WELCOME TO PARADISE

Randy Stonehill’s first two albums were BORN TWICE (1971) and GET ME OUT OF HOLLYWOOD (1973).  He followed these with what CCM magazine would name the thirteenth greatest album in Christian music history, WELCOME TO PARADISE (1976, Solid Rock).  Larry Norman produced, while Andy Johns (The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin) was the main engineer.  Norman is also credited with electric guitar, piano, and harmonies.  Jon Linn also plays guitar.

A breezy pop song ‘King of Hearts’ starts things off.  It went on to become one of Randy’s most loved songs ever.  Here are the opening words: “All alone drifting wild/Like a ship that’s lost out in the ocean/Everyone’s a homeless child/And it’s not hard to understand/Why we need a Father’s hand/There’s a rainbow somewhere/You were born to be there/You’re just running in circles/Till you reach out your hand to the King of hearts.”  ‘Keep me Runnin’ is a light rock number with a long instrumental break.  The song puts the spiritual mentality of a pre-Christian into words: “Keep me runnin’ from the sins I can’t erase/Like an outlaw with a mask to hide his face/Once I was told that love could fly/Yeah but it’s been so long that I just don’t remember why/Keep me runnin’, keep me movin’/Keep me always on the go/Keep me makin’ sure my footprints never show.”

‘The Winner (High Card)’ is the story of a seemingly self-sufficient man: “It’s not easy to see me/I’m an influential man/And I never needed anyone/To build my promised land/So don’t tell me about Jesus/’Cause He’s just too hard to sell/And I never trust in strangers/That’s the first rule I learned well/I’m the winner and made it to the top/And I took it all just like I planned/I’m the man who holds the high card in his hand.”  ‘Lung Cancer’ is a rocker.  It is also an early example of Randy using humour to make a serious point, as he would do many times during his career: “When she had her first cigarette/A puff or two was all she could take/Now if she doesn’t have one in her hand all the time/You’ll notice it begin to shake/And even though she’s nonchalant/And acts as if her habit’s a joke/She won’t do too much laughing/When her life goes up in smoke/She’s been smoking that C-I-G-A-R-E-T-T-E/That cigarette’s got her on her knees/C-I-G-A-R-E-T-T-E/That darn tobacco won’t set her free/Oh run, suck baby suck/Suck on that cigarette/Go on and light up that fag and take a drag/It’s bound to snuff you yet.”

‘Puppet Strings’ is a masterful ballad that speaks of both Eden and Calvary: “We are all like foolish puppets who desiring to be kings/Now lie pitifully crippled after cutting our own strings/But God said ‘I’ll forgive you/I will face you Man to man/And win your love again’/Oh how could there be possibly a greater gift of love/Than dying for a friend?”  ‘First Prayer’ yearns for purpose in this life: “I see people in a world of lies/Staring out through lonely eyes/Watching as the years go by/Knowing they’re living only to die/There must be something missing somewhere/So if You’re listening answer this prayer/’I will follow if You’ll lead me/Help me make a stand/If You’ll breathe new breath inside me/I’ll believe You can (2X)’”.

‘I’ve Got News For You’ is an adult rock song that urges us to quiet ourselves and turn our minds to things spiritual: “Can you look inside yourself and tell me/That your emptiness is just a state of mind/And you’ll feel better if you just keep busy/If you leave your feelings all behind?/I’ve got news for you, this is not a game/I’ve got news for you, are you listenin’?”  ‘Song for Sarah’ is a pretty ballad that includes orchestration and tells of the greatest Love of all: “Sarah Someone loves you in a way I never could/He laid His life before you on a cross made out of wood/Oh and in His hour of anguish our dreams were given birth/I hope you finally realize/How much your love is worth.”

The mid-tempo ‘Christmas Song For All Year ‘Round’ shares the Gospel: “And I know that if Saint Nicholas was here he would agree/That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me/They led Him to the slaughter on a hill called Calvary/And mankind was forgiven when they nailed Him to the tree/But most of all the children, they’re the ones I hope will learn/That Jesus is our Savior and He’s going to return.”  In 1987 Kenny Marks would cover ‘Good News’, a song of anticipation and celebration for believers: “Good news, well I feel alright/Good news, He’ll come like a thief in the night/Good news, He’s gonna take us in flight/When Jesus comes to bring us on home…/Good news, we’re gonna live forever/Good news, floating light as a feather/Good news, we can all be together/When Jesus comes to bring us on home.”

In later years this album would be released on CD with varying numbers of bonus tracks.  Of note is a demo of a song called ‘Janet’, which seems to be an early version of what would become ‘Song for Sarah’.  Here are a few of the lyrics: “Janet can I love you/Will you open up the door?/I know you heard that misused word a lot of times before/But I think that you need Someone/Who can firmly take your hand/And love you in a way that you can really understand.”  ‘Let Me Do It’ is essentially Larry and Randy goofing off.  Another bare bones acoustic track finds them working on an incomplete song called ‘Heart Lock’.

WELCOME TO PARADISE is a skillful, bona fide Contemporary Christian Music album.  It is a must for Christian music historians.  The songs ring as true today as they did in 1976.  Fans of Rick Cua and Phil Keaggy will enjoy this album.  It has a good mix of seeker-friendly, and Savior songs.  I’m rating it 95.5%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com and www.randystonehill.com.

