http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gev04SMZ8Ck&feature=related
Comment: This is my (rexred's) response to the video on modern music being the work of the devil.
Take it from someone one who has studied music all of their life, both country and rock, for 90% of the songs have exactly the same beat and "drums". It is not "African" or pagan, it is mathematical. What is called a drum "kit" bass drum, snare, toms, cymbals, Counted 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 and the beats are accented on the first and third beats unless when syncopated. Syncopations is when the gravity of the words switch the emphasis to the second and fourth beats.
Country and rock syncopate the beats in roughly the same manner. The only major difference between country music and rock music is the instrumentation. Country music adds to these same 4/4 drum beats, steel guitars, banjos, violins, mandolins etc and the rock people use electric guitars, (something the Africans did not have yet) the bass guitar (another instrument the African did not possess). There are a few other instruments that color the 4/4 beat that distinguish the different song forms (for instance orchestras and synths and pianos are also not of African origin either.) Rock music is more aggressive and sung with open vocal tones. Both rock and country have a beat that is opposite the actual human heartbeat. “Reggae” music follows the same pattern as the human heart beat. Hymns and country music are both far from reggae.
So it is the beat that both country and rock share which makes the church minister's opinion actually to say the least a bit flawed. One, two, three, four is all “the beat” is.
As for the Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" song... One of my favorite songs of all time. (Not because I personally have sympathy for the devil) Instead of looking at the song as a song about devilish people one could look at the song as doing people a favor and "revealing" (as in revelations) the evil that is normally hidden from the world. Young impressionable people could hear the "unbiased truth" and make an informed choice to be good on their own. Instead this evil is often hidden or made glamorous by the very people we trust most. The Bible DOES talk about our need to "reveal the snares.”
Often one has to look inside because the heart of many country and rock songs are "written between the lines" meaning one has to find the good within the message of the song on your own volition. A good song is ambiguous but compelling.
As in the term “rock and roll” your church minister also neglects to mention that “married” husbands and wives “rock and roll” too, and make little babies. Does God think that is evil? Of course not. God is the greatest lover.
I am sure God judges music by the heart and motivations of the artist which God clearly sees. The idea is to experience music beside and with a loving God so God reveals it's true meaning and spirit.