'Larry Norman, The Father of Christian Rock' Scene | The Jesus Music

[@dlullrich6803]

More of a Christian hard rock guy I Can’t say I’m much of a Larry Norman fan, maybe I haven’t heard enough of his music. But what got me about this video was the 200,000 people of a generation in Dallas that came to Jesus. If only we could see that happened today. It will happen today, glory to God.

[@oeautobody3586]

The harvest is ripe the workers are few

[@dlullrich6803]

@@oeautobody3586 Larry Norman did a great thing for sure

[@drdirk2]

Ever hear of Norwegian band 'Air Bag' ? They sound like Pink Floyd, Their a trio, excellent musicians. I'm just wondering..

[@amnagxel2720]

I was blessed to be at Explo 72. I was a junior in high school and am now turning 70 years young. Great memories!

[@dpixvid]

Humble guy...I’ve seen him wiping tables at a show beforehand. Seen him like 4 or 5xs. Complicated guy for sure. “I am a servant” one of my life theme songs. Loved his screams 😂😂😂. Definitely a showman...

[@impalaman9707]

If only Larry Norman had the same level of integrity in his personal life as Keith Green had

[@dillarddillard-p4e]

His music changed my life, WHY DON’T YOU LOOK INTO JESUS echoed though my worldly mind, i could hear Jesus calling me….I had to answer ! Thank God for Larry!

[@Calatriste54]

Bravo.

[@a.d.marshall2748]

Too bad the gospel didn't. No saved person would believe that devil was anything but a devil.

[@dillarddillard-p4e]

@ Backstage, I cross the middle ground Curtain up, house lights down I sing love songs and pass myself around And afterwards Some people say they thought I put them down They feel so bad It does not matter what I say I hope tomorrow they have a better day They seem so caught They need release They need your strong love and strange peace Reporters question me, is this a new direction for the young How lamb like their faces How snake like their tongues They quote me perfectly Then rewrite every word I speak And go away convinced we're all some new kind of freaks I feel so good It does not matter what they say I hope tomorrow they have a better day They seem so trapped They need release They need your strong love and strange peace They need your strong love and strange peace Please give them your strong love and strange peace - Larry Norman

[@RichardMullin-u8w]

I am a 60 year old follower of Jesus “Up in Canada” - another great Larry tune. I can still recite verbatim the lyrics to many of Larry Norman’s songs. I had never heard of Explo 72. What a seminal moment in Christendom. It would have been so cool if U2 could have attended as well and sang the song “One”. It was an event that shows what it is to live your life in a cruciform pattern…..holding together the opposites. It is messy, it is complicated but that is life and the Holy Spirit works through it all.

[@georgewade9748]

>>>>.I didnt have much money :)

[@RichardMullin-u8w]

@ I see what you did there! 😂

[@thadeuszjuca3470]

I'm a brazilian fan. Larry Norman's music has influenced brazilian christian music.

[@jackbynum]

My dad was in a band called Liberation Suite and they played in 1974-1978 in ireland and with the davids tent movement in LA, crazy stories and an awesome legacy

[@impalaman9707]

What a cool name for a band---Liberation Suite! I love it!

[@johntobey1558]

This was a powerful movement that moved throughout the world. These catalytic moments inspired the Baby boomers and those whom they raised like myself. It had some excesses that is sure but we can gleen lessons from it today.

[@joshua9n]

This is really moving me. Thank you spirit of God.

[@drdirk2]

Larry Norman's " In Another Land" 1976 was the 1st Christian album I ever bought as a teen.! Still listening since 1980. Awesome! Still have it on Spotify.

[@wheelzwheela]

Larry was unbelievably talented. There is no one that can deny it. He is in the 0.000001% of singers and sing writers. He stood out in the 60s and 70s and one of the very best let that sink in. He was a weird dude… but so is everyone else at that level.

[@oeautobody3586]

Funny humans with feet of clay 😂🎉

[@jimhall3032]

He came to our church youth group in the late 60's. We didn't know how good we had it.

[@michaelanthony9068]

I also loved Randy Stonehill, Phil Keagy, and The Way. Great video.

[@metrodrumstv]

Great to see Glenn Kaiser and Matthew Ward 👍!

[@benjamin.schreiber]

..and Glenn had wise words as often! 👍

[@johntobey1558]

Glen Kaiser was a pastor as well leading the Jesus people USA in Chicago, Illinois.​@@benjamin.schreiber

[@wizzle-]

I have never heard of Mr. Norman. Thanks for the introduction. Cheers

[@oeautobody3586]

Me too! I started going to church in July. My ear has a hard time with the beats during singing 😂. Love the humans there though.