ON BEING TWICE BORN

Christian music pioneer Randy Stonehill released his debut album BORN TWICE on One Way Records in 1971.  Over the years it has appeared in different versions.  The one I am reviewing was released on CD by Solid Rock.

Five live tracks, each received with much applause, start off the album.  Randy humorously introduces himself before singing the great Jimmy Owens ballad ‘I Need You’ from the musical SHOW ME!  The song admits to a spiritual void in one’s life: “Well, God, it’s me/And I never thought I’d see/The day when I’d say ‘I need You’/But I know now it’s true/And I’ve come straight to You/Just to say that I want to meet You.”  Next Randy gives us a nice acoustic version of the popular mainstream song ‘Hand in the Hand’ which has a catchy chorus: “Put your hand in the hand of the man that stilled the water/Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea/Take a look at yourself and you will look at your brother differently/Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee.”

Randy puts his own twist on another popular song that we grew up singing as children.  He slows down ‘He’s Got the Whole World’.  This version includes these words I’m unfamiliar with: “You know, He showed it to me right in His hands/How real my life could be in His hands/He’s gonna set you free in His hands/He’s got the whole world in His hands/I’m so glad (2X).”  Randy tells the crowd he is a baby Christian and wants to do more than entertain.  He passionately delivers ‘Help me Lord’, one of his own songs that has him crying out to God for assistance: “You’ve got  to help me Lord/Save my soul/Lucifer has control/And I’m a lost man/Yes I am (2X)/And I’m drownin’/Yes I am (2X)/But I’m not too far gone not to know/How bad I need You Lord/Set me free/Touch my eyes/Let me see/Cause I’m a blind man.”

Randy says he wrote ‘Thank You’ about a week after he was saved.  He felt so alive!  He jokes about his typing skills, saying: “I sat down at my typewriter and grabbed a pen.”  This song gives all glory to God: “And in the times when I become impatient/The times when I feel angry or alone/I may be lost and blinded in those moments/But I know for sure You’ll bring me home/God, I know for sure/You’ll bring me home/Thank You Jesus (2X)/Your golden light shined down through the rain/Yes it did/Thank You Jesus (2X)/You took away my sorrow and my pain.”  Next up are some studio recordings.  ‘Never Can Repay’ by Stonehill is a rocker with electric guitar that should please fans of early Resurrection Band material.  It is a song of gratitude for God’s all surpassing peace: “The things of the world may be all right/But I really don’t need ‘em since I’ve seen the light/People all runnin’ round getting’ uptight/Well, I’m okay-I sleep well at night/Thank You, Thank You/What can I say?/Thank You is not enough/There’s no way to repay/I can never repay.”

‘All Right Now’, a rocker with good bass, speaks of the evident difference Christ should make in our lives: “People look at me/Like they’re trying to figure out/Just what it could be/What it is that I’m smilin’ ‘bout/Ain’t it funny/Well, it’s a joy that I can’t hide/You love me/And it’s shinin’ from inside.”  Randy quiets things down with the lengthy ‘Passing Stranger’.  It makes me think of the crucifixion: “Searching for the footprints of the man who wears the sandals (2X)/Oh, Lord, look what they’ve done! Yeah…/Oh, Lord, look what they’ve done to You now/Look what they’ve done to You now (2X)/Can I believe my eyes, can it be true?/So gentle and wise/Look what they’ve done to You.”

‘I Love You’ would later reappear on Larry Norman’s IN ANOTHER LAND with lyrical variances.  Here are some of the lyrics from Randy’s version of this warm pop song: “Brother and sister, Mrs. And Mr./I love you/I love you/He made me feel it, and I can’t conceal it/I love you, I love you/Jesus came into the world to show us the way/To set us all free, and when He died, He was sayin’/I love you.”  A raw recording of ‘Norman’s Kitchen’ follows.  Larry is on harmony vocals.  The song begins on a humorous note, but goes on to speak of how unbelievers don’t understand the change one experiences when born again: “Now my parents they ignore me/They say I’ve gotten strange/But when you’re touched by Heaven/You know dat somethin’s bound to change/Well, I can see, I am free/And I’m who I want to be/Mercy me (3X).”

Two bonus tracks are next.  A live recording of ‘Sunset Road to Nowhere’ is first.  It contains these rather earthy lyrics: “I’ve done my share of hustling on the street/Well you know a man is judged by the shoes upon his feet/So I always made damn sure I got my share/Cause if you don’t clean up your plate someone’s bound to be there/But I’m old and I’m dying now/And I only have one care/I hope that where I’m going’s gonna be a better place (3X)/Than this sunset road to nowhere.”  A faster version of the holiday rock number ‘Christmastime’, a song that would later appear on Norman’s SO LONG AGO THE GARDEN, is included here.  The song hits hard against the commercialization of Christ’s birth: “Oh, now it used to be the birthday of a man who saved our necks/But now it stands for Santa Claus, they spell it with an ‘X’/Whoo…Christmas time, yeah!/Whoo…it’s Christmas time!/Now I gotta buy a present, can’t remember who it’s for/But I’ll see you in an hour when I get back from the store.”

BORN TWICE is a must have for Christian rock collectors!  What makes it a true treasure is that the newness and excitement of Randy’s Christian faith comes through loud and clear.  It is neat to hear how this now legendary artist got his start.  I would love Randy to pen an autobiography, as he could provide great insight into the early days of the Jesus Movement and the music it inspired.  I’m rating BORN TWICE 97%.  Fans of Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones should like this one.  For more info visit www.randystonehill.com and www.larrynorman.com.

