Music & Meaning

Music & Meaning

Music and Meaning is a captivating, cinematic podcast written and hosted by Grammy Award-winning music producer Charlie Peacock. Charlie shares evocative, in-depth stories of his intricate dance of serving both the church and crafting the popular songs the whole world sings. By analyzing the soundtrack of our lives, Charlie, skillfully and artistically teases out its profound social and theological meaning. Reflective and whimsical, Charlie shows how music transcends mere sound, becoming a mirror to our times, a testimony to our shared humanity, and a sign and symbol of our deepest joys and needs.

  1. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

    ÉPISODE 3

    All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

    In this episode of Music & Meaning, host Charlie Peacock offers a narrative trip through the many ways Jesus has been represented in pop music: explicitly, implicitly, genuinely, and in mockery.  He discusses Jesus Christ Superstar, the rock opera that brought a contemporary Jesus to a new generation. This leads to a look into the '70s perspective of Jesus as a symbol of authenticity and rebellion, covering tracks from Norman Greenbaum, James Taylor, The Velvet Underground, and Black Sabbath, to name a few. As he moves through the decades, Charlie reflects on the evolving depictions of Jesus in music, from controversial metal bands in the '80s to Tupac Shakur's '90s rap, on to Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" in the 2000s, and much more, including Taylor Swift, The Killers, U2, and Lauren Daigle. In his own words, "I'm just shining a light on the persistent motif of Jesus in pop culture. Some musicians are simply namechecking Jesus. Others have interwoven the Jesus narrative into their music with curiosity and care." The episode wraps up with Charlie sharing his personal ethos regarding the mention of Jesus in music (and he might even be caught singing a little bit). Finally, he leaves us with a 50-song Spotify playlist that highlights a few of these diverse musical critiques of Jesus, the co-opting of his name, as well as tributes, praise, and true artistic reflection. The playlist offers listeners a second opportunity to soak up Jesus's significant impact on pop music titles and lyrics. Contemporary interest in who people say Jesus is, through music and entertainment, is alive and well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    17 min
  2. God Gave Rock and Roll To You

    ÉPISODE 6

    God Gave Rock and Roll To You

    In this episode, we interview Leah Payne about her new book, God Gave Rock and Roll to You. First question: "Is this true? God is responsible for rock music?" Enter historian Leah Payne, Ph.D., to provide the church history lesson. With host Charlie Peacock, Dr. Payne guides us through a fascinating labyrinth of spiritual and sonic convergence. Our odyssey commences at the dawn of the 20th century amidst the fervor of Pentecostal Revivalism. The story and soundtrack show how predominantly white evangelical Christians, fueled by the holiness movement, patriotism, and sobriety, inadvertently set the stage for rock music and the Church to find mutually beneficial common ground. This unlikely fusion has a name in history: contemporary Christian music. God Gave Rock and Roll to You is a well-researched history lesson but also a cautionary word. The story forecasts the Church's continued pragmatic use of music, appropriation of fame and fashion, our present societal angst and division, and the binary, strongman politics that divide us even now. We are reminded that every movement has its architects, advocates, and dissenters. Love, empathy, wisdom, and learning from history help us decide which one we will be. Credits: “Music and Meaning” is a production of Christianity Today: Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by Raed Gilliam Original Music and Editing by Charlie Peacock and David LaChance Mixed by Mark Owens Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Special guest: Leah Payne https://www.drleahpayne.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    35 min
  3. Monkeys At The Zoo: Metaphors, Methods, and Possible Dreams

    ÉPISODE 8

    Monkeys At The Zoo: Metaphors, Methods, and Possible Dreams

    In this episode, host Charlie Peacock, fields soul-stirring questions from our listeners with in-depth answers and music examples. He's joined by guest musicians, former Motown Records drummer Aaron Smith and the Grammy and Oscar-nominated songwriter Sam Ashworth. We take you on a seamless audio journey of insights and inventions, including the story of Charlie recording Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jackson Browne, the spiritual nature of goodness, Northern California punk rock ruminations, Nashville songwriting, pop music beat making, the 1960s San Francisco band The Beau Brummels, how a song about monkeys at the zoo remains an evergreen metaphor for the human condition, dreaming impossible and possible dreams, and the beautiful wisdom of following Jesus as a spiritual practice and blueprint for life and artistry. In this anecdote and music-rich episode, providence and interdependence are front and center, offering shalom, revealing meaning, and allowing for plenty of mystery.  “Music and Meaning” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by Raed Gilliam Original Music and Editing by Charlie Peacock  Mixed by Mark Owens Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Special guests: Aaron Smith & Sam Ashworth Information about Charlie's Elements Producer Pack and book is available at charliepeacock.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    48 min

À propos

Music and Meaning is a captivating, cinematic podcast written and hosted by Grammy Award-winning music producer Charlie Peacock. Charlie shares evocative, in-depth stories of his intricate dance of serving both the church and crafting the popular songs the whole world sings. By analyzing the soundtrack of our lives, Charlie, skillfully and artistically teases out its profound social and theological meaning. Reflective and whimsical, Charlie shows how music transcends mere sound, becoming a mirror to our times, a testimony to our shared humanity, and a sign and symbol of our deepest joys and needs.

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