[@davidcarpenter4072]

I was blessed to perform with Larry a few years ago in Florence, S.C., one of his last shows before his passing. He mentioned that he thought that he would see John (Lennon) in heaven because he had spent some time at John's mansion and had noticed that John had been reading a Bible. I hope so. Larry was a very nice guy and wanted us all to feel great about what we were doing. A few years later we gathered together some to the videos that we made and sent them to someone making a another documentary. Be blessed, Jesus loves you all!

[@SParisi-w5u]

Thank God that he so often uses the broken to deliver His message to His children. The scripture has so many examples of this. And yet, He wants to heal us of our brokenness.

[@martinone9]

I met Larry a couple of times in the 90s…really nice fella.

[@shoutinshannon]

I still can't believe this documentary didn't include David and the Giants, some of the greatest pioneers of contemporary Christian music.

[@draftplus]

The production on his albums was way ahead of his time... Musically he gathered all that had been done and created what would be done long after him.

[@theOutbackBerean]

I met Larry back in the early 80s. Nice bloke 🍺

[@makeitcount179]

Chuck Girard's Band 'Lovesong' was undisputably the best Christian Band in 1972. Larry Norman live...in 1972...was wonky...goofy even...he looked terrified of having a bootleg cassette floating about that had 3 songs in a row that sounded good. Larry always broke his set..every single time I saw him play. ( Like MGM or Capitol -actually cared- The didnt) Later he formed Phydeaux. History proves that. I called his house from West Germany. I made a contact in East Berlin with a Radio Show. He wanted some of this strange religious rock. I thought maybe Larry had an old rough take Tape that he wouldn't mind getting bootlegged in EastGermany. His dad Joe answered the phone, he was a G.I. in WW2 he said, surprised me...I thought I had an inside track. He took a message and promised to give it to Larry. I never heard anything back from him. Until he came over to play a handful of shows. I met up with him I. WALDKIRCHE, a small town with a big club called The Arche. I met him backstage and he brushed me off. I left it at that. It was 1984

[@sharpsbattle]

I was in the next generation and grew up on Petra. 😊

[@fredbriggs2225]

Rock and roll is, perhaps, the most dangerous mission field. Christians in some mission fields can lose their lives, (and gain Heaven) Christians in rock and roll can lose their souls. Whether you like their music or not, you should pray for our rock and roll missionaries...

[@ChristopherHarle41048]

An important documentary, thank you. This brings back memories of days of revival.

[@webbsamples]

This documentary should have stayed with the focus on Larry Norman. People outside of Christian music have never heard of him with the exception of that horrid film about him years ago. He wrote a lot of great songs and did his best to spread his true beliefs. He was not a fake. I met him after a concert and he was very genuine. He signed autographs and drew lithographs for everybody in there for TWO HOURS after his set. He was visibly tired during the concert, but did not let that stop him from staying late for a very small limited venue. That song they referenced "drinking whiskey from a paper cup" was referring to Janis Joplin. He didn't take drugs but knew the hippie life. Look up the song "UFO" if you want to hear how good a song writer he really was. May his memory be for a blessing.

[@RussellWorkman]

TRUE ! > I REMEMBER LARRY..... LORD REST HIS SOUL !*..... One Of The Biggest Truths In Lyrics That FIT Perfectly For This Age I've Thought And Have Always Remembered, is His Line, About When The Day Would Come "When A Piece Of Bread Could Buy A Bag Of Gold". WOW! Are We Headed There ?*

[@ProphesytotheWind]

I guess I was in the next generation of CCM birthed from this wonderful movement. I’m so thankful for it, because all of the great 80s CCM would have never happened otherwise. I asked the Lord about these pioneers like Larry Norman, Petra, Randy Matthews and Mansfield, and I believe God told me that He actually was able to do more with these guys than some of those in the more accepted styles of Christian music, because these guys were just so happy to be saved, that they gave up all to Jesus to the best of their ability, but not some of the others who were wholeheartedly invited into the churches. This is much like the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18.

[@rodneycluley6021]

An amazing Christian musician/prophet of his times

[@mti2035]

❤❤❤I hope this gets viewed

[@MyriamBernard13]

Made me emotional. So cool.

