So, we're at the top, what I believe to be the #1 song to come out of the Contemporary Christian Music world in the 1980s. It's taken me a while to get here, and I hope, if you've been with me along the way, that you've enjoyed the journey thus far.
Before we get to my #1 pick, here's a recap of the songs in my list.
#21 - Mighty Rushing Wind by Terry Talbot
#20 - It Is Done by Michael & Stormie Ormartian
#19 - God's Own Fool by Michael Card
#18 - Immortal, Invisible by Cynthia Clawson
#17 - If I Stand by Rich Mullins
#16 - Night Light by The 2nd Chapter of Acts
#15 - Whatever You Ask by Steve Camp
#14 - Lookin' Out for Number One by Wayne Watson
#13 - Grave Robber by Petra
#12 - Christian by Sheila Walsh
#11 - Sing Your Praise to the Lord by Amy Grant
#10 - You're Alright by Michael W. Smith
#9 - We Are the Reason by David Meece
#8 - I Blew Up the Clinic Real Good by Steve Taylor
#7 - Sing Your Freedom by WhiteHeart
#6 - We Are the Light by Servant
#5 - The Champion by Carman
#4 - To Hell With the Devil by Stryper
#3 - I Still Believe by Russ Taff
#2 - Brother Against Brother (It's Not Right) by DeGarmo & Key
Honorable Mention - Shadows by REZ
And now, here is my #1 CCM song of the 1980s. And honestly, did anyone think it would be someone other than Amy Grant?
This woman's catalog is long and varied, and she pretty much owned the CCM airwaves throughout the mid-'80s and the early part of the '90s. As the middle of the 1990s approached, her music gave way to younger artists with more contemporary approaches while still remaining authentic and organic.
But man, did she cut a mighty big trail.
The one song that most people indicate as probably the best song she ever recorded, regardless of their genre preference, the one that lands at #1 on my list, is the scorching title track to her 1988 magnum opus, Lead Me On.
There's not a single thing about this song that feels or sounds out of place. From its crescendoing introduction with its offset repeated guitar riff, to Amy's breathy delivery on the verses, to the layered synthesizers providing a sonic bed for the rhythm instruments to run on, to the expertly arranged background vocals . . . everything about this song evokes the musical, emotional, and political feelings of the time.
Musically, the late '80s saw an increase in rock-oriented music in popular culture, with bands pulling back on their reliance on programmed and over-synthesized music, finding more of a balance between the analog and the digital instruments. Bands like INXS, Poison, Guns n' Roses, and Whitesnake ruled the airwaves, while more band-oriented solo acts George Harrison, Richard Marx, Belinda Carlisle, and Robert Palmer thrived. We were on the verge of seeing the music industry explode with the future emergence and dominance of the Seattle sound.
Worldwide, we saw the beginning of the dismantling of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe, and we were less than 2 years away from seeing the crumbling of the Berlin Wall.
Al-Queda was formed by Osama bin Laden.
The beginning discussions of what would become the World Wide Web were revealed at CERN.
The world was on the cusp of major change.
Almost in stark contrast, the lyrics in "Lead Me On" chose to reflect on the atrocities of our past, and man's direct relation to his fellow man. The first verse references the plight of the American slave as he yearns for freedom in the land of the free, and the second verse references members of concentration camps being led to their deaths during the Holocaust of World War II. In light of the era in which this song was released, it was a pointed reminder to us not to forget where we came from, and through what we've lived.
The chorus is a prayer from one living through such an atrocity, knowing that only through God may their hope be fulfilled, their vision renewed, and their future secure.
Lead me on, lead me on
To a place where the river runs into Your keeping
Lead me on, lead me on
The awaited deliverance comforts the seeking
This song was noticeably different from Grant's previous works, in that the lyrics on this song (and many others on the album) are a step up in their maturity and variety of content. The new direction of the lyrics fits well with the musical direction of the album, as evidenced in songs like "Faithless Heart", my personal favorite "Shadows", "Wait for the Healing", and "What About the Love". This was an Amy Grant filled with conviction, but without as many answers as she had questions. During the recording of this album, she was pregnant with her first child, actually going into labor the day she recorded the vocals for "Lead Me On". So perhaps the state of the world and weight of the consequences of our sin were weighing heavily on her and her collaborative songwriters as this album was being crafted.
Man hurts man
Time and time, time again
And we drown in the wake of our power
Somebody tell me why
I remember hearing "Lead Me On" coming over the radio while inside a Blockbuster Video location, and hearing the song backed by 90,000 watts sent chills down my spine in a way that listening to it on my crappy little boombox or through my headphones just couldn't replicate. The only time I heard it better was on the Lead Me On Tour, as Amy and her massive band performed it live with the kind of precision usually only produced by session musicians . . . and since it was Amy Grant, most of her session musicians joined her on that tour.
The album Lead Me On didn't have the mainstream success that Unguarded did, or that Heart In Motion would have in the future, but it still stands out as one of several high points in Grant's career. And while the title track didn't have the weight on radio that some of her other hits had, it is one massive powerhouse tune, one of the few standards by which all other CCM songs from that decade can be measured. For its fiery power, its retrospective lyrics, its brilliant musical arrangement and expert musicianship, and Grant's soulful vocal delivery, "Lead Me On" takes the #1 spot on my list of the top CCM songs of the 1980s.
