#174. Forcing little kids to sing the end of your song.
Apr 24th by JonIf I ever have an audio book made of something I write, I’m going to have a really adorable third grader read the last chapter. Hopefully, Christopher Walken will agree to read the first 20, but to close it out on a strong note, I feel an 8-year old is in order. At least I get that sense from all of the Christian songs that end with a choir of kids.
I think there are plenty of secular songs that do this, but when it comes to swinging for the fences with baby bats, we take the cake. I was recently given many examples of this through email, but my favorite has to be what Lincoln Brewster did on “Everlasting God.”
I like Lincoln Brewster. I purchased that song on iTunes and don’t have any issues with him, but as far as incorporating the quirks of contemporary worship leaders, he’s like some sort of ninja master. Here’s what I’m talking about:
1. The worship leader face.
It’s practically a scientific fact that if you really want to move a crowd, you better have a dang good worship leader face. I’ve written about this before, but this is basically when you close your eyes and scrunch your face and lean your head back emotionally. Does Lincoln make it? Forget make it, he threw it on the cover of his album. That is a bold move right there.
2. The use of kids.
Anyone can use a precious little kid singing to add an element to their song. It’s like having a lizard sell your car insurance. But Lincoln went beyond just having a kid sing, at the end of “Everlasting God” a little girl reads a Bible verse. It’s perfect. She sounds so sweet and friendly, you can practically imagine her petting a pony and playing jump rope with pig tails while she reads it.
I wish I could see how this happens in the studio because I don’t think it’s Lincoln’s fault:
Lincoln:
“That’s a wrap. Great recording everyone.”
Producer:
“Lincoln, it’s good, but it’s missing something. Hold on, I’m going to go see if there are any little kids on the baseball field behind the studio.” (Walks outside.) “Hey kids, ever heard of Lincoln Brewster? He’s like a Christian Jay-Z. Want to make $14?”
And the rest is Christian music history.
Update: Dear Lincoln Brewster’s Son
My bad dude. Seriously, I had no idea that was you on that track. I asked my daughter and she said it was a girl. OK, that’s a lie. I didn’t ask her but I’m pretty sure your dad could beat me up so I was trying to throw her under the bus. Please don’t take the whole “pony, jump rope” comment personally. I should have written “stallion, bb gun.” Again, my bad.
(Thanks to everyone that suggested this topic.)
Comments
Man, that’s classic! You had me rolling!
One note, however. I think that’s actually Lincoln’s son at the end of the song – not a little girl (although it’s hard to tell without knowing that).
Keep it up. I’m hooked on your site now.
argh! i know this will make me sound like i have a heart of stone, but i really hate when a song ends up having little kids singing or reading a bible verse at the end of it. this just totally ruins it for me. usually i cannot listen to the song anymore; every time it comes to that track’s turn on the CD, i have to fast-forward it.
That’s his kid on the song… At least that’s what he said last year at a concert.
Actually, it’s Lincoln’s son who reads the verse at the end. : )
Personally, I don’t care for the whole “We Are the World” kind of choir add-ons to songs. It’s just too cheesy for me, even for Christian music. If I wanted to hear a choir number, I’d buy a choral CD. Oh, it’s even worse when it’s the nerdy guy turned American Idol singing with a choir. What’s his name? Sorry, can’t remember.
“Hey kids, ever heard of Lincoln Brewster? He’s like a Christian Jay-Z. Want to make $14?”
Bahahahaah!!! Oh man, you’re on a roll today!
If the kids aren’t available, a gospel choir is generally considered another commercially-viable device to incorporate into your CCM hit-in-the-making.
Ugh- yes! I know this is terrible to say, but when I hear those “children singing moments” on CDs, I want to shoot them. One of the worst is on Israel Houghton’s Live in South Africa CD- on “He Knows My Name”. I know this makes me really bad Christian, but blech!
I didn’t notice this until you mentioned it, but its true.
I’m really interested in how we learn how to praise. I lift my hands and probably make weird faces. I believe its genuine, but how did I know to do this. Why do we do this. I know believers lifted their hands in praise in Bible times, but where does the weird face come in?
you do realize that everyone who reads this post is going to close their eyes, scrunch their facs and lean their heads back emotionally just to see if they can do it, right? lol
i did.
