Easter Song

Last updated
"Easter Song"
Song by 2nd Chapter of Acts
from the album With Footnotes
Language English
Released1974
Recorded1974
Studio Sun West Studios in Hollywood, California
Genre Jesus music
Length2:20
Label Myrrh
Songwriter(s) Annie Herring
Producer(s) Buck Herring

"Easter Song" is a song written by Annie Herring of the Jesus music group the 2nd Chapter of Acts that tells of Jesus Christ's resurrection and the elation Christians feel about this resurrection on Easter. [1] It was first recorded in 1974 and released on the band's debut album, With Footnotes . It continues to be performed, appearing in church hymnals and Easter songbooks as well as on Wow Gold CD. [2] It has been covered by several other artists, including GLAD [3] and Keith Green. [4]

Contents

According to Tori Taff of CCM Magazine, "The opening notes to 'Easter Song' just may be the single most recognizable intro in contemporary Christian music". [5] The song even achieved moderate success as a crossover on mainstream radio stations. [5] In 1998 CCM Magazine named "Easter Song" as the No. 4 Christian song of all time. [6]

Background

Annie Herring began writing songs soon after her marriage in 1969, at first sharing them only with her husband and siblings, then with others who wanted to hear them. [7]

When she wrote "Easter Song", Herring believed that the song should be sung by a choir, not by herself and her two siblings, who comprised 2nd Chapter of Acts. One day Herring sang it for a friend, Jimmy Owens, thinking he might be able to use it in one of the musicals he was writing. Owens knew that the song was for 2nd Chapter of Acts to sing, and convinced Herring that the group should record it. [8]

Unfortunately, 2nd Chapter of Acts' band didn't share Jimmy's vision, and the drummer complained that he didn't hear any drums in that song at all. [7] Buck Herring, Herring's husband, wouldn't take "no drums" for an answer, and told the drummer firmly to just play something, anything. The drummer put a different beat to the song, taking it once and for all out of the realm of a choral piece, and into the lilting rhythm. Then another friend, Michael Omartian, added the energetic keyboards that has given the intro the title of "the single most recognizable intro in contemporary Christian music". [5] [7]

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

2nd Chapter of Acts American Christian musical group

The 2nd Chapter of Acts was a Jesus music and early contemporary Christian music group composed of sisters Annie Herring and Nelly Greisen and brother Matthew Ward. They began performing in 1972 and enjoyed their period of greatest success during the 1970s. The group disbanded in 1988.

The Orange County Supertones were a Christian ska band from Orange County, California. The band was signed to Tooth & Nail Records and its imprint, BEC Recordings, before becoming an independent band. The band temporarily disbanded in 2005, though reunited in 2010 to resume touring and recording before permanently disbanding in 2017. The OC Supertones were one of the first widely successful Christian ska bands.

Sparrow Records American record label

Sparrow Records is a Christian music record label and a division of Universal Music Group.

GLAD is one of the pioneers of Christian pop/rock and a cappella music, having formed as a progressive rock group in 1972 and discovered a large audience for their a cappella music in 1988. Today, with over 1.5 million albums sold, they continue to perform concerts and release occasional recordings. The Sun-Sentinel noted that when most contemporary Christian music reflected the "showbiz" style of Southern California or Nashville's country or gospel music, GLAD emphasized jazz, rhythm & blues, and fusion. As CCM Magazine described it, "GLAD's elegant vocals helped set them apart from other pioneers of Contemporary Christian music. That vocal sound has since evolved into a complex, self-sustaining life form of its own..."

Michael Omartian is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in numerous albums during a career that has spanned more than four decades. As a producer, he has had number-one records in three consecutive decades. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner, including for Keyboardist of the Year and Producer of the Year. He spent five years on the A&R staff of ABC/Dunhill Records as a producer, artist, and arranger. He was subsequently hired by Warner Bros. Records as an in-house producer and A&R staff member. Omartian moved from Los Angeles to Nashville in 1993, where he served on the Board of Governors of the Recording Academy, and has helped to shape the curriculum for the first master's degree program in the field of Music Business at Belmont University.

Russ Taff American gospel singer and songwriter (born 1953)

Russell Taff is an American gospel singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California. He has sung a variety of musical styles throughout his career including: pop rock, traditional Southern gospel, contemporary country music, and rhythm and blues. He first gained recognition as lead vocalist for the Imperials (1976–81). One of his best-known performances is the song "Praise the Lord". He has also been a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, and occasionally tours with Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts. As a solo artist and songwriter, Taff is known for the 1980s anthem "We Will Stand". Taff has received various Dove and Grammy awards either as a solo artist or part of a larger musical group, most notably the Imperials.

Jesus Freak (song) 1995 single by DC Talk

"Jesus Freak" is a song by the American contemporary Christian music group DC Talk. Released on August 1, 1995, it was the lead radio single from the group's fourth album. The song was written and produced by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann. Lyrically, the song is about standing up for the belief in Jesus Christ in the midst of persecution. Musically, the song has been described as alternative rock and grunge, with many reviewers and critics noting a similarity to the sound of Nirvana. It received airplay on both contemporary Christian music and alternative rock stations, formats that rarely interact. "Jesus Freak" earned DC Talk three GMA Dove Awards.