There Is No Box.
Zach
Before we get to my #1 pick, here's a recap of the songs in my list.
#21 - Mighty Rushing Wind by Terry Talbot
#20 - It Is Done by Michael & Stormie Ormartian
#19 - God's Own Fool by Michael Card
#18 - Immortal, Invisible by Cynthia Clawson
#17 - If I Stand by Rich Mullins
#16 - Night Light by The 2nd Chapter of Acts
#15 - Whatever You Ask by Steve Camp
#14 - Lookin' Out for Number One by Wayne Watson
#13 - Grave Robber by Petra
#12 - Christian by Sheila Walsh
#11 - Sing Your Praise to the Lord by Amy Grant
#10 - You're Alright by Michael W. Smith
#9 - We Are the Reason by David Meece
#8 - I Blew Up the Clinic Real Good by Steve Taylor
#7 - Sing Your Freedom by WhiteHeart
#6 - We Are the Light by Servant
#5 - The Champion by Carman
#4 - To Hell With the Devil by Stryper
#3 - I Still Believe by Russ Taff
#2 - Brother Against Brother (It's Not Right) by DeGarmo & Key
Honorable Mention - Shadows by REZ
And now, here is my #1 CCM song of the 1980s. And honestly, did anyone think it would be someone other than Amy Grant?
This woman's catalog is long and varied, and she pretty much owned the CCM airwaves throughout the mid-'80s and the early part of the '90s. As the middle of the 1990s approached, her music gave way to younger artists with more contemporary approaches while still remaining authentic and organic.
But man, did she cut a mighty big trail.
The one song that most people indicate as probably the best song she ever recorded, regardless of their genre preference, the one that lands at #1 on my list, is the scorching title track to her 1988 magnum opus, Lead Me On.
There's not a single thing about this song that feels or sounds out of place. From its crescendoing introduction with its offset repeated guitar riff, to Amy's breathy delivery on the verses, to the layered synthesizers providing a sonic bed for the rhythm instruments to run on, to the expertly arranged background vocals . . . everything about this song evokes the musical, emotional, and political feelings of the time.
Musically, the late '80s saw an increase in rock-oriented music in popular culture, with bands pulling back on their reliance on programmed and over-synthesized music, finding more of a balance between the analog and the digital instruments. Bands like INXS, Poison, Guns n' Roses, and Whitesnake ruled the airwaves, while more band-oriented solo acts George Harrison, Richard Marx, Belinda Carlisle, and Robert Palmer thrived. We were on the verge of seeing the music industry explode with the future emergence and dominance of the Seattle sound.
Worldwide, we saw the beginning of the dismantling of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe, and we were less than 2 years away from seeing the crumbling of the Berlin Wall.
Al-Queda was formed by Osama bin Laden.
The beginning discussions of what would become the World Wide Web were revealed at CERN.
The world was on the cusp of major change.
Almost in stark contrast, the lyrics in "Lead Me On" chose to reflect on the atrocities of our past, and man's direct relation to his fellow man. The first verse references the plight of the American slave as he yearns for freedom in the land of the free, and the second verse references members of concentration camps being led to their deaths during the Holocaust of World War II. In light of the era in which this song was released, it was a pointed reminder to us not to forget where we came from, and through what we've lived.
The chorus is a prayer from one living through such an atrocity, knowing that only through God may their hope be fulfilled, their vision renewed, and their future secure.
To a place where the river runs into Your keeping
Lead me on, lead me on
The awaited deliverance comforts the seeking
This song was noticeably different from Grant's previous works, in that the lyrics on this song (and many others on the album) are a step up in their maturity and variety of content. The new direction of the lyrics fits well with the musical direction of the album, as evidenced in songs like "Faithless Heart", my personal favorite "Shadows", "Wait for the Healing", and "What About the Love". This was an Amy Grant filled with conviction, but without as many answers as she had questions. During the recording of this album, she was pregnant with her first child, actually going into labor the day she recorded the vocals for "Lead Me On". So perhaps the state of the world and weight of the consequences of our sin were weighing heavily on her and her collaborative songwriters as this album was being crafted.
Man hurts man
Time and time, time again
And we drown in the wake of our power
Somebody tell me why
I remember hearing "Lead Me On" coming over the radio while inside a Blockbuster Video location, and hearing the song backed by 90,000 watts sent chills down my spine in a way that listening to it on my crappy little boombox or through my headphones just couldn't replicate. The only time I heard it better was on the Lead Me On Tour, as Amy and her massive band performed it live with the kind of precision usually only produced by session musicians . . . and since it was Amy Grant, most of her session musicians joined her on that tour.
The album Lead Me On didn't have the mainstream success that Unguarded did, or that Heart In Motion would have in the future, but it still stands out as one of several high points in Grant's career. And while the title track didn't have the weight on radio that some of her other hits had, it is one massive powerhouse tune, one of the few standards by which all other CCM songs from that decade can be measured. For its fiery power, its retrospective lyrics, its brilliant musical arrangement and expert musicianship, and Grant's soulful vocal delivery, "Lead Me On" takes the #1 spot on my list of the top CCM songs of the 1980s.
There Is No Box.
Zach
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