A Band Called LoveSong – the Music and Movement of the Jesus Revolution

Streaming on Prime

Contemporary Christian Music is a massive genre, particularly in the United States – so much so that it seems like it has always existed. But I confess that the “what” or “who” behind how it began did not occur to me before I watched this documentary series.

It takes us back to the late 1960s, when the accepted music in church was hymns with organ or piano accompaniment, women in the congregation wore hats and the men had short hair and ties. Into this world of established Christian worship, a group of hippies landed like a long-haired love bomb, reaching into the lives and hearts of a lost generation with the gospel.

This was the “Jesus Movement” in action, and it coalesced around Calvary Chapel in southern California, just a short spit from some of the most iconic beaches in the US. At this church, a middle-aged, square-looking pastor named Chuck Smith was welcoming in a growing number of young people who realised that the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle of the era didn’t have the answers they needed.

Among them were musicians who had experienced some chart success with other bands earlier in the decade, while others had shared concerts and stages with artists such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Grateful Dead.

One by one, these talented, drug-experimenting souls came to faith. Filled with the love of the Lord, they then wanted nothing more than to use their gifts to speak to their spiritual-seeking tribe – hippies who, handily, found many deep cultural connections through music.Christian music

This three-part documentary series takes viewers through the beginnings of the Jesus Movement, the faith journey of the band, their music and its impact, the extraordinary, Spirit-blessed explosion of converts (hundreds of beach baptisms in one day!) and the legacy of LoveSong for subsequent generations of Christian music and musicians.

Multi-Grammy and Dove award-winning artist Michael W. Smith is quoted as saying, “I’m not really sure that I would be doing what I’m doing today if it hadn’t been for LoveSong”. Drummer Chad Butler from the band Switchfoot – one of many modern Christian groups or artists who point to LoveSong as an inspiration for their faith or music ministry – says that the band were “pioneers of writing songs that spoke to people outside the walls of the church”.

And this is important. The band members recognised at the time that many listening to their music were Christian, but their focus was always on the lost.

Now, while their exterior still screamed “hippie”, they had left the emptiness of that scene to live with joy in the garage loft of a church member. “We were so happy,” a founding member of LoveSong says, remembering the freedom they all felt. “We had nothing, but we’re out of the drug culture and we’ve got Jesus in our hearts.”

Listening to the songs the band wrote during the next few years is a fascinating window into their faith, as well as the music of the era. The swoon-worthy harmonies are reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash with a pinch of The Beach Boys, while the heartfelt, gentle vocals made me think of Neil Young or Harry Nilsson.

The styles vary from happy hippie land to pop light to full-on country music, but they never take their eyes off Jesus, and the emotional connection people made with and through these songs is extraordinary. God brought great revival during this time, and he did it through the work and faith of a band I admit I’d never heard of before.

Maranatha! Music – a record label that anyone over a certain age will recognise instantly – was begun by Pastor Chuck Smith to help provide LoveSong and other musicians with a bit of an income. They performed, they prayed, and they wrote, even though many in the mainstream church were still wary of them.

One member of the band, Chuck Girard, recalls that the attitude was often, “If these guys are Christian, why don’t they shave their beards? Why don’t they cut their hair?” Slowly, the recognition of 1 Samuel 16:7 kicks in, that “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”. It’s a reminder to us all to check the state of our own hearts to make sure the “other” is entirely welcome in our homes, churches and lives.

For me, a key moment from the series is when Campus Crusade holds an international student conference in 1972. Tens of thousands of young people fill a stadium in Texas to praise the Lord. Not only do they enjoy the music of LoveSong and the likes of Johnny Cash, but they hear the word taught by Billy Graham. This opens a few eyes.

Says Girard: “I think we scared the church... [but] if Billy Graham will get up after hippies singing, maybe it’s okay to have drums. Maybe it’s okay to have guitars!”

I enjoyed learning about this era of Christian music so much, and the work God did through his people both then and since. The documentary obviously has references to drugs and drug taking, especially in the first episode, but I loved seeing how Chuck Smith accepted that people came to Jesus as they were, understanding that change came about through the Spirit of God.

If music then or now interests you at all, I would heartily recommend that you make the time to watch A Band Called LoveSong.