheless he has made worthwhile points, provided useful information and raised important issues. For example, in displaying competence about the music of the Wailers he made the little known point that the BBC's song of the 20th Century, Bob Marley's One Love was an adaptation of the Curtis Mayfield hit, People Get Ready.
More importantly Davies was at his best in outlining the theology of Rastafarians and their critique of the Church, concept of salvation and heaven and who is the Almighty by listening extensively to the songs of Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer that were in praise of Jah. He looked at 'cover' versions of established hymns and negro spirituals, which were recorded by the Wailers for the purpose of giving thanks and praise to the Almighty. Students of theology, history and music ought to read this piece before undertaking any paper on Rastafarianism.
Davies is rightly impressed that the Wailers gave thanks to the Almighty without finding it necessary to separate audiences or the music into secular and sacred. So the Rastafarian reggae artiste will, with equal facility and in the same performance provide social commentary, express normal human sentiments of envy, jealousy, love and sexual feelings without skipping a beat. As Davies said, 'I cannot recall any other group or individual artiste who unapologetically used their performances, in front of what would be termed secular audiences, to consistently expound their religious faith' (p. 12).
According to him, unlike Black American music and Jamaican gospel musicians, there is no clear distinction between the secular and the religious.
In America for example, although Aretha Franklin has done several gospel renditions she is not seen in the same light as Mahalia Jackson who deliberately chose not to perform secular music. Religious audiences feel that there must be total commitment to 'gospel music' only to be seen as a true disciple of Jesus.
Davies' claim that gospel singers avoid 'secular audiences' shows that he is unaware that things are changing since the arrival of recent converts to Christianity like Papa San, Lt. Stitchie, Junior Tucker, Carlene Davis and Judy Mowatt who have brought a new dimension to gospel music by performing at Reggae Sunsplash and Reggae Sumfest etc. In fact, the gospel band, Change, was the forerunner to that development and since then the Kingston and St Andrew Baptist Association Youth Chorale has performed at Reggae Sumfest.
However, gospel music needs to become wholistic like Rastafarian music and deal with issues of marital love, economic opportunity, justice and political rights. Gospel music should not be restricted to being evangelistic only, always leading to an altar call.
It ought to deal with other aspects of righteous living including proper stewardship of the environment, value of life, fair wages, a new economic order and other social commentary.
The Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church.
