‘It is a song which illustrates the bittersweet paradox between distance and closeness. Paul McCartney recognised immediately the religious connotations of the song. The words of the song speak of a mother’s watching presence, a comforter of the broken hearted people of the world whose advice is to wait, to trust, and to believe that everything will come right in the end.’– Ivor Moody on ‘Let it Be’.Songs for the Soul is a collection of musical musings and discussions from author Ivor Moody. In this book, Moody discusses his own interpretations of popular songs by the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel.Moody sees popular music as a natural extension of his own spirituality and writes that each of the six songs featured in this book contains, “a treasury of blessings.” He argues that whilst the songs are in fact secular they should not be dismissed or condemned, rather, they are open to spiritual interpretation. That music and the personal meanings we take from it should be incorporated into our everyday worship. ‘From ‘Message in a Bottle’ to ‘Let it Be’, Ivor Moody opens up the deepest messages, and lets these old songs be something new in the minds of the reader. Moving seamlessly from Sting to George Herbert, From Nina Simone to St. Paul he finds the hidden treasures and the spiritual nourishment nestled and embedded in popular song and links them to the great themes of scripture and the great spiritual writings of the past.’ – Revd Dr. Malcolm Guite.
The Rev’d Canon Ivor Moody is Vice Dean and Canon Pastor of Chelmsford Cathedral and he has held the post since 2010. He Chairs Essex Mind and Spirit, the Mid Essex Inter Faith Forum, the Chelmsford Single Homeless Forum and the Essex Faith Covenant. He is also Chaplain to the Essex County Council.
Ivor has served all his professional life in the County of Essex, working in the Diocese of Chelmsford. After studying for a theology degree at Kings College London and then training for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, he served two curacies, at St. Margaret’s Leytonstone and at St. Margaret’s Leigh on Sea. He then became vicar of St. John the Baptist Tilbury Docks, before moving to Chelmsford, in 1996, to become Chaplain of Anglia Ruskin University (Chelmsford campus), where he gained an MA in Pastoral Theology with the Cambridge Theological Federation.
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As a psychotherapist I love books that link together, powerful emotions which are evoked through songs and music, with spiritual meaning, especially when it's regarding the Christian's spiritual journey. Ivor Moody has written a beautiful and poetic book, which resonates with the souls deepest quest for longing, fulfilment and meaning in our lives. I read this in lent and it reawakened my desire to reconnect with my faith in a new way, to see in the everyday secular world we live in God speaking to us, through songs we connect with and with words that resonates deep within us.
There are many themes in the book that spoke to me set by chapters which have the titles of iconic pop songs, but for me the highlights were, "Don't let me be misunderstood." Where Ivor speaks about the need about our identity and desire to be needed, recognised and valued by those around us. He links it to John Donne's assertions from his, "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions ";About our involvement in mankind and how our actions affect others, and ultimately can have true spiritual meaning in contributing to the whole Body of Christ.
"Message in a Bottle" a second highlight for me where Ivor writes profoundly about loneliness, being a price we pay for love and takes us on a journey of another perspective of God's loneliness especially at the crucifixion. He links the songs lyrics of sending out a Message of desperation, to everyone's personalised story of loss and despair being brought to a shore of hope and a vision of the things still to come.
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