LARRY NORMAN TOTALLY UNPLUGGED

In 1994 Christian music pioneer Larry Norman released a handful of albums including TOTALLY UNPLUGGED-(a)LIVE AND KICKING (Street Level Records).  The album cover shows that Larry had no shortage of hair at the time!

The concert begins with crowd applause and shouting as Larry takes the stage.  Larry shares that he did not sleep well the night before.  He jokes: “I hope you slept well so one of us will be awake during this evening.”  After some weird vocal acrobatics, Larry and his guitar launch into an old favourite ‘Watch What You’re Doing’.  The song reminds us our actions on this earth do indeed matter: “I knew a girl, she was sweet as could be/But she fell for a man like a chain-sawwed tree/She listened to his lies/She was fooled by his charms/Now she’s sitting with a baby in her arms/You gotta watch what you’re doing…It ain’t no good to live a life of sin/If you don’t shape up, walk straight, you know you can’t get in/You gotta watch what you’re doing/Cause He does.”  Larry introduces the next song ‘White Trash Stomp’ as a song about Corpus Christi and his Grandpa who was a barber and his Grandma who ran a chili restaurant.  Larry jokes that he’s never going to sing this song again.  Here are some of the playful words: “Me and my sister and my brother too/We sing in the desert like the coyotes do/Yes, we’re accidental touring in the human zoo-ow ow oww…Going up to Charles’ town/I’m goin’ see my ma/Feet up on the ottoman with my old pa/Then head for the kitchen, we’ll sit around and jaw/Over skillet cornbread we’ll discuss the law/Black-eyed peas, collard greens/Rochambeau, it’s time to go.”  Larry says the next song ‘Step into the Madness’ is about America, but mostly Los Angeles.  Either way the song uses sarcasm to make its point: “Step into the madness as a thousand points of light/Illuminate the warheads for the final fight/Step into the madness, say your prayers and drink your tea/Get ready for a kinder, gentler world war three/This is America, land of the free/Everyone gets justice and liberty if they got the money.”

Next up is one of Larry’s signature rebel songs ‘Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?’  The lyrics find him taking on his critics: “I want the people to know that He saved my soul/But I still like to listen to the radio/They say rock ‘n’ roll is wrong/Well, give you one more chance/I say I feel so good I’m gonna get up and dance/I know what’s right, I know what’s wrong, I don’t confuse it, uh, uh/All I’m really trying to say is ‘Why should the devil have all the good music?’/I feel good every day/Jesus is the Rock and He rolled my blues away.”  It is clear that the audience particularly likes this song.  It must be noted that this version includes Larry screeching like a rooster at one point and coughing!  A memorable moment for sure!  ‘Weight of the World’ is a pretty ballad not written by Larry.  It’s about family baggage that gets carried invisibly from one generation to the next.  The Bible says the sins of the fathers are visited on the third and fourth generations.  Larry says we should love and forgive each other.  Here are some of the lyrics: “Maybe your father didn’t love you like he should/Maybe your mother just held on the best she could/Everyone has a secret/Give it away or keep it/You’ve got to try and let it go/You carry the weight, the weight of the world/It’s breaking you down/On your back like a boulder/Before it’s too late, get rid of it girl/Get it off of your shoulder/You’ve been abused/But you can lose the weight of the world/It all comes down to who you crucify/You either kiss the future or the past goodbye/God can help you fly.”

Those who have watched a friend or loved one sink into depression will be able to relate to ‘Baby’s Got the Blues’.  Larry sings: “At night she lays in bed/With secrets in her head/With pain too deep for words/Nothing can be heard/But the sound of her breathing/Mercies and angels up above/Heaven please help the one I love/Guide the direction that she goes/Watch every step, each hidden stone/Please let her know she’s not alone/Give her the strength to trust in everything she knows.”  Larry digs into his back catalogue for ‘I Hope I’ll See You in Heaven’ which includes these words of regret: “As though youth were my invention/As though love lay undefined/To stay free was my intention/To stay young and unconfined/And so I held my pride above you/Oh yes, what a fool was I/Holding back those words ‘I love you’ and letting out that word ‘Goodbye’/I was wrong to let you go/I was a child and I did not know about the love that we both could have given.”

During ‘A Woman of God’ Larry jokes about being lousy at song leading, but invites the crowd to sing with him.  The song speaks of the wife of noble character: “I need a woman who doesn’t take drugs/Don’t mess with men/Believes the Bible, despises sin/Lifts me up instead of knocking me down/Follows God instead of running around/I need a woman who’s kind and true/I haven’t found her but until I do/I’ll be looking for a woman of God/A woman with a righteous heart.”  ‘Let the Rain Fall Down on Me’ has Larry giving us advice and offering up a prayer: “As through this life you ramble, through this world you roam/You might live in a lot of places and never find a home/As down this road you wander and through open fields you’ve crossed/You must never stop believing for all is not lost/And don’t worry ‘bout the unfaithful lover and false friend/For the love that you have given them is what matters in the end/Heavenly Father, help me Thine to be/You let the rain fall on the quick and the dead/So let the rain fall down on me.”

