“The Devil should not have all the best tunes”

“The Devil should not have all the best tunes”

            This much used, and may I assert, overused quote, was not a fact at the time it was made and is still not an accurate reflection of the whole of all of the melodies ever written.  Those who still perpetuate the erroneous notion that Satan has had or now has control of “all” of the “best tunes” are simply unaware of the whole of music tunes that have ever been written. 

            Perhaps this erroneous notion is still perpetuated because so many Christian musicians are unaware of what an “excellent melody” actually is.  For his reason, it is essential that every Christian who makes musical decisions for his or her Christian organization must have a thorough understanding of music theory so that one can have the tools necessary to make such decisions.  Also, when one studies the history of secular and sacred music history it becomes apparent that for centuries, at least in Western Music, a great majority of the most excellent melodies that have been composed over many centuries are written in music styles that are God honoring.

            I would readily admit that this does not encompass the whole of Western Music or World Music.  Satan has most certainly had many of these melodies written under his influence.  However, although Satan has had a powerful influence over music in the 20^th and now in the 21^st century, he has not dominated the whole of music historically, and he has not dominated the whole of music in the twentieth century or even this new century!  Praise God, there are still composers “…who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.”