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/
Why Don't You Look Into Jesus
Larry Norman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You told my name to me and taught me what to do
But then you went away and left me by myself
I feel completely lost and lonely without you
Why'd you go, baby? I guess you know
I've got to learn to live without you
I've got to learn to live without you
Today I thought I saw you walking down the street
With someone else, I turned my head and faced the wall
I started crying and my heart fell to my feet
But when I looked again it wasn't you at all
Why'd you go, baby? I guess you know
I've got to learn to live without you
I've got to learn to live without you
I've got to learn to live without you, without you
It's just no good without you, without you
It's just no good without you, without you
It's just no good without you
I've got to learn to live without you
I've got to learn to live without you
I've got to learn to live without you
Larry Norman's song "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus" is a heart-wrenching reflection on the pain of losing someone who was once close to him. The lyrics describe how this person came into Norman's life, provided guidance and support, but then left, leaving him feeling lost and alone. One can infer that the person being referred to in the song was someone who played a significant role in Norman's life, and perhaps even helped him find his faith, as the song includes religious themes such as learning to live without the person and turning to Jesus for comfort.
The lyric "today I thought I saw you walking down the street with someone else, I turned my head and faced the wall" shows the extent of the pain and the difficulty in moving on that is being described in the song. Norman's heart sinks when he sees someone he believes to be the person who left, but he quickly realizes that it is not them at all. This moment could be interpreted as a turning point for Norman as it shows that even though he still misses this person, he is beginning to accept that they are gone and that he must learn to live without them.
Overall, "Why Don't You Look Into Jesus" is a poignant reflection on the pain of losing someone who was once an important and guiding force in Norman's life. Through the use of religious language and themes, Norman suggests that he has turned to Jesus for comfort and strength during this difficult time.
Line by Line Meaning
You came into my life, you took me off the shelf
You entered my life and helped me see a new perspective.
You told my name to me and taught me what to do
You introduced me to a new way of living and taught me how to live accordingly.
But then you went away and left me by myself
However, you unexpectedly left and I feel alone and abandoned.
I feel completely lost and lonely without you
I am confused and alone without your guidance.
Today I thought I saw you walking down the street
Recently, I thought I saw you and it brought back all the emotions I felt when you were here.
With someone else, I turned my head and faced the wall
You were with someone else and it made me feel hurt and rejected.
I started crying and my heart fell to my feet
I couldn't help but cry and my emotions overwhelmed me.
But when I looked again it wasn't you at all
But then I realized it wasn't actually you and my emotions subsided.
It's just no good without you, without you
Life feels empty and pointless without your presence.
I've got to learn to live without you
I need to find a way to move on and live without your guidance.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARRY NORMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonygville2969
I believe that I saw the same show a year later in 79 or 80 in Atlanta Georgia.
Seeing the 2nd Chapter of Acts at The Fox was almost Heaven 👍🏻🙏🏻
WAEC AM radio played gospel teaching in the morning, but this new Christian Rock in the afternoon.
I fondly remember talking to Mylon Lefebvre when he was getting clean and working as the janitor at the Mount in North Atlanta.
Metro Bible Study, with a hundred young folks coming to hear Rat Riley preach. Al Holley and sometimes Mylon Lefebvre and Broken Heart would warm up the crowd to hear from The Holy Ghost. I believe that I still have a little white cassette tape of Metro Bible Study Music 😂😂
Lots of the bands back then, we'd see at Gatlinburg Tennessee right after Christmas. Huge Campus Life Youth for Christ conference every year. We'd bring over 1000 from the South Miami area.
Those bus rides took a long time, with a lot of high schoolers.
We had some pretty good music to use for the journey Home back in the day, and I still prefer it to the stuff today. Keith Green was a gift too, and I remember getting ready So you wanna go back to Egypt album in the USPS mail. I had to pull over I75 after they played a melody of Keith's songs, and then announced the plane crash. Worked the Memorial concert in Atlanta in great sadness.
Phil Keggey playing with his gadgets was a mind blower, and I had done quite a bit of acid in the day.
Philp Side album is a forever classic.
@PPasquale1
Larry Norman was simply the best. I saw him several times. You have never seen anything if you haven’t been to a Larry Norman experience.
Other memories:
Once i was 5th in line for a LN concert at the Spokane Opera House when a beat up station wagon pulled up and out got LN.
He then got in line with us for his own concert.
I thought is that who I think it is behind me? Then a door opened and they ushered him in.
Nothing outrageous, but just a fun story.
Another time I lived in San Jose Ca and a friend of mine and I wondered does anyone live in de Tracy street (the address was in many of his albums).
We went to that door and knocked. Larrys dad, Joe Norman answered the door.
Like little kids we said, “does Larry Norman live here?”
Joe said “sometimes” and INVITED US IN!
He gave us a tour of the Solid Rock warehouse and even played his harmonica for us.
To me that was like John Lennon’s dad inviting us in.
@wishboneman
Rogan spreading the good word!!
@topshef861
I believe he’s been reading scripture a bit behind the scenes
@ILik3PH0T0
The bible has some of the best stuff ever written in history, but intertpretation is the key. Christrian, Catholic, Protestant....doesnt matter. You have processed version, like fast food, Jesus got the answers bro.@@topshef861
@timmartin760
It's been amazing seeing God work on Joe's heart!! Idk if he notices but I sure do
@jeph33
The guy from Fear Factor? Haha!
@RaNDalz95
Propably he just likes the song, nothing more😅
@ivanwillis921
My father used to pull this vinyl out when I was a kid, awesome!! Thank you Jesus for loving us before we even knew you.
@danieldelewis2448
Amen
@jeph33
Do you still have it?
@danieldelewis2448
@@jeph33 good question