‘All the Way Home’ depicts our lives as a journey: “Sometimes I get so weary from this road/Life gets so bad I start to laugh/My mind becomes so weary, I wanna give up/But I’ve got to keep on looking for the right path/Let this good life be the life I lead/And let my faith grow like a mustard seed/Let Your love be all the love I need to carry me all the way Home.”  The album ends with ‘I Will Survive’ which includes these beautiful words: “As the seasons go by in my Father’s world my eyes grow dim/I will trust not in the things I see/But bow my heart and lift my hands to Him/Though my days ahead are numbered/My life is rich, I have not slumbered/I will survive (2X)/Some hearts are pierced by love long lost/Let my heart be pierc-ed by the cross/I will survive (2X).”

This live concert CD is a must have for Larry Norman fans.  It features just Larry and his acoustic guitar largely performing songs from his then fairly new studio album STRANDED IN BABYLON, which is a masterpiece.  Larry seems to be in a good mood for this concert despite many health battles.  The concert has an intimate feel to it and Larry’s voice is relatively strong.  Fans of seasoned veteran artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen should give this a spin.  I’m rating TOTALLY UNPLUGGED-(a)LIVE AND KICKING 90%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

THE SKY IS FALLING

In 1980 Randy Stonehill released THE SKY IS FALLING (Solid Rock Records).  Randy wrote all ten songs, while Larry Norman produced and arranged.

The album opens with ‘One True Love’, a great pop song with Norman on harmony and backing vocals, a role familiar to him throughout the album.  The song admits that we need a relationship with our Maker: “Don’t try being a loner/Cause that’s your first mistake/Go on once and admit that you need a break/Well, we all need a break/You need One True Love/Someone who’s always there/Don’t try to act like you don’t care.”  ‘Through the Glass Darkly’ is a light pop song that includes these unfortunately too often realistic depressing lyrics: “All our superstars are suicidal casualties/And our heroes die in motel rooms and motorcades/Well, it seems like all our dreams turn into tragedies/And I wonder if we’ll learn from the mistakes we’ve made/Now I’m waiting at the bus stop for the bus to arrive/And I know there must be more to life than staying alive/Well, I don’t know where I’m going when I climb in/But it can’t be any emptier than where I’ve been.”

‘Teen King’, if written today, could be about Justin Bieber: “Well, you made yourself a name and you’re sitting on top of the world/And you smile like a heartbreaker shaking up little girls/And every night when you walk on stage/It’s always just the same/You’ve got 20,000 people screaming out your name/They come to see the teen king/Now they call you the teen king/And all the crazy nights/And the flash of the lights just leave you blinking.”  ‘Venezuela’ is a song that longs for a renewed friendship with a brother: “My best friend’s in Venezuela/And he sent me a letter and a photograph/Well, I miss him so you know/His letters always make me laugh/We’ve gone our separate ways to see the world/But I can still hear him say/’You go north and Randy I’ll go south/And I’ll meet you for a song in L.A.’/And I believe/Oh I believe/I’m gonna meet that boy halfway.”

‘The Great American Cure’ is a humorous indictment against our fascination with the boob tube, and features electric guitar and mouth organ: “I went to the doctor all nervous and crazy/I told him the way things were/He smiled quite nicely and without thinking twice he said/’Just try the great American cure/Put your brain in neutral/Turn on the television set/Kick off your shoes and don’t worry/They haven’t cut the power off yet.’”  ‘Jamey’s got the Blues’ speaks of how seriously depression can affect individuals: “And I remember nights Jamey and I would do the town/But now she never leaves her room and whenever I’m around/There’s just not much to say/It’s almost as if we were strangers there/Just filling the room/And it looks like Jamey’s blues became her tomb.”

‘Counterfeit King’ takes aim at the devil: “So beware of the words that he’ll whisper to your heart/For he’ll burn you with his twisted tongue of fire/And the song that he sings, it’s like poison/To the soul/He’s the counterfeit king and he’s a liar/He’s just a liar/A beautiful liar.”  ‘Bad Fruit’ has a calypso feel to it (think Boney M).  It encourages us to hunger and thirst for righteous things: “We’re all born with a hunger we just can’t seem to feed/Yet all the things we struggle for are not the things we need/But the man who seeks the Lord of life will find his life indeed/Satisfaction guaranteed/Don’t eat of that bad fruit/Don’t drink of that sweet wine/It may look great from a distance, but it gets you every time.”

‘Emily’ is a terribly tragic song that begins with orchestration: “I will not forget my sister’s face/The day that she died/Such a frail little girl/I remember how I cried/When she reached out to squeeze my hand/I knew her time had come/And when her fingers slipped from mine/I knew that it was done/Oh sweet Emily, you’re going Home/Sweet Emily, and I can’t go.”  ‘Trouble Coming’ an urgent rock number, closes the album and reminds us that our earthly abode won’t last forever: “I see trouble coming on silent wings of death/There’s a fevered hand that’s crushing out our breath/I see trouble coming closer every day/Like a vulture circling its prey/I just gotta get away (2X)/I keep having these falling dreams/And I wake up screaming/I don’t really know just what they mean/But my nightmare never ends/Over and over and over and over/The sky is falling!”

Fans of pop/rock male artists such as Rick Cua and Bryan Adams will like this album.  Though it is not Stonehill’s most creative batch of songs ever, as the album seems to try a bit too hard to fit into the Larry Norman formula, there are several good songs here.  The songs here present faith as relevant to everyday life situations.  I’m rating THE SKY IS FALLING 84%.  For more info visit www.randystonehill.com.

STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS: PART ONE

In 1977 one of the more unique albums in the history of CCM dropped.  Larry Norman released STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS-PART ONE (AB Records).  It is a project that parodies the efforts of mainstream artists who write and perform songs of a spiritual nature. 
 

Randy Stonehill plays West Coast DJ ‘The Surf Duke’ and introduces ‘Spirit in the Sky’ as a deep theological study by Norman Greenbaum.  The song features mocking backing vocals that put you in mind of a cartoon.  Here are some of the words: “When I die and they lay me to rest/I’m gonna go to the place that’s the best/When I lay me down to die/Going up to the Spirit in the sky…/Never been a sinner, I never sin/I got a friend in Jesus/So you know that when I die/He’s gonna set me up with the Spirit in the sky.”  Larry humorously interjects “That’s bad.”  Gene ‘Snowbird’ MacLellan’s ‘Put your hand in the Hand’ is next.  Larry performs it for the most part with reverence, and a slight country feel: “Every time I look into the Holy Book I start to tremble/When I read about the part/Where the Carpenter cleared the temple/Because those buyers and the sellers/Weren’t much different fellers than what I profess to be/And it causes me shame to know that I’m not the man that I could be.”
 

Next DJ Stonehill says: “Okay, why don’t we kick back and listen to a hot little trilogy of faith, hope, and royalties, ha, ha. By Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.”  ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ has a sound that will please fans of Norman’s ‘I am a Servant’.  It is about true friendship or God’s care for us: “When you’re down and out, when you’re on the street/When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you, oh I will take your heart when darkness comes/And pain is all around/And like a bridge over troubled water/I will lay me down.”  ‘Let it Be’ is short.  It’s funny hearing Larry singing Catholic inspired words: “When I find myself in times of trouble/Mother Mary comes to me/Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it Be’/And in my darkest hour/She is standing right in front of me/Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it Be’/Let it be (4X)/There will be an answer/Let it be.”
 

‘My Sweet Lord’ has a classic rock feel to it, with nice background vocals.  It includes these familiar lyrics: “I really wanna show you/I really wanna go with You/I really wanna show You Lord/It won’t take long my Lord/Hallelujah/My sweet Lord.”  Larry cleverly adds “I’m so bored” because of the repetitive nature of the song and there is laughter at the end of the track.  Eric Clapton’s ‘Presence of the Lord’ is a well executed classic rock song with electric guitar emphasis.  It talks of finding a spiritual home: “I have finally found a way to live/Like I never could before/And I know that I don’t have much to give/But soon I’ll open any door/Everybody knows the secret/Everybody, everybody knows the score/I have finally found a place to live/In the presence of the Lord.”
 

Two Randy Newman songs are next.  ‘I Think He’s Hiding’ is a ballad which Larry sings in a mocking, overly dramatic tone.  Here are some of the awful lyrics: “If the Big Boy/Comes tomorrow/There’ll be no more teardrops/There’ll be no more sorrow/If the Big Boy comes tomorrow/Will He take you with Him?/Have you been good?/Have you been bad?/If you haven’t lived the way you should/You wish you had.”  ‘He gives us all His love’ is an easy listening number that would have fit nicely on Norman’s IN ANOTHER LAND.  The song contains words of comfort: “He knows how hard we try/He hears the babies cry/He sees the old folks die/And He gives us all His love/Now if you need someone to talk to/You can always talk to Him/And if you need someone to lean on/You can lean on Him (2X)/He gives us all His love (2X).”
 

Larry introduces the first of two Leon Russell tunes, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, in a crazy preacher’s voice: “Do you sometimes feel like a stranger in a strange land, walking through the desert, looking for the Prince of Peace, but your feet stick in the sand?/Is that what’s troubling you bubby? Well, never give up!”  ‘Prince of Peace’ is upbeat and reminds us we may at any moment be entertaining angels unaware: “Never treat a brother like a passing stranger/Always try to keep your love light burnin’/Listen closely to his song and watch his eyes/Oh, he might be the Prince of Peace returnin’…/Never be impatient with the ones you love/Cause it might just be yourself that you’re burnin’/Listen only to their song and watch their eyes/Oh you might see the Prince of Peace returnin’.”
 

DJ Stonehill says the next song is by Jackson Browne.  Stonehill remarks that some call Browne a prophet of the 70’s, while others say he’s just making a profit in the 70’s, ha, ha, ha. ‘Song for Adam’ is a pretty story song: “Together we went travelling/As we received the call/His destination India/And I had none at all/But I still remember laughing with our backs against the wall/So free of fear, we never thought that one of us might fall.”  The album ends with the Rolling Stones feel good rock number ‘Shine a Light’.  Larry does his best Mick Jagger imitation on this song which has a chorus that rings out like a benediction: “May the good Lord shine a light on you/Make every song you sing your favourite tune/May the good Lord shine a light on you/Yeah, like the evening sun.”
 

While there is certainly plenty of good natured fun poking going on on this album, Larry also delivers some dandy, shining musical moments that make this a true collectable.  Fans of Weird Al, the Swirling Eddies, and Mark Lowry will appreciate the humour.  Fans of mainstream pop and rock classics with spiritual lyrics should also give this project a listen.  A listen to see how these songs take on new life when tackled by a CCM pioneer.  I’m rating STREAMS OF WHITE LIGHT INTO DARKENED CORNERS: PART ONE  87.5%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

WELCOME TO THE WONDERAMA

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

THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN

Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman lived from 1947 to 2008.  In 1990 the bootleg THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN surfaced.  The next year Phydeaux Records released it as CONFISCATED.  I had a t-shirt with the cover artwork on it.

