‘It is a song which illustrates the bittersweet paradox between distance and closeness. Paul McCartney recognised immediately the religious connotations of the song. The words of the song speak of a mother’s watching presence, a comforter of the broken hearted people of the world whose advice is to wait, to trust, and to believe that everything will come right in the end.’
– Ivor Moody on ‘Let it Be’.
Songs for the Soul is a collection of musical musings and discussions from author Ivor Moody. In this book, Moody discusses his own interpretations of popular songs by the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel.
Moody sees popular music as a natural extension of his own spirituality and writes that each of the six songs featured in this book contains, “a treasury of blessings.” He argues that whilst the songs are in fact secular they should not be dismissed or condemned, rather, they are open to spiritual interpretation. That music and the personal meanings we take from it should be incorporated into our everyday worship.
‘From ‘Message in a Bottle’ to ‘Let it Be’, Ivor Moody opens up the deepest messages, and lets these old songs be something new in the minds of the reader. Moving seamlessly from Sting to George Herbert, From Nina Simone to St. Paul he finds the hidden treasures and the spiritual nourishment nestled and embedded in popular song and links them to the great themes of scripture and the great spiritual writings of the past.’
– Revd Dr. Malcolm Guite.
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