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/
Reader's Digest
Larry Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Other bands are looking mean, me, I'm trying to stay clean.
I don't dig the radio, I hate what the charts pick
Rock and roll may not be dead, but it's getting sick.
All over the world disc jockeys sound the same
And every town I play is like the one from where I came.
The Rolling Stones are millionaires, flower children pallbearers,
Jimi took an overdose, Janis followed so close,
The whole music scene and all the bands are pretty comatose.
This time last year, people didn't wanna hear.
They looked at Jesus from afar, this year he's a superstar.
Dear John, who's more popular now?
I've been listening to some of Paul's records.
Sometimes I think he really is dead.
It's 1973, I wonder who we're gonna see
Who's in power now? Think I'll turn on my TV,
The man on the news said China's gonna beat us,
We shot all our dreamers, there's no one left to lead us.
We need a solution, we need salvation,
Let's send some people to the moon and gather information.
They brought back a big bag of rocks.
Only cost thirteen billion. Must be nice rocks.
You think it's such a sad thing when you see a fallen king
Then you find out they're only princes to begin with
And everybody has to choose whether they will win or lose
Follow God or sing the blues, and who they're gonna sin with.
What a mess the world is in, I wonder who began it.
Don't ask me, I'm only visiting this planet
Larry Norman's "Reader's Digest" is a comment on the state of the music industry in the 1970s. The first verse describes the changes in popular music and the commercialization of rock and roll: "Alice is a drag queen, Bowie's somewhere in between / Other bands are looking mean, me, I'm trying to stay clean." The singer then laments the commercialization of rock and roll and the lack of originality in radio playlists: "I don't dig the radio, I hate what the charts pick / Rock and roll may not be dead, but it's getting sick. / All over the world disc jockeys sound the same / And every town I play is like the one from where I came." The second verse is a reflection on the passing of music icons of the era, such as Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and their impact on the current state of the music scene. The singer questions the societal values that led to the decline of the music industry, as well as the world's political and social issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Alice is a drag queen, Bowie's somewhere in between
Referencing two musicians with ambiguous gender and sexual identities
Other bands are looking mean, me, I'm trying to stay clean.
Not wanting to conform to the image of a tough or rebellious rock star
I don't dig the radio, I hate what the charts pick
Disliking the mainstream music industry and its standards for success
Rock and roll may not be dead, but it's getting sick.
Feeling that the genre of rock music is declining or losing its vitality
All over the world disc jockeys sound the same
Noticing the homogeneity of radio playlists and broadcasting styles globally
And every town I play is like the one from where I came.
Feeling a lack of diversity and excitement in touring from place to place
The Rolling Stones are millionaires, flower children pallbearers
Reflecting on the contradiction between the financial success of rock stars and the hippie counterculture
Beatles said All you need is love, and then they broke up.
Referencing the Beatles' message of peace and unity, contrasted with their eventual disbandment
Jimi took an overdose, Janis followed so close,
Mentioning the tragic deaths of two influential musicians due to drug addiction
The whole music scene and all the bands are pretty comatose.
Feeling that the state of the music industry is stagnant and uninspired
This time last year, people didn't wanna hear.
Noticing how the popularity and reception of music changes quickly over time
They looked at Jesus from afar, this year he's a superstar.
Commenting on the fickle nature of cultural trends and figures of authority or inspiration
Dear John, who's more popular now?
Asking about the relative fame and success of different former Beatles band members
I've been listening to some of Paul's records.
Referencing the solo music career of Paul McCartney
Sometimes I think he really is dead.
Alluding to the urban legend about McCartney's supposed death and replacement
It's 1973, I wonder who we're gonna see
Reflecting on the uncertain future and prospects of the music industry and the wider world in the early 1970s
Who's in power now? Think I'll turn on my TV,
Commenting on the influence of television and media on public perception and understanding of current events
The man on the news said China's gonna beat us,
Acknowledging the geopolitical tensions and competition between the US and China during the Cold War
We shot all our dreamers, there's no one left to lead us.
Feeling disillusioned with the political and social climate, and a lack of inspiring figures or role models
We need a solution, we need salvation,
Expressing a sense of urgency and crisis for solving societal issues and problems
Let's send some people to the moon and gather information.
Proposing a grand and ambitious project to push scientific progress and exploration
They brought back a big bag of rocks.
Noting the irony or disappointment in the results of the expensive lunar mission
Only cost thirteen billion. Must be nice rocks.
Satirizing the high cost and questionable value of the space program
You think it's such a sad thing when you see a fallen king
Reflecting on the reaction to the deaths of celebrity icons and legends
Then you find out they're only princes to begin with
Realizing the limitations and flaws of these figures, despite their mythic or larger-than-life status
And everybody has to choose whether they will win or lose
Commenting on the competitive and often harsh nature of society, where success and failure are constantly at stake
Follow God or sing the blues, and who they're gonna sin with.
Reflecting on the choices and forces that shape people's identities and values, religious or otherwise
What a mess the world is in, I wonder who began it.
Expressing a critical and cynical view of the state of the world and the people responsible for it
Don't ask me, I'm only visiting this planet
Rejecting personal responsibility or knowledge of the world's problems, or a sense of alienation from humanity
Contributed by Samantha P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@larryfloyd4993
from one larry to another larry... i'm only visting this planet too.. next stop HEAVEN
@eareffect
Not too soon I hope! :)
@jackvandenburg
I don't know a singer-songwriter who has reflected this time in his songs so well as Larry Norman. He describes this time like no other and then to think that he already started it in the 70s. Amazing.
@robertbishop5357
@AMBASSADOR MAGGOT SOLIDROCKPRODUCTIONS he and Dylan should have done an album and a tour together. That would have been incredible.
@sdd1492
An incredibly well-written song.
@robertbishop5357
Definitely copied Dylan. Who cares....still a great song.
@ebnphlo
The Great American Novel is also a well written commentary on society, specific and general. Yeah, Larry & Dylan respected each other's writing. I too was surprised how many songs Larry _______(plagiarized is probably too strong a word) from Dylan & others. But still a great wordsmith!
@michaelweigel8253
Still relevant to today.
@peterthePiper777
The greatest lyricist of alltime,
@RodrigoPinheirodasGracas
This is just fantastic.