Crowd shot masthead ApologetiX Logo Keith Haynie plays bassBill Hubauer plays lead guitarJ. Jackson sings leadJimmy Vegas Tanner plays drums
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as of March 22, 2023

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03.21.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
03.20.23New Single: '76 & '85
03.20.23This Week's News Bulletin
03.20.23Get Multiple Downloads for One Donation
03.20.23New USB Thumb Drives Now in Stock
03.20.23Get Over 1550 Tracks for $100
03.20.23How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Songbook, Etc.
03.18.23ApX on Hour-Long Live Webcast Next Tuesday
03.18.23ApologetiX Radio Show Celebrates Five Years
03.18.23How to Donate Online or by Mail
03.17.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
03.17.23This Week's Bible Reading
03.17.23New ApX Apparel Designs + Mugs, Stickers & More
03.17.23Influential Albums: 1038-1044
03.15.23Clues for 2023 Single #6
03.13.23ApX Easter Week Playlist
03.11.23ApX Alum Drummer Becomes a First-Time Grandpa
03.10.23A Letter from J. About the Letter J
03.10.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
03.10.23Influential Albums: 1031-1037
03.09.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
03.06.23This Week's News Bulletin
03.06.23New Single: '68 & '70
03.04.23New ApX Songbook (1992-2022) is Here
03.04.23Influential Albums: 1024-1030
03.03.23Fan Follows Up on Last Week's Big Music Article
03.03.23Nice Notes from Bible-Readers
03.03.23Over 400 ApX Live Videos Together in One Place
03.03.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
02.25.23Music: The Sacred, the Secular, and the Subjective
02.24.23ApologetiX in Places You Wouldn't Expect
02.23.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
02.23.23Influential Albums: 1017-1023
02.21.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.20.23This Week's News Bulletin
02.20.23New Single:'65 & '88
02.17.23Serious Prayer Request from Wichita KS
02.17.23Influential Albums: 1010-1016
02.16.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
02.11.23How Did J. Meet His Wife?
02.11.23Fan Follows Up on "Ask God" With His Own Story
02.11.23The Numbers Behind the Songs on This Single
02.11.23Influential Albums: 1003-1009
02.10.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.10.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
02.06.23New Single: '71 & '79
02.06.23This Week's News Bulletin
02.04.23Question Evolution Day Coming Soon
02.03.23Influential Albums: 996-1002
02.03.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.27.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.27.23This Week's Bible-Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
01.26.23ApologetiX Keyboardist Thankful to Still Be Alive
01.26.23Influential Albums: 989-995
01.24.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.23.23This Week's News Bulletin
01.23.23New Single: '67 & '72
01.21.23ApologetiX Needs Help and Prayer
01.21.23Encouraging Messages from 20 Fans in 15 States
01.21.23Fans React to "Stupendous" New Songbook
01.20.23Influential Albums: 982-988
01.20.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.16.23This Week's News Bulletin
01.15.2330th Anniversary Challenge Coins Back in Stock
01.14.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.14.23Influential Albums: 975-981
01.13.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.13.23New CD BOGO Ends Sunday Night
01.10.23This Week's News Bulletin
01.10.23New Single: '83 & '87
01.07.23Update on Songbook and Other Projects
01.07.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.07.23Influential Albums: 968-974
12.30.22Influential Albums: 961-967
12.30.22Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.28.22This Week's News Bulletin
12.28.22Over 1500 Tracks for $100
12.24.22The Stories Behind the Songs on Single #24
12.23.22New Christmas Single
12.23.22Influential Albums: 954-960
12.23.22Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.17.22Influential Albums: 947-953
12.17.22Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.17.22What's on Our Brand-New CD?
12.12.22This Week's News Bulletin
12.12.22Buy Our Next CD, Get 1 of 37 Free
12.08.22Influential Albums: 940-946
12.08.22This Week's Bible-Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.08.22The Stories Behind the Songs on Single #23
12.08.22ApologetiX Christmas Playlist + Two More on the Way
12.05.22This Week's News Bulletin
12.05.22New Single: '82 & '07
12.03.22Influential Albums: 933-939
12.03.22Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.03.22Bible-Reading Update for Next Two Weeks
12.03.22Keith Haynie Become a Grandfather Again
11.29.22This Week's News Bulletin
11.24.22Influential Albums: 926-932
11.23.22New CD BOGO Ends Saturday
11.23.22Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week

The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
Tue., Jan. 24. 2023 12:59pm EST

J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.

Here are the stories behind the songs on our second single of 2023:

A WIDER SHAPE OF WHALE

I'd never considered spoofing Procol Harum until January 3, 2023. Rich Mannion had been asking me what I wanted him to work on next. I have a huge playlist of potential songs but decided to look for a few fresh ideas, so I pulled out a playlist of #5 hits (I have lists of songs that went to #1, #2, #3, and #4, too).

As soon as I heard "A Whiter Shade of Pale," I thought, "I bet Rich would like this," since it was inspired by a couple classical Bach pieces and has a prog-rock feel. I sent it to him with some other possibilities and wasn't surprised when he replied, "Pretty sure I could do everything on this amazing song."

I got the parody title two days later. I liked it but was a little hesitant, since we'd already done four songs about Jonah. Then I realized we could write this one from the perspective of a crew member on the ship Jonah took to Tarshish (although he never made it).

Interestingly, Procol Harum had songs called "Whaling Stories" and "Wreck of the Hesperus" ... and an album called A Salty Dog. Moreover, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" even mentions "feeling kinda seasick." So they seemed suitable for a nautical novelty song. If we had done this about Moby Dick, it could have been "A Whiter Shade of Whale."

Yes, I know Jonah was thrown into the Mediterranean Sea, not the ocean, but it's a big body of water (970,000 square miles with an average depth of 4,900 feet) and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean in Spain, where many believe Tarshish was located.

SAD TODAY IN THE DARK

I sang a live version of this parody with my old church's worship team in 2013, but we didn't get to practice beforehand as much as I would have liked nor were we set up to record it through the mixing board. Ten years later, ApX finally was able to produce a nice studio version. Rich Mannion did all the instrumentation, aside from Tom Tincha on guitars.

Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (Luke 18:17). As a father of five, I can confirm that little children don't like the dark. It makes them sad. Consequently, they love it when you turn a light on for them.

Speaking of children and light, the Apostle Paul tells the Church, "You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness" (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

Jesus also said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). He was fulfilling Old Testament prophecy: "I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6b). But, surprise, Jesus says this to us, too:

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).