If I am not mistaken, that is actually Lincoln Brewster’s son, Levi, that is featured at the end of “Everlasting God”
It’s like the artist is trying to say “Don’t forget, Jesus loves the little children, and you should too…by buying my album. In fact, you should feel just a little guilty that you don’t know the chapter and verse reference for what that sweet, angelic voice just said to you. And don’t think she didn’t say it from memory.”
“He’s like a Christian Jay-Z.”
That is sort of redundant, don’t ya think? I mean Jay-Z is already known as J-Hova and how can anyone be more Christian than God!!11Juan1
oh, this one drives me crazy… like putting kids in commercials in adult situations, I can’t stand that. Kids don’t buy stock or insurance, ahhhh.
I absolutely, totally hate it when small children are recorded on an album. I hate choirs with an equally bitter hatred, and worst of all is choirs of small children.
Casting Crowns came out with an incredible song on “Altar and the Door,” called Slow Fade. It’s one of their best songs to date, up until the end where Mark Hall’s daughter has a sweet, cute little vocal solo. It ruined the whole thing for me.
so. the older set weighs in. I get the point, but I’d much rather hear a little kid sing or read a verse than to listen to them advertise anything on the tube. Example: I’ve had to boycott Welch’s grape juice forever now. The list goes on.
But then I’m not a big CCM fan, either. Remember Charles Wesley and Isaac Watt?
You mean Watts?
I would also like to see a post tangential to this one about worship songs in church that have “la la la la la la” in them, and actually put that on the screen.
Or songs that dictate our physical actions, irrespective of us doing them (“I stand in awe” or “you set my feet to dancing”).
Michael W. Smith had his daughter sing in one of his songs on one of his post-man perm albums.
Maybe they’ll play it at her college graduation or her wedding.
I was dying as I read your post, especially the update.
Now c’mon….these people are just trying to let their kids in on their lives. It’s what they do. It’s the Christian Musician equivelant of “Take Your Kid To Work Day.” Cut them some slack.
-John Hall
Fresno, CA
Okay, I’m a nerd..but I always cry when I hear a little kid in a song! Especially Lincoln Brewsters new one, “God, you Reign”..I mean really, what’s sweeter than that childlike faith in God? *SNIFF*
I'm SO glad you wrote this!
I absolutely cannot STAND when little kids sing at the end of songs! Christian or not!
Haha…thank you.
Eeek! Just like nails on a chalkboard! I can't stand it when artists violate child labor laws just to tug at our heartstrings. I have to turn off the song before I get irate. Thanks for posting this!
When this song came out, I was music director at a Christian radio station in Arizona. The music label gave us a few choices concerning which version of the song to play. I picked the one WITHOUT the child reading the Bible verse at the end and–to this day–like it better than than the version with the child reading. Frankly, that sort of thing–child reading, singing, what not–diminishes the professional quality of the recording.
christian jay-z, lol! wow, you are so on point
you should hear his song "God You Reign"…it's plastered full of kids at the end…
Ok, so I just listened to your audio book, and there wasn't a cute kid at the end! But I got it for free, so I can't ask for my money back. Though there was a really serious-sounding, old-school guy reading the "credits" at the end—I actually laughed out loud.
Speaking of laughing out loud, this post cracks me up. Are Christians the only ones who have little kids sing along on recordings? I have never liked this sort of thing, even when I WAS a kid. (However, a good friend of mine LOVES it.)
Kids singing FREAKS ME OUT. Children of the Corn, man. Children of the Corn.
Hey, there are no adorable little kids at the end of your audio book! Just your auto-tuned song about deep V-necks. I'm just saying.
I laughed SO hard at your update, haha
I hate when people do that! It completely ruins it.
But then again – I don't actually listen to Christian music anymore, so I guess they don't care about my opinion anymore. LOL. Not that they ever did.
The worship leader face…We (we being all of us worship team members at my church) call it the “constipated worship leader” look.