13 May 2014 by Stewart Chew-
George Gershwin, an American Jew was one of the most significant song composers of the 30s. This gifted songwriter died tragically at the age of 38 years of a malignant brain tumor. One of the famous songs that he wrote is “It ain’t necessarily so”. This song was re-recorded by Normie Rowe, who was the biggest musical talent in Australia of the 60s, and this brought him a great deal of popularity and success. However, his career took a down turn in 1968 when he was conscripted to the Australian Army to serve in Vietnam. When he returned from the war, to his dismay he discovered that his popularity was very much over. The scars of the Vietnam War left him with PSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) that was exacerbated by his divorce and culminated with the tragic loss of his eight-year old son in a traffic accident. Currently Normie has retired, but he still continues to sing in nightclubs.
What is so significant about this particular song and what is the song all about i.e. what is being referred to in the song that is ‘not necessarily so’? The lyrics in the beginning of this song will quickly disclose to the reader its implications: –
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO,
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO,
THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE LIABLE,
TO READ IN THE BIBLE,
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO.
What has the author written! What has the author implied! How sacrilegious! In my previous article (http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/food-thought-god-angry), I explicitly stated that although our loving God forgives us again and again when we sin and then repent, He can and does get quite angry with us. Why? It concerns (1) our failure to honour Him and (2) our acceptance of the Bible and our reverence for His infallible word.
It is quite obvious that what was written and implied in “It ain’t necessarily so” is extremely sacrilegious and had no doubt angered Him. This song that had been sung and popularized by Normie has shown disrespect for God by failing to show reverence to the sacred Bible. The following are the rest of the lyrics of “It ain’t necessarily so” that show further anomalies.
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO, IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO,
THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE LIABLE, TO READ IN THE BIBLE,
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
MOSES WAS FOUND IN A STREAM, MOSES WAS FOUND IN A STREAM
SAVED FROM THE WATERS, BY OLD PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER
MOSES WAS FOUND IN A STREAM
JONAH HE LIVED IN A WHALE, JONAH HE LIVED IN A WHALE,
HE MADE HIS HOME, IN THE FISH’S ABDOMEN
JONAH HE LIVED IN THE WHALE
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO, IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO,
THE THINGS THAT YOUR PREACHER IS LIABLE TO TEACH YA,
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
DAVID WAS SMALL BUT O MY, DAVID WAS SMALL BUT O MY
HE FOUGHT GOLIATH, AND LAID DOWN AND DIETH
DAVID WAS SMALL BY O MY
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO, IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO,
THE THINGS THAT YOUR PREACHER IS LIABLE TO TEACH YA,
IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
Despite its obvious sacrilegious overtones, I still feel that this original song should not be taken and thrown into the deepest ocean, never to surface again! I would like to see it retitled, carefully re-worded and recorded again, this time to glorify and give praises to God!
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK
(Changes in lyrics S.Chew 1998)
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK
GREAT TALES ABOUT PEOPLE, ITS ALL IN THE BIBLE
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK!
MOSES WAS FOUND IN THE STREAM, YES MOSES WAS FOUND IN THE STREAM
SAVED FROM THE WATERS, BY OLD PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER
MOSES WAS FOUND IN THE STREAM
JONAH WAS FOUND IN THE WHALE, JONAH WAS FOUND IN THE WHALE
SAVED FROM DROWNIN’, IN THE FISH’S ABDOMEN
JONAH WAS FOUND IN THE WHALE
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK, THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK
GODS MIRACLES IN PEOPLE, IT’S ALL IN THE BIBLE
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK
DAVID WAS SMALL BUT O MY, DAVID WAS SMALL BUT O MY
HE FOUGHT GOLIATH, AND SLEW THAT BIG GIANT
DAVID WAS SMALL BUT O MY!
THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK, THE BIBLE IS A GREAT STORY BOOK
NOW YOU TELL MUM AND DAD, YOU WANT MORE STORIES READ!
THE BIBLE IS TRULY A GREAT STORY BOOK!
I am a great fan of Mr. Normie Rowe. One day I would love to hear a new recording from him of “It ain’t necessarily so” but this time re-entitled “The Bible is a Great Story Book”. It is my sincere heartfelt wish that he would take up this challenge as I am absolutely confident that our gracious and forgiving Heavenly Father will richly restore his life.
Note: Stewart Chew is a retired senior lecturer in School of Medical Sciences, Curtin University in Perth, Australia
Disclaimer: The views or opinions expressed by the columnists are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Christianity Malaysia.com
References for pictures
http://theband.hiof.no/band_pictures/it_aint_necessarily_so_but_it_is_normie_rowe.jpg
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