There’s been a long pause between these posts, but I thought it might be time to resurrect this series. Lockdown makes me think strange things, you see.
Today I shall be highlighting the merits of the song ‘Invert’ by the Swedish band Blindside.
For those of you who are waiting for softer, gentler, more church-friendly tunes…I’m sorry. There are a few of them in my pool, but you’ll have to wait. Blindside is described by Wikipedia as a ‘post-hardcore’ band, so if you couldn’t tolerate some of my previous heavy picks then consider yourself warned.
As far as I am concerned, ‘Invert’ is a song about putting God in His rightful place, and me in mine. It celebrates, I think, the topsy turvey Kingdom of God, whose values are ‘inverted’ compared to what the world considers precious. It’s about a desire to be a follower of Jesus, despite the siren call of the world, and the struggle that ensues. Consider the following lyrics, for example:
Ouch, it hurts when my shoulder hits their shoulders,
Ouch, want to go mainstream just like them,
God help me go bolder.
I think it’s no coincidence that this is the first track on Blindside‘s debut album. It’s a clear manifesto from a Christian band taking its first step into the big wide world of the music industry, but the personal nature of the song doesn’t disqualify it from being taken under my wing for use in worship. I absolutely love the central sentiment of the track, and would encourage you to look up the lyrics; like some of my picks, you might struggle to make out the individual phrases sometimes, but I’m in awe at the simple, powerful poetry of some of the lines:
I’m in You, You’re in me.
Glad You came to my senses,
Because I didn’t.
Seriously, English is not even the band’s first language. Are the Scandinavians better than us at literally everything?
As usual, it doesn’t hurt that the music is fantastic (your mileage may vary). I love the harshness of the guitar and the hurried lyrics, every syllable crammed into lines that are just too short. It’s like the singer is so desperate to pour out his heart and get on the right track with God that he hasn’t got the time to wait for the music to catch up. And that bassline…
When I want a song that encourages me to come before God and express my desire to put Him on the throne of my life, and to right the wrong of thinking too highly of myself, this is the song I come to.
All by myself I think I made You tiny,
But I’m glad You made me see.
In Your presence You’re just growing and growing,
And I’m being just me.
