Randall Evan Stonehill, better known as Randy, was born on
March 12, 1952. In 1991 this CCM legend
released WONDERAMA (Myrrh Records).
The album begins with the title track ‘Wonderama’. It is one of several co-writes with producer
Terry Scott Taylor. It sounds sunny
musically and finds Burleigh Drummond playing sleigh bells, glockenspiel,
cymbal swells, chimes, kettle drums, and shaker. The song is allegorical: “In the spotlight is
a silhouette/Of a dragon breathing fire/And the battle begins as the soldiers
of tin/Brave the great high wire/By the morning all the world is saved/Through
a noble sacrifice/They were all amazed when the King laid down His life/The
sweethearts kiss on the springtime wedding day/And the patrons sigh knowing
love can be that way.” ‘I Will Follow’
has Terry Taylor, Rick and Linda Elias, and Riki Michelle on background vocals. It is a mellow song of great faith: “I can’t
say what is going to be/What tomorrow may bring to me/But I know with
certainty/You will see me through/With a love that’s true/So faithfully/Ah, ah,
ah/Where You lead me I will follow/Ah, ah, ah/I will follow You.”
‘Barbie Nation’ is an upbeat pop song that speaks of how our
culture foolishly overvalues physical appearance: “You’re sexy and driven and
doomed to succeed/You’ll get what you want but it’s nothing you need/And echoed
in the heartache you conceal/Is something good, something real/She was told
that in the end/Every Barbie gets her Ken/Lie, lie, lie, no such guy, just
pretend/We pull the strings, wind the doll/We create the myth that she can have
it all/It’s a sin.” ‘Don’t be Sad’,
co-written with Angelo Natalie, encourages us to live in the present: “Now we
all cry so many useless tears/Over heartache we can’t forget/And it’s a crime
to waste our precious time/Shackled by those old regrets/Yesterday is gone
forever/And tomorrow hasn’t happened yet.”
‘Rachel Delevoryas’ is a moving story song about a girl from
Randy’s childhood. The song relates how
cruel children can be to children who are different: “Rachel Delevoryas/Was
eating her lunch as the boys walked by/’Rachel is ugly’ she heard them
shout/She sat on the schoolyard bench and cried and/It was clear that she’d
never be one of us/With her dowdy clothes/And her violin/And a name like Rachel
Delevoryas.” Next up is a short,
classical piece ‘Intermission at the Wonderama’, featuring violins, cello, and
viola.
‘Great Big Stupid World’ showcases Randy’s humor and admits
that our world is feverishly spinning out of control: “Well, we’re studying the
National Enquirer/Is it true Sonny Bono is the Anti-Christ?/We debate if T.V.
wrestling is really a sport/While we’re testing rock ‘n’ roll and its effects
on mice/Bonding with our little computer screens/Getting anorexic on our Lean
Cuisines/Turning plastic surgeons into millionaires/So everybody finally gets
to look like Cher.” ‘Sing in Portuguese’
makes use of the voices of a mariachi band.
It is a touching song which includes these words about Randy’s
grandmother: “She lies so still now in her snowy white hospital bed/With the
life that she loved so much/Still going on in her head/She’s there in her
kitchen and laughter is filling the room/Or her garden in spring with her roses
in bloom/Now she smiles like she knows me/Though I’m never sure who she
sees/But her eyes still light up when I sing in Portuguese.”
‘Mice and Men’ is a pleasant sounding pop song that reminds
us we are not ultimately in control of everything: “And all the clever plans of
mice and of men/Tangle up like a ball of string/Try as we might to simply
pretend/They were so important/Ah, they never really changed a thing.” Dave Raven plays drums, Tim Chandler plays
bass, and Jerry Chamberlain is on lead guitar.
‘The Lost Parade’ features the Los Angeles Chapter of The Salvation Army
Horns. The song includes these poetic
words: “And the big rock spins in space/In its lonely circle dance/Like a
ghostly ballerina/Trapped within her trance/And we praise the feast of fools/And
we shun the Bread of Life/And the stars shine like the tears of God/For the
weary world tonight.”
‘Lantern in the Snow’ calls the prodigal in all of us back
home: “A dreamer’s song whispered in your ear/And you searched through the
restless years/For the prize that was always here/Just for you, a gift for
you/Through the wintery veil you cried/Let your memory be your guide/To the
peace and the warmth inside/Just for you, a gift for you.” ‘Wonderama Postlude’ is a short instrumental
featuring accordion and calliope, that ends the album.
WONDERAMA should please fans of the Beatles and James
Taylor. It is artistic and
creative. It is, in many ways, more
thoughtful than much of what is played on CCM radio today. My only beef is that the album suffers from
pacing problems at the end. It needs a
faster-paced song near the end. I’m
rating WONDERAMA 85%. For more info
visit: www.randystonehill.com