In the late '60s he was a member of the rock band People!. People! released its first album I Love You in 1968 and had a Top 20 hit with the song, "I Love You" (written by Chris White of The Zombies).
Norman left People! and released his first solo album, Upon This Rock, in 1969. This could be considered the first Christian rock album, and included one of Norman's most memorable songs I Wish We'd All Been Ready. He followed up with the 1972 LP Only Visiting This Planet, which included an anthem for the burgeoning Christian rock movement, Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music. What made the album particularly significant was the combination of credible rock and roll music with songwriting that critiqued both American society and the contemporary church. Norman's songwriting stunned many in the Christian music scene by its bold references to subjects ranging from the Vietnam War to venereal disease and even the U.S. space program. The album was named the most significant album in Christian music history by a mid-1980s critic's poll in CCM Magazine, though it had slipped lower (though still in the top ten) in a similar CCM Magazine poll in the mid-1990s.
Norman's albums were a mixture of rock styles, with lyrics that were usually very serious, but occasionally very silly, (especially when performing with his best friend Randy Stonehill, whose first albums in the 1970s were produced by Norman).
In the late 1970s, Norman formed Solid Rock Records, which went on to release Stonehill's Welcome to Paradise and The Sky is Falling. He also produced Tom Howard's A View From The Bridge, and Mark Heard's Appalachian Melody among titles from other artists and himself.
But perhaps the most controversial involvement in Norman's career occurred over Daniel Amos' Horrendous Disc LP. The album had been dropped by Maranatha! Records after the label decided to quit releasing rock and roll albums and focus on children's releases and gospel music. So the band, now without a record contract, began to shop the project around to various labels. After considering a number of offers including the Warner Brothers' label Curb Records, Daniel Amos settled on Norman's Solid Rock Records. Norman had the album mixed and took photos of the band for the album's cover, though most of the tracks were recorded back in 1978 with Mike "Clay" Stone (Queen, Frank Zappa) as producer. For reasons that remain a mystery, the album was shelved until its release in April 1981, weeks before the band's follow up on Newpax Records, ¡Alarma!, hit record stores. The incident continues to generate controversy among the fans of D.A. and Norman.
The late 70's marked a difficult time for Norman. He was severely injured aboard an airplane in 1978 when an overhead compartment door fell on his head. Norman claimed that this accident gave him a "bipolar trauma" which made it impossible for him to work to completion on albums; he did not record a studio album for the next twelve years. A dispute with Word Records resulted in the dismantling of the Solid Rock label in 1980. Norman moved to Europe and formed the Phydeaux label.
In 1992, he suffered a severe heart attack and was expected to live less than one week. He survived high-risk surgery and was left with very limited cardiopulmonary ability. Even though easily winded, he continued to perform, although very infrequently. He performed what was billed as his "final" concert in October of 2003. Then, in 2005 he announced two more "final" concerts: one in his adopted home of Salem, Oregon and the other at a seaside festival in Norway. Additional dates in the United Kingdom were also planned. A further concert by Norman (with two members of the band People!) took place in August 2006.
Norman was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Larry passed away on Feb. 24th 2008 after a long battle with heart related problems.
www.larrynorman.com/
Forget Your Hexagram
Larry Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stop looking at the stars
You don't live under the signs
Don't mess with gypsies
Or have your fortune read
Keep your table on the floor
And don't you listen to the dead
The devil's closed the roads
You live once and you die once with no
Re-incarnate episodes
You can't hitchhike to heaven
Or get there but just being good
The rules were set down long ago
When the spikes went in the wood
Heaven is in your mind
When love is in your heart
Maybe you'll find the way
But first you have to start
Forget your hexagram you'll soon feel fine
Stop looking at the stars
You don't live under the signs
Don't mess with gypsies
Or have your fortune read
Keep your table on the floor
And don't you listen to the dead
You can't hitchhike your way to heaven
The devil's cloced the roads
You live once and you die once with no
Re-incarnate episodes
You can't hitchhike to heaven
Or get there but just being good
The rules were set down long ago
When the spikes went in the wood
Larry Norman's song Forget Your Hexagram is a song that confronts superstitions, particularly those that are related to astrology and fortune-telling. The song provides a message of caution to listeners, encouraging them to reject these practices so they can live a free and fulfilling life. The title makes reference to the hexagram, which is a symbol used in divination and is often associated with the occult. Norman urges listeners to forget about the hexagram, arguing that it has no power over them, and that by rejecting these mystical and often dangerous beliefs, they will begin to feel better.
Norman goes on to advise listeners to avoid interacting with gypsies and having their fortunes read because they believe that it could potentially lead to a negative outcome. The lyrics imply that such actions are often fruitless and may even cause harm if one becomes addicted to fortune-telling or looks to it to make decisions about their life. The singer also warns against communicating with the "dead," which could also be seen as a reference to necromancy, which is another occult practice that involves communicating with the dead. Norman's message is that the dead cannot provide any real guidance for the living, and that we should listen to the wisdom of the living instead.
In the final stanza, Norman encourages listeners to reject the idea that they can take shortcuts to heaven. He suggests that heaven is not a physical place that can be reached by simply being "good" or "hitchhiking." Rather, he challenges the listener to find heaven in their own mind by fostering love in their heart. The repetition of the line "You can't hitchhike your way to heaven" reinforces the notion that the journey to spiritual fulfillment comes from within and cannot be found through external means.
Line by Line Meaning
Forget your hexagram you'll soon feel fine
Stop relying on astrology and other superstitions for guidance, and you will find peace
Stop looking at the stars
Stop looking for answers in the stars or other celestial bodies
You don't live under the signs
The stars do not control your fate
Don't mess with gypsies
Avoid fortune tellers and anyone who claims to predict the future
Or have your fortune read
Do not put your trust in mere predictions of future events
Keep your table on the floor
Stay grounded in reality and do not let superstition guide your actions
And don't you listen to the dead
Do not consult the dead or try to communicate with them
You can't hitchhike your way to heaven
You cannot simply hope for a free ride to heaven without effort or personal responsibility
The devil's closed the roads
Evil forces will try to steer you away from the path to heaven
You live once and you die once with no
There is no second chance at life or reincarnation
Re-incarnate episodes
You can't hitchhike to heaven
You need to take an active role in your spiritual journey
Or get there but just being good
Being a good person alone does not guarantee entrance to heaven
The rules were set down long ago
The guidelines for living a good life have been established for a long time
When the spikes went in the wood
Referring to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice is the ultimate example of selflessness and love
Heaven is in your mind
The concept of heaven exists within our own consciousness
When love is in your heart
True spiritual fulfillment comes from acts of love and kindness
Maybe you'll find the way
Finding the way to heaven is a personal journey that requires effort and dedication
But first you have to start
The journey begins by making a conscious decision to live a fulfilling and spiritual life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARRY NORMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
C. Towner
That bass line is dope as shit!!
Ryan Legere
Thanks for posting
BigCoolViking. G.S.
Spot on! truth right here.....
xMCxVSxARBITERx
Forget your hexagram!