WHY LARRY NORMAN IS AWESOME

WHY LARRY NORMAN IS AWESOME
By JACOB SAWYER BTh, MAR (Hons), ThM (Hons), PhD

Larry Norman is awesome just because.

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READER'S DIGEST

Alice is a drag queen
Bowie's somewhere in between
Other bands are looking mean
Me I'm trying to stay clean

I don't dig the radio
I hate what the charts pick
Rock and roll may not be dead
but it's getting sick

All over the world disc jockeys sound the same
And every town I play is like the one from where I came


The rolling stone are millionaires
flower children pallbearers
Beatles said "all you need is love" and then they broke up

Jimi took an overdose
Janis followed so close
The whole music scene and all the band are pretty comatose

This time last year people didn't wanna hear
They looked at Jesus from afar
This year He's a superstar


Dear John Who's more popular now?
I've been listening to some of Paul's new records
Sometimes I think he really is dead


It's 1973
I wonder who we're gonna see
Who's in power now
I think I'll turn on the t.v.

The man on the news said
china's gonna beat us
We shot all our dreamers and there's no one left to lead us
We need a solution we need salvation
Let's send some people to the moon and gather information

They brought back a big bag of rocks
Only cost thirteen billion
Must be nice rocks


You think it's such a sad thing
when you see a fallen king
Then you find out they're only princes to begin with

And everybody has to choose
whether they will win or lose
Follow God or sing the blues and who they're gonna sin with

What a mess the world is in I wonder who began it
Don't ask me I'm only visiting this planet

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Heroes are so rare these days. Maybe my expectations are too high, I'm really not sure. But Larry is one of my heroes, he's a person who I can look to. I think a lot of people feel like this, people who have noticed this shortage of Heroes. People around them who they can see are really living out their lives, the best with what they've got. Not just talking, in fact not really talking at all- just doing. Being Heroes.

I know this probably sounds cheesey and sentimental, but I honestly don't care. I'm writing what I want to, what I see as being important and valid.

These are my Heroes:


Jesus (a given, but does not deserve to be put on the same list as anybody else - He is the be all and end all)

William and Catherine Booth

Larry Norman

Brett

Brian Carter

The Aitken family (including AitkenReads)

Geoff Ryan

Andy Robinson

Ivor

Julianne and Ross Ollerenshaw

My Uncle Doug Peat and his family

Michael Collins

Thom Yorke


And then I was going to list a few of my friends, but I haven't for two reasons, one being is that the people left out would feel stink, and the other is that I've been thinking more and more about it and I respect so many of my friends so much, and the list would get crammed.


These following people know who they are, and have my utmost respect:

I have a lot of respect for a friend of mine who suffers from an apparantly incureable condition, but powers on through life, trusting God.

I have a lot of respect for a mate who has gone against his family to pursue what they believe is a calling from God to a job that promotes insecurity and has forsaken worldly success to do so.

I have a lot of respect for a mate who is torn between two homes and has gone through real tough times this past year, but through her big heart for others and a desire for truth (with some divine intervention I'm sure) has come back to find her real identity.

I have a lot of respect for a mate who seems to be continuously searching for the truth in life, and is living by his findings and is open to being shown what others think is the meaning to life.

I have a lot of repect for a mate who lives out her life for God quietly where they're at, just doing what she's doing for God, even though it involves disgusting stuff.

I have a lot of repect for a mate whos big life dream isn't gonna happen anymore, but he's really trusting his Dad to see him through, and is just living in the tension for the moment.

I have a lot of respect for a mate who has a rough time at home and has had a heap of tradgedys amongst her friends, but she's trying to see God in her situation and giving her life to Him.

I have a lot of respect for a couple of mates who both have recently suffered big relationship breakups, but are rebuilding their brokenness with God at their centre.

I have a lot of respect for a mate who is studying a degree that is going against his family's expectations, and he's trusting in his God with his future and family.








Maybe Heroes aren't as rare as I thought...

Bottom line - listen to Larry Norman. If I could imprison people I would, and force them to listen to all 4 of his records that I own. He's like to me who John Drane is to Rob, who Billy Corgan is to Pie (?), who John Mayer is to Sam.