The almost hour long CD begins with ‘Soul on Fire’, a funk-filled testimony song: “When I was a young man/Temptation was all around/You know when darkness finds you/It slips up behind you/And tries to knock you to the ground/But I just kept on walkin’/I was so inspired/Because Jesus, He set my soul on fire.”  ‘Righteous Rocker’ has a rock and roll feel to it and draws from some of Paul’s words in the New Testament: “You can be a brilliant surgeon or a sweet young virgin/Or a harlot out to sell/You can learn to play the blues/Or be Howard Hughes or the Scarlet Pimpernel/You can be a French provincial midwife/Or go from door to door with a death knife/But without love/You ain’t nothin’, without love.”
 

‘Stop this Flight’ is an autobiographical song about the toll being on the road so much took on Larry’s body: “Sixteen hours from London, flying on a DC-10/You know, I wonder if when that plane sets down/I’ll ever be able to walk again/I spent thirty-five days in Europe/Singing ‘til my voice is gone/You know there’s never time enough to get a good night’s sleep/What is this road that I’ve been running on?/I’ve got to stop  this flight/I’ve got to get back to earth/Hey, I’m a human being/God knows what that’s worth.”  ‘Gonna Write a Song about You for the Radio’ is a fun old school rock and roll love song: “It’s hard for me to say the things I feel/I’ve been in love before but not for real/I love you baby, want the world to know/I’m gonna write a song about you for the radio/Oo-wee, baby, oo-wee/Love has finally come and got the best of me/Wee-oo, baby, wee-oo/My number’s up and I belong to you.”
 

‘Don’t You Wanna Talk About It’ is a plea for a reconciled relationship with a Christian brother, likely Randy Stonehill: “Kingdoms of earth, they don’t mean nothing to me/I’d give my life if it would help you be free/This ain’t the way that God intends it to be/Don’t you wanna talk about it?/I called your lawyer, but he said you were gone/I didn’t see you cause your headlights weren’t on/You shut the door and faded into the dawn/Don’t you wanna talk about it?”  ‘If the Bombs Fall’ is a beautiful, vulnerable ballad: “You and I are still so very young/And with love the best is yet to come/God has let me choose you/I don’t want to lose you/Who can say tomorrow will find its way?/Who can say the sun will shine today?/Baby I adore you/That’s why I’m living for you.”
 

‘Sweet Dreams’ is a powerful duet with Mikko Knustonen that waxes cynical: “What about Cinderella and her glass shoe?/She lived happily ever after, yeah, but none of it is true/What about King Midas, when everything turned gold/It’s all right when we are children, but not when we are old/Sweet dreams/Fading before the dawn.”  ‘Woman of God’ is a live cut that contains words of wisdom for single Christian men in their search for love: “I need a woman who knows the measure of what she’s worth/Stores up treasure but not on earth/Seeks God’s will in all that’s done/And keeps her eyes on the Holy One/I need a woman who’s kind and true/I haven’t found her but until I do/I’ll be looking for a woman of God/A woman with a righteous heart/You know I’m looking for a woman of God/Who doesn’t easily fall apart.”

‘Shot Down’ is a bouncy, pointed response from Larry to his many critics: “I’ve been rebuked for the things I’ve said/For the songs I’ve written and the life I’ve led/They say they don’t understand me, well I’m not surprised/Cause you can’t see nothing when you close your eyes/They say I’m sinful, backslidden/That I have left to follow fame/But here I am talkin’ bout Jesus just the same.”  ‘Out of my System’ finds Larry saying goodbye to an unfaithful partner: “You ran around with other men/Ooh, you made love and kissed ‘em/But now you’re gone, do what you want/I don’t care/You’re out of my system.”
 

‘Messiah’ has a haunting sound musically and is highly prophetic: “Red clouds blotted out the sun/Darkness fell on everyone/Rivers of blood were running/I could see the armies coming/I could see their weapons falling/I could hear the angels calling/Messiah took this world by force.”  ‘I Hope I’ll See You in Heaven’ is easy listening in nature but laments over a missed opportunity on this planet: “I was wrong to let you go/I was a child and I did not know/About the love that we both could have given/And now you’re gone so far away/I hope I’ll see you again someday/But if I don’t, I hope I’ll see you in heaven.”
 

The last two songs are Charly Norman rarities, he being Larry’s brother.  ‘It Could’ve Been You’ features a Bowie-like delivery and speaks of the difficulty involved with breaking romantic ties: “So many years have passed/The time we had was brief/The faith I had in love has turned to disbelief/And someone different now who stirs me from my sleep/I think I love her but there’s thoughts of you I keep.”  I can hear the Stones doing the last track, ‘Why do you do the things you Do?’  It is the song of a frustrated lover: “The problem never goes away/You always look the other way/But now you know I’m leaving and you look so surprised/Why can’t you get it/That we’re finished, we’re through?/I’m tired of hangin’ upside down/I got no time for sympathizin’/When I’m cloudin’ my horizon with you/Why do you do the things you do?”
 