[@fordsrestorations970]

We can see that the world became a much - much better place in harmony , love , and peace, and everybody is saved . 🤔

[@GaveMeGrace1]

Thank you Thank you Thank you

[@lullabyesmom]

Larryis known as the godfather of christian music rick n roll etc. He was awesome! It was so fun when at a lil church here in Portland Oregon he played and my son was 5 at the time and he spoke to our son it was a neat moment! 🙏👍😻🦁🐑⛪✝️🕎🏳️🏁🇮🇱

[@cohencowling2201]

It’s sad they seemed to have trouble in churches with brothers and sisters because they liked to play rock for Jesus

[@robinpharr9274]

So good

[@MarkAlken-zt7ib]

You’re right Greg, your generation was rebellious and it shows to this day, we’re all having to eat the fruit of it.

[@impalaman9707]

They were not wrong to question things, but once they got their answer, they just needed to shut up, fall in line and comply with "the Man"

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. May God continue to use Larry Norman for His Glory and get the gospel of the early church preached unto all so that all may be brought to repentance and faith in the Truth that died to give unto them eternal life.

[@samfisher4566]

Billy Graham such an anointed and wise man of God!

[@Gpabatman]

Good to see Glenn Kaiser

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

A police man down on his knees praying from the good Billy Graham's testimony in this good video. Philippians 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

[@matthewbrown7572]

I became a born again in the early to mid 70's and was a singer songwriter. Larry Norman was the christian Beatles. It didn't take long though to become completely disillusioned by the church. I discovered very clearly that the church is not about god, but about power , control, and money. Now the church is all about Trump. I was more right about the church than I ever could have imagined. So much for everything Jesus stood for. Truly a tragedy.

[@webbsamples]

This is your testimony?

[@matthewbrown7572]

@@webbsamples Yes it is.

[@everypetravideoever8065]

6:46 My dad went to this

[@wolfmanmj2312]

Anyone else see Jason Sudeikis?

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

✟ For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 (KJV)

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Amen to the words of Jesus Christ being sung in this video that are written in John 13:35 how all men shall know that we are His disciples if we have love one to another. Amen to God's Unconditional love known as Agape Love that kind of love is found only in Him and Heaven His Kingdom alone may it happen and fulfill His Divine Will forever.

[@geraldarcuri9307]

Well, at least we now know who to blame for the tidal wave of mediocre music in modern churches.

[@hopeforeveryone9808]

What a ridiculous comment t.

[@ghostownaproach]

Christian rock provided a stepping stone away from secular rock for me but before long I found that God asked me to leave that also and after obeying, to the chagrin of many who thought I should be a Christian musician, I eventually found that there was a dishonest ingredient that goes against how God chooses to reach people. Larry and Randy even inventing a sister who died young (Emily) so Randy could sing a sad song about her and sell more records, calling it creative artistic license. Amy Grant said her first offer to sing in church was for $75 and that she couldn't afford it but they explained, no, we pay you... But now when she tells it the amount is $300. Is the whole story made up to endear her to a gullible audience? Just asking.

[@oeautobody3586]

Could be humans are all stupid and emblish our stories. My parents use to do that , basic truth but the older they got the more wonderful the old days were 😂 drove me crazy

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

There are tons of ballads about fictional people and songs about fictional situations. It's called story telling. What a ridiculous criticism for you to make.

[@ghostownaproach]

@EddieMcDonald-b9k I was among those chosen to help promote a concert at our community College for Ritchie Furay who was coming as a Christian artist solo acoustic but the Christians here wanted to emphasize his association with Buffalo Springfield and Poco and say nothing about his being Christian now. I had to excuse myself from participating in that because it's dishonest. Later I attended a Petra concert where people got up and left at the first song because only after paying and waiting for it to begin did they find out that Petra was a Christian band but leading up to the concert, on the local rock station it was promoted with an announcer in a rock boastful voice saying "Petra means ROCK!" Not one hint that it was a Christian band. I remember Benny Hester telling Christians to request his song Nobody Knows Me Like You, at their local rock stations so it could become played and people would buy the record because it sounds like a typical love song about a girl, and find out later that it's Christian and maybe get saved. Jesus said, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me, not trick them and I ll sneak up on them or entertain them and they'll receive me. Telling a story is fine, but deliberately tricking someone is not and most people thought that Emily song was true and it was so disappointing to hear Randy himself admit it was made up.

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

@@ghostownaproach The first time I saw and heard albums by Petra, Richie Furay and Benny Hester, I knew they were Christians. There was no secret or deception.

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God. Why don't you look into Jesus He got the answer Larry Norman song.

[@michaelstanley4698]

Most entertainment is not 'of God' or 'of faith' in Christ. Pride and self-will is that 'iniquity' that breeds sin, and always has. People want, what they want, and could care less what God wants. 'If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of HIS'. Maybe it's time to read God's word and find grace (1Cor.15:34, Acts 17:27).

