J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the stories behind the songs on our 10th single of 2025:
STILL ISN’T RIGHT
I don't know which was a more daunting challenge: singing the vocals for a parody of "Still of the Night" by Whitesnake or writing the lyrics for a parody about the tragic biblical story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).
As far as I was concerned, neither looked likely to ever happen ... until 2023. In September of that year, I got an idea for a parody called "Still in Denial," with the opening line "If you're still in denial that your heart needs Him, honey," and I figured we had something promising.
I didn't green-light this tune until December 4, 2024, but that was where I planned to go lyrically. However, although "still in denial" overlaid smoothly at the start of the song, a number of other places where David Coverdale sang "still of the night" in the original didn't work as well with "still in denial.”
On December 17, I got the idea for "still isn't right" and rhyming "honey" with "money." Then, on March 19, 2015, I got a rhyme involving "Ananias," and that clinched it. Whenever a rhyme comes to me unbidden that enables us to talk about a biblical story or topic we haven't covered before, it's hard to pass up.
Even so, I dragged my heels on finishing the lyrics and recording my vocals, despite the fact that the rest of the band members had finished all of their parts by Christmas '24! They had to deal with the instrumentation, but I had to deal with the intimidation! It was a long song with many lyrical and vocal twists and turns, but God brought us through them.
"Still Isn't Right" features J. Jackson on lead and backing vocals, Wayne Bartley on guitars, Rich Mannion on keyboards and bass, and Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner on drums and percussion.
LOVE REMOVED ALL MY SHAME
This parody describes how God's patient love and encouragement can help us overcome stubborn, seemingly insurmountable sins.
Although I knew and liked a few cuts by The Cult back in the '80s, I never heard the one we spoofed here until late 2008, when I stumbled upon an episode of VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. Coming in at #74 was "Love Removal Machine," a #15 rock hit from '87.
I'd seen the title before and thought it was cool, but the music floored me. I loved how The Cult (and producer Rick Rubin) blended elements of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin into the song while still maintaining their own sound, so I bought it on iTunes. In November 2021, I got an idea for a spoof called "Love-Approval Machine" (about the need for social-media affirmation so many of us seem to have). We finally had our guys record their parts over three years later, in May 2025.
Then on May 28, I got a totally new idea for the theme and title — "Love Removed All My Shame." The words sounded so much like the original that I couldn't resist. In fact, there are places on our recording that almost sound like I sang the words "love removal machine," but I did not.
It was a topic I could write about with great sincerity and experience. The words came quickly, and they needed to, because I was scheduled to sing it the morning and afternoon of June 3, my 25th wedding anniversary. I had to do a lot of driving from May 31- June 2, and that's when I wrote much of the lyrics.
Love Removed All My Shame" features J. Jackson on lead and backing vocals, Wayne Bartley on guitars, Keith Haynie on bass, and Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner on drums and percussion.
