»Many of the older texts tell the whole gospel story«

Interview with US-Singer-Songwriter Sandra McCracken

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US Singer-Songwriter Sandra McCracken does not only write and sing intelligent and sensitive songs about relationship and love, but she also loves old hymns and their message. In December 2005, she released an album with her own hymns: The Builder and The Architect. She took lyrics written in the 18th and 19th century and composed new melodies. And she wrote new hymns in a similar style, too. CCM-Rezis asked her to tell more about this project, about the meaning of music in her life and about her love for old song literature ...

Monica Seidler: Sandra McCracken, what does music mean in your life?

Sandra McCracken: Music for me has been near and significant to me since I was a child. When I listen to music, it helps me to feel and understand things that I can't explain in words. As an artist, music is my craft, my tent-making. Every one of us was made to participate in the "being made right of all things." It is the work of our hands. For me, that work is music.

Monica: You recently released the hymns record The Builder and The Architect. What made you choose this lyrics by authors of earlier centuries? And where did you find them?

Sandra: My Mother loves hymns, and I grew up discovering their beauty and worth from her, and then on my own. In recent years, my friend and pastor, Kevin Twit has mentored me further into why these words are so important in a post-modern world. Many of the older texts tell the whole gospel story, they're not just happy songs, but allow us to express the full range of emotion in worship. They have stood the test of time. I have lots of old books and pages from used bookstores and others that have been given to me. A newer printing of just the old lyrics that I love is William Gadsby's collection (Gadsby's Hymns). It's a great place to start for someone wanting to get into these kinds of writings.

Monica: Did there exist older tunes for this lyrics? Did you alter them, or did you fully invent new melodies?

Sandra: Many of the old tunes had multiple melody options for each text when used in corporate worship. This would allow for the nuance of different subjects and moods to come through depending on which tune the congregation would use. So, it is in this same spirit that I have invented the new melodies. In doing so, I hope to make the lyrics more accessible to a new generation of people, and to connect new emotion to them.

Monica: While listening to your new-old hymns, an alteration of C.S. Lewis' remark about the reading of old books came to my mind: "Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the songs [original quotation says: books] that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old songs [books]..." – Do you feel alike?

Sandra: What a great quote! I haven't heard that one, but yes, it resonates perfectly with what we've been talking about. Everyone has their own cultural blind spots, and we need to know our history to begin to look honestly at ourselves and our assumptions about spirituality and the world around us.

Monica: Do you sing this songs in your church? And if so, how do people respond to them?

Sandra: Because of our travels, I get to hear of many places and groups that sing some of these songs together. I am honored to be part of the songwriting, and it seems like people have really taken to a few of them. We'll see...

Monica: Your husband, Derek Webb says on his DVD that there are certain songs he has to sing in every concert to remind him, to correct him, to stay humble. "Awake My Soul" seems to be one of them. Which song in this hymns project is your favorite?

Sandra: My favorite is "In the Secret of His Presence" because it is an unusual theme for an old text. It captures the intimacy of meditation, and reveals the complexity of struggle and submission before God.

Monica: Sandra, thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview!

Sandra: Thank you for your invitation!

For more information about Sandra McCracken please visit www.sandramccracken.com