<i>The Roar of Love</i> 1980 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

The Roar of Love is a 1980 concept album and fourth studio album by Christian band 2nd Chapter of Acts, that recounts the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published book in The Chronicles of Narnia, a series by C. S. Lewis. According to band member Matthew Ward, all the vocals were cut in a bedroom of the house the trio lived in at the time. They converted their garage into a mixing room, knocked a hole in the bedroom wall and ran a microphone cord into it. The songs have a heavy use of synthesizers. It was reissued on the Live Oak label.

<i>Singer Sower</i> 1983 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

Singer Sower is the studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in 1983. It was recorded at Easter Song Studio in Garden Valley, Texas. As with all 2nd Chapter of Acts recordings, it was engineered and produced by Buck Herring.

<i>With Footnotes</i> 1974 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

With Footnotes is the debut album by the Christian group 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in 1974. It contains one of the group's most well-known songs, "Easter Song", which was named by CCM Magazine in 1998 as the No. 4 Christian song of all time.

<i>In the Volume of the Book</i> 1975 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

In the Volume of the Book, released in 1975, was the second studio album from the contemporary Christian music group, 2nd Chapter of Acts. The album title is a reference to Psalm 40:7.

<i>Rejoice</i> (2nd Chapter of Acts album) 1981 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

Rejoice is an album by contemporary Christian music band 2nd Chapter of Acts released in 1981.

Annie Herring Musical artist

Annie Herring is one of the pioneers of the Jesus music genre, later to be called Contemporary Christian music. She was a member of the trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, for which she wrote most of the songs and sang lead and harmony vocals with her brother Matthew Ward and sister Nelly (Ward) Greisen. During her musical career with the 2nd Chapter of Acts from 1973 to 1988, she also recorded solo albums.

Matthew Ward is one of the pioneers of the Jesus music genre, later to be called contemporary Christian music. He is best known as a member of the trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, in which he sang and performed with his sisters Annie Herring and Nellie (Ward) Greisen. During his musical career with the 2nd Chapter of Acts from 1973 to 1988, he also recorded solo albums.

David Mullen (singer)

David Mullen is a former Blues Pop / CCM singer, songwriter and musician. Later he became well known as a songwriter, music producer, and film score composer. He released his first album in 1989, and won the GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year in 1990. He later recorded his last album in 1994. Since then, he has written and produced recordings for several other Christian artists, most notably Nicole C. Mullen.

<i>Night Light</i> (2nd Chapter of Acts album) 1985 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts

Night Light is the title of a 1985 studio album by 2nd Chapter of Acts.

<i>How the West Was One</i> (2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a band called David album) 1977 live album by 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a band called David

How the West Was One, released in 1977, is a three-LP live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a band called David. The album was a collection of songs recorded in a series of 18 concerts held throughout the western United States in 1977. It was also 2nd Chapter of Acts' final release for Myrrh Records.

<i>To the Bride</i> 1975 live album by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts and a band called David

To the Bride, released in 1975, is a two-LP live album featuring Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and a band called David. The album was culled from four concerts performed in the summer of 1975 and is the first of two live albums that 2nd Chapter of Acts recorded for Myrrh Records, although the majority of the concert is performed by McGuire. The album was re-released on two CDs in 2007 with one song excluded.

First Love: A Historic Gathering of Jesus Music Pioneers is a 2004 concert film and documentary that looks back into the Jesus Music of the 1970s. In 1997, a group of Jesus Music pioneers gathered in southern California for three days of music and fellowship. The event was both recorded and filmed, and was released in a 2-CD/2-DVD set simply titled First Love: A Historic Gathering of Jesus Music Pioneers. It was compiled and edited by the spouses of two of the artists who appear in the documentary: Dan Collins and Steve Greisen produced the project. The CD contains each of the 31 songs that were performed during the gathering, and the DVDs shows the live performances of the songs, interviews with the individual performers and groups, interviews with others who were involved in the roots of Jesus Music, and rare pictures and footage of the artists from the 1970s. Other artists who were interviewed for the documentary include pastor Chuck Smith, Pat Boone, Phil Keaggy, and Michael Omartian, among others.

References

  1. With Footnotes (Media notes). The 2nd Chapter of Acts. 1974.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. "Wow Gold CD" . Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  3. "The Acapella Project" . Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  4. "For Him Who Has Ears to Hear" . Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Taff, Tori (2006). CCM Top 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music. Brentwood, TN: Integrity Publishers. pp.  170. ISBN   1-59145-210-4.
  6. Michael, Ciani. "CCM Hall of Fame: 2nd Chapter of Acts". CCM Magazine. Nashville, TN. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 "The Frame Never Outdid the Picture: The 2nd Chapter of Acts Story" . Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  8. Herring, Annie (1996). Glimpses: Seeing God in Everyday Life . Ada, MI: Bethany House Publishers. pp.  19–20. ISBN   1-55661-745-3.