What I like about THE BEST OF LARRY NORMAN is that it doesn’t go the predictable route and draw mostly from his highly acclaimed trilogy albums from the 1970’s.  Instead, what we encounter here is an eclectic, interesting collection of songs, several of which are on par quality wise with Larry’s mainstream contemporaries.  I’m rating this project 90%.  For more info visit www.larrynorman.com.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

As I was growing up, my family and I would attend hymn sings in the Tillsonburg, Ontario area. Groups such as The Proverbs, The Watchmen, and The Nations would perform. So would the The Torchmen Quartet. They began in 1969 when four men met at Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catherines, Ontario. Today the Torchmen are Mike Moran, Sandy MacGregor, Jon Hisey, and Jeff Tritton. Mike Moran was born in Cambridge, Ontario and joined the group the year they formed. For many years Mike also hosted ‘Gospel North’, a radio show in the Niagara Region. Sandy MacGregor was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario. He has been a member of The Watchmen Quartet, The Chapelaires, The Royal City Quartet, The Singing Canadians, and Damascus. In the eighties he sang lead for The Torchmen, now he sings tenor. Jon Hisey grew up in St. Catherines, Ontario. He officially started singing with the Torchmen in 1983, just after his Uncle John had left them. Jeff Tritton used to minister to kids with a ventriloquist dummy named ‘Elfred’. He first joined the group in 1992. Over the years the Torchmen have gained great notoriety for their talents and Gospel message, even performing at the National Quartet Convention in the United States. Their latest release A NEW PERSPECTIVE (2012) was recorded at Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton, Ontario. Of it, Mark Trammell says: “The Torchmen have found yet another level of consistency and integrity through taking timeless traditions and bring new light and a fresh approach to old standards while never losing the original impact of the song.”


‘I Want to Make a Difference’ is a real toe-tapper and uses banjo: “I wanna testify/God is still the only One/I wanna make a good impression/When I make my confession by what the Lord has done/I wanna sing for my Lord and my King/Do my best to see Him get the glory/I wanna make a difference/With the One who made the difference in me.” ‘I’ll Keep on Leaning’ is a nice ballad of gratitude to God written by D. Britt: “All those times I’ve gone astray/All the times I’ve lost my way/The Shepherd reached out into the cold/To bring this sheep back to the fold/And no matter how far astray I’d be/Those Arms are reaching out for me/Safe in His everlasting Arms/I’ll keep on leaning.”

‘Just One More Song’ has a celebratory feel to it and was written by Rebecca Peck: “Give me just one more song to sing/Give me just one more verse to glorify the King/Give me just one more day/In this symphony of life/Give me just one more breath to lift the name of Jesus Christ/Give me just one more song to sing.” ‘I Will Pray’ begins with these words of wisdom: “I won’t wait till I’m walking in the valley/Or I’m caught up in the fury of a storm/No it won’t take times of desperation/To push me to my knees/And make me call out to my Lord/I will pray/Pray in the morning/Pray in the noonday sun.”

‘Fair Exchange’ uses harmonica and has an upbeat country feel to it. It includes these spoken words: “The Bible says in Romans chapter eight, verse one ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.’ So the next time Satan wants to put you in chains, you look him in the eye and say ‘By the blood of Jesus Christ I am a free man.’” ‘Wish You Were Here’ is a sentimental ballad written by M. Williams and popularized by The Kingsmen. Here are the words to the chorus: “Wish you were here/It’s such a beautiful place/Wish you were here/Nothing but clear sunny days/It never rains and no one complains/We haven’t seen a tear/We’re having a great time/Wish you were here.”

‘City in the Sky’ by Richard Ash, has a Gaither Homecoming feel to it: “I met a new saint of God/She’d been travelling a long, long time/Seen a lot of pain and heartache/But she’d left it all behind/I said ‘Sister, tell me/Aren’t you weary of the life you’ve led?’/She said ‘I’m not troubled with where I’ve been cause I know what’s up ahead.’” ‘Light at the End of the Darkness’ encourages us not to give in to despair: “There is hope in that land for the hopeless/There’s a soothing balm for pain and misery/It’s as near as your faith/It sometimes seems fleeting/I was blind when it finally shined on me/There’s a light at the end of the darkness/So look up when you are down and try to believe.”

‘I Remember the Time’ is a testimony song that I can hear doo-wop influences on: “I can tell you ‘bout the time/I can take you to the place/Where the Lord saved me/By His wonderful grace/And I cannot tell you how/And I cannot tell you why/But He’ll tell me all about it/In the by and by.” ‘In the Cross’ takes the posture of a servant: “So I turn to the road ahead/Forgetting all I used to be/In answer to the call of the One who died to set me free/Friends and fame, riches and power/For His cross I will set aside/In His mighty shadow/Let me hide.”

‘Over the Door’ is a faster paced number that reminds us our denomination doesn’t save us: “Some people think today/If heaven you would see/You must belong to their one church/Or be lost eternally/But according to God’s Word/What He’s still looking for/Is what He finds within your heart and not what’s over the door.” So true! ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus’ really puts things into perspective: “I’d rather have Jesus than man’s applause/I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause/And I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame/I’d rather be true to His holy Name/Than to be the king of a vast domain/Or to be held in sin’s dread sway.”