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

And how do you know the motivations of thousands of artists?

[@michaelstanley4698]

@EddieMcDonald-b9k It's true...I left out Scripture. "Maybe it's time to read God's word and find grace AND TRUTH". (Col.3:5-10, Heb.4:12-13, 2Pet.3:4-11). Thanks so much

[@quickbreaks5865]

Too secular for Christians, and too Christian for secular…sounds like he describes himself as neither hot nor cold…I believe I’ve read some read letters about this very idea.

[@tammygrady3530]

All your negative opinions of him prove to … you’re wrong and Christ is right

[@luminawarren8132]

He is a father of christian music but not THE father of it Gary Paxton and Dallas Holmes started earlier than him.

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

Gary Paxton's first album was released in 1975. Larry's in 1969. Dallas Holmes was not rock.

[@luminawarren8132]

@EddieMcDonald-b9k that may have been his first solo album but Gary was producing and singing in the late 50s and his first production was May of 1960. Gary started earlier. Dallas early music wasnt rock but it progressed into that later.

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

@luminawarren8132 But he wasn't making Christian music back then. Larry Norman's "Upon This Rock" of 1969 is generally recognized as the first Christian rock album.

[@luminawarren8132]

@@EddieMcDonald-b9k correction if not clarified Gary started earlier altho not publicly singing christian til 1971, altho debatable he was singing christian previously before any public debuts.

[@luminawarren8132]

@@EddieMcDonald-b9k if you want to get technical the argument is when they started singing christian rock it takes a creation period of writing and practicing before stamping a record Gary was debatably doing christian rock behind a mike before anyone Larry cut the first rock album. Gary claims he did not become a christian til 71 so yes a 2 year window debatably makes Larry the first. Christian music was already being performed for decades everywhere in churches, folk music but this was traditional christian, hymns, church music. Technically Dallas is the true father altho he didnt pioneer christian rock, his contemporary style awakened the use of rock as a christian setting. As far as a widespread presentation you could say Larry was the original if you want to use the argument he cut the first rock album. Debatable who actually started singing first so when there is debatable evidence most go along w who cut the actual album first which yes agreed it was Larry. However most artists will also agree that incubation production periods vary from artist to artist as many start a project and abandon them for years before finishing.

[@Julian2Sounds]

🙂👍

[@238act]

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 22:5 KJV . Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 1 Corinthians 11:14 KJV He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 KJV Once saved always saved is a lie from the devil!

[@AncientApparatus]

"For better & for worse" I believe it was a major mistake to "incorporate", as he said, the music of rebellion. GOD warned us NOT to emulate this world. Do not be like the world because it's under the control of Satan & his demons... John 15:19, Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 4:16, Ephesians 5:1-14, James 4:4 etc. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

[@badger519]

Just because songs mention God doesn't mean they glorify God...

[@skiamach6208]

This is true. I don't know if you mean this statement as specifically a criticism of Larry Norman or not, but since the title of the video is about Larry Norman I will assume the criticism is about Larry Norman's songs. Larry himself, in his life, did not always glorify God. He was a sinner and sinned as a professing Christian. This is true of all Christians. Were Larry's sins bigger than ours? God will judge. But his music did glorify God. His lyrics were about Jesus being the only way to salvation, being the son of God, being the solution to sin, being a life giver. He had many songs. Do I agree with every line in his songs? No, but there is no human, no matter how good of a Christian, no matter how knowledgeable of the Bible, that I agree with 100%. All humans are fallible, not just in how they live, but also in what they say. There are many so-called Christian songs that leave me wondering, but Larry did glorify God in his songs. A listen to some of his songs might bring knowledge of this fact to those that doubt it.

[@badger519]

@skiamach6208 I should have clarified I meant "christian" music in general. A lot of so called "christian" music is anything but.

[@rickbouthillier4394]

People like you make me so sad and I’m a pastor

[@badger519]

@rickbouthillier4394 just because you're a "pastor" doesn't mean you glorify God either.

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

​@@badger519 And a lot of it is.

[@MichaelTheophilus906]

That's a guy?

[@dean828]

Larry Norman... a truly evil hypocrite... research into who he really was...

[@oeautobody3586]

Feet of clay

[@EddieMcDonald-b9k]

Who he was a godly man with imperfections. But I'm glad you are perfect enough to judge others.

[@alph8654]

I think you people on this comment section should do a study on the dangers of ALL rock music. You may have good lyrics in Christian rock, but the music is still dangerous. From the devil.

[@TonyShumway-hc8qj]

Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.