Glen Campbell released his debut album BIG BLUEGRASS SPECIAL with the Green River Boys in 1962 on Capitol Records. Over the years he became a country music superstar. He is known for such songs as: 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix', 'Galveston', 'Rhinestone Cowboy', 'Wichita Lineman', and 'Southern Nights'. In 1996 New Haven Records released JESUS AND ME: THE COLLECTION which drew from his albums NO MORE NIGHT (1985), SHOW ME YOUR WAY (1991), and THE BOY IN ME (1994). Two new songs, 'Sure as the Sun' and 'Turn Up the Radio' were included.
1. Starting off the standard edition of the CD is 'Jesus and Me' from 1991's SHOW ME YOUR WAY. This country-pop song was written by Phil Driscoll and Lari Goss. It offers these words of testimony: "I thought I had done it all, then I met You/Now I'm singin' a new song/Makin' music for Jesus my King/He is my hero/He's become my everything/Now there's no other song, no higher melody/Under heaven, the greatest love story/Jesus and me".
2. 'Call it Even' was written by Kim Patton, Becky Thurman, and Geoff Thurman. Tom Hemby is great on electric guitars. This song speaks of God's goodness: "When He adds up my progress/It all comes to nothin'/But He leads me with mercy/In that place in my road/Then He reaches beyond/Bringin' me closer/And never counting the miles/That I missed the goal/And He calls it even/He calls it even".
3. 'Show Me Your Way' is an inspirational duet with Anne Murray that asks for divine guidance: "Show me Your way, oh Lord/And let me sing all praise to Thee/Take my heart and hear my prayer/I need Your love to show me".
4. 'Something to Die For' is an easy listening ballad of spiritual determination: "People say it's only human/If I choose to stop believing/But my heart won't be denied/For I know the faith that burns inside/Is something to die for/A cause beyond what human eyes can see/To embrace the cross of sacrifice/As Christ has done for me/There's a peace I only find/When I give myself away".
5. Wayne Berry wrote 'Sure as the Sun'. Wendy Suit Johnson, Lisa Silver, and Bergen White provide backing vocals. It is a lovely country ballad about the afterlife: "As sure as the sun comes up in the sky/I've got a home up in Heaven on high/As sure as the stars are out there tonight/God's upon His throne and everything is alright.../Jesus is my Savior, I hope He's yours too".
6. 'Amazing Grace' features the Nashville String Machine and Glen on bagpipes. It includes these sentimental thoughts: "'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved/How precious did that grace appear, oh the hour I first believed".
7. 'The Greatest Gift of All' features Russ Taff and the Christ Church Choir. It is an adult contemporary song that offers spiritual advice: "Peace will come your way/If you only follow/What He came to say/Is of joy, not sorrow/He beseeches you to listen/As He fills your heart with wisdom/What He teaches you is that the greatest gift of all/From the heavens up above/Is the love that He gives to all".
8. Geoff Thurman wrote 'Turn Up the Radio' which is a country-pop number that uses the A Strings. The song praises God: "When the road is headed down and out/And I desire love's forgiveness/His Spirit calls my name again and again/That's when I feel the music soothe the savage beast/I hear my Lord, I find His peace/Turn up the radio and sing a song of sympathy/Turn up the radio/I hear the healing go to the secret place only God can know".
9. Tom Hemby is great on electric guitars on 'The Boy in Me' written by Kevin Stokes and Geoff Thurman. It's an adult contemporary ballad that longs for innocence: "Oh Jesus, bring back the boy in me/Put Your hand on my heart and let me run free/Whoa, oh, Jesus/My eyes need help to see/And I want to be the boy in me".
10. 'The Savior I Sing of Today' makes it clear that Glen wants to share Christ with all people: "Ìf I had just one song, one song to sing/To the world that we live in today/I'd sing of a love/A wonderful love that helps me to walk down life's way/I'd sing of the One Who loves me so/He knows every breath that I take/He's such a friend, on Him I depend/To guide every step that I make".
11. 'No More Night' was penned by Walt Harrah. T.J. Kuenster plays piano on it. It's a soothing ballad that anticipates heaven: "No more night, no more pain/No more tears, never cryin' again/And praises to the great I Am/We will live in the light of the risen Lamb".
12. 'Come Harvest Time' is a soft ballad with this chorus: "Come harvest time what thanksgiving we will show/When the plowman brings freedom from the earth here below/Come harvest time, oh, what joy will be known/When He gathers the souls of the seeds He has sown".
13. In 2011 New Haven Records re-released this collection with 2 bonus tracks from Glen's 1992 album WINGS OF VICTORY. The first is 'On the Wings of Victory' written by Bob Corbin. Shane Keister plays keyboards and synthesizer on this country song of positivity: "Like an eagle soarin' toward the sun/Like a ship put out to sea/By and by my soul will fly/On the wings of His victory.../Now I've found me a Rock that I can lean on".
14. 'I Will Arise' features The Boys Choir of Harlem. It's a gospel oldie of spiritual invitation: "Come ye weary, heavy laden/Lost and wounded by the fall/If you tarry till you're better/You will never come at all/Come ye sinners, poor and needy/Weak and wounded, sick and sore/In the arms of my dear Savior/We will rest forevermore".
JESUS AND ME: THE COLLECTION (Deluxe Edition) features several songs that speak of the joys of being in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and growing in Him. He extends His mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness to us and we should desire to follow Him as a result. There are also songs here that invite non-believers to come to Jesus Christ and give their lives to Him, and songs about the eternal home for believers-Heaven. Genre wise the most represented ones musically are adult contemporary, easy listening, and country. Glen's vocals are easy to listen to. Fans of Steven Curtis Chapman should check out this album which I'm rating 89 %. For more info visit: www.glencampbell.com. Pick up your copy via Amazon.