In short, The Torchmen Quartet have still got it going on. Their group harmonies and solos sound great! The group is excited about their faith which is alive and well. Not every group could weather so many member changes over the years and still sound as cohesive as they do. This is a bona fide recording. Fans of Gold City should buy this one. I’m rating A NEW PERSPECTIVE 90%. For more info visit www.torchmen.com.

CLAY CROSSE'S reDEDICATION

Walter Clayton Crossnoe was born on February 11, 1967. He grew up in Memphis, TN and became a Christian when he was thirteen. He married his high school sweetheart Renee in 1990. They have four kids and two of them were adopted from China. Clay Crosse’s debut album was 1993’s MY PLACE IS WITH YOU. In 1995 he won a Dove Award for ‘Best New Artist of the Year’. Over the years he has been known for such songs as ‘I Surrender All’, ‘His Love is Strong’, ‘Saving the World’, and ‘I Will Follow Christ’, the latter of which featured BeBe Winans and Bob Carlisle. In 2010 Clay threw his fans a curve and gave us a terrific Americana album, EVERYTIME I FEEL THE SPIRIT. Now he is back on the scene with rededication (2012).


The album starts out with the wonderful first AC single ‘I Rest in You’. Clay wrote it with Brian White, and album producer Regie Hamm. Hamm actually co-writes seven of the ten songs presented. This opening song begins with these words of testimony: “You’re the peace that passes understanding/In a world that’s changing/You’re the hope that’s everlasting/When the walls are crashing down/You’re the love that’s greater than/The doubt that tries to steal my faith and/You’re the only truth that I have found.” ‘reDedication’ is a touching ballad about a spiritual homecoming: “I’m so amazed at what You’ve brought me through/So I give my life back to You/Rededication/Rededicating myself to the One/Who’s my only salvation/To the One with His arms open wide/The One who is Lord of my life/Rededication.”

‘Vessel’ written by Regie Hamm, Fred Wilhelm, and Nick DePartee finds Clay desiring to be involved in God’s purposes here on earth: “From the deep blue sea/To the tops of the mountains/It all points back to You/And I’m on my knees/Praying You make me an instrument You use/So pour over me.” The first INSP single is ‘Your River’s Wide Enough’ written by Bernie Herms and Jennie Lee Riddle (Revelation Song). This single is a great song of praise: “Love pours out/Grace flows down/You’re everywhere, all around/Your mercy runs, a vast supply/Healing rains from Your side/Your river’s wide enough/Your river’s wide.”

Isaiah 55:9 reads: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” ‘Waving a White Flag’ is a soulful, gospel influenced number that documents how hard it is to kill the old man, which is the flesh: “I don’t know why I ever fought You/Why I dodge You, but I confess/That all of Your ways are so much higher/And You always know what’s best…I’m at the end of myself/This game of tug of war is through/Surrendering everything/I dedicate my life to You.” ‘Working on a Building’ has a crazily funky groove to it and features Russ Taff and Melinda Doolittle. Doolittle was the third place finalist on Season 6 of American Idol, and before that sang backup for the likes of Aaron Neville and Carman. The song here, reminds us not to be passive in our spiritual lives: “Workin’ on a chamber/Where principalities will never rule/Workin’ on a mansion/More than forty acres and a mule/Buildin’ on a bedrock/Cause I wanna be wise and not a fool, not a fool…/Workin’ on a building/Where the enemy will never trod/Workin’ on a building/Where I am at home at last with God.”

Clay co-wrote the memorable track ‘When I Lift my Hands’ with Regie Hamm and Chuck Butler. It praises the Lord for who He is and for giving us our daily bread: “You’re the promise and the hope that gets me through each day/And You provide the strength I need to walk within Your way/And I could never fully know the depth of who You are/But I will try to reach You/When I lift my hands.” Next up is a track covered in part in 2006 by Michael W. Smith. ‘The Stand’ was written by Joel Houston just a year before. Many know him from Hillsong United. The chorus paints a beautiful picture of one who is worshipping: “So I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned/In awe of the One who gave it all/I’ll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered/All I am is Yours.”

‘All Because of You’ is a well crafted song. The chorus distinguishes the Christian music star from non-believing performers: “I return the glory to/The One whom it belongs/Every time I lift my voice/Any time I sing these songs/I say it honestly/Anything that’s good in me/And anything that’s true/It’s all because of You.” The album ends with a tender ballad, ‘Good Morning Lord’, that lays out how we should start off each day as Christ followers: “Good morning Lord/Thank You for this day/Help me to walk with You/In this world You made/Good morning Lord/I feel Your mercies new/Take my hand and lead me Lord/I long to follow You.”

Clay Crosse is now worship pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Arlington, TN. He and Renee are also involved in marriage and family ministry via Holy Homes. Of his latest CD, Clay says: “God really blessed me to be able to record this new project and I pray it encourages you.” Instrumentalists used include: Steve Brewster (drums), Mark Hill (bass), Dave Cleveland (guitars), Jason Webb (keyboards), Dave Davidson and Chuck Butler (strings), Mike Haynes (trumpet), and Mark Douthit (sax).

reDedication finds Clay spot on vocally. His voice has a maturity that can’t be imitated. The songs are ones of well thought out and heartfelt ministry. After all these years, Clay is still putting out top quality inspirational music. We are the better for it! Fans of Michael English, Sandi Patty, and Steve Green will like this one. I’m rating reDedication 87%. For more info visit www.claycrosse.com and www.holyhomes.org.