Thursday, May 20, 2010

CCM Countdown: 2

We have reached #2 on my countdown of the 50+ Contemporary Christian Music albums that had the most impact on my life and ministry through 2006.  Next week we will reveal #1- think you can guess what it is?  I would love to hear your guesses, so leave comments or e-mail me with your thoughts.  To see the entire COUNTDOWN on one page, just click COUNTDOWN and explore my choices.   Come back next Thursday and discover #1!!!

2)  LEAD ME ON-  Amy Grant-  1988
Amy Grant is without question the most important artist in the history of CCM, and many of her albums could have made this list.  Considered by CCM Magazine to be the best album in the history of CCM, Lead Me On was a game changer for me.  The songs move and inspire without having to be heavy-handed spiritually.  I listened to it over and over, and even today the songs find new ways to challenge me in my faith journey.  It stands the test of time; it is an album I never grow tired of.  Amy has had a brilliant career, full of life altering songs, but nothing else she has done comes close to this one.

FEATURED SONGS
The first four songs are probably my favorite opening four songs on any album, from any genre, EVER!  It opens with 1974, which recounts an early "conversion" experience for Amy in a youth group setting.  I lived through the song many times in my youth ministry career.  The title track (see video below) is one of the greatest songs of faith ever written.  "Lead me on, lead me, to a place where the river runs into Your keeping.."  Gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.  Shadows talks about how we all have a dark side that people don't usually see, and how we "have to keep watch on our shadows."  And Saved By Love is the story of us all.  We struggle. we fail and we sin- but we are all saved by the love of Jesus.  It is a truly amazing song.  Other classics include What About the Love; If These Walls Could Speak Wait For the Healing; If You Have To Go Away; and Say Once More.  A brilliant album from an all-time great artist.


OTHER RECOMMENDED ALBUMS FROM AMY GRANT
Amy Grant- 1977
Age To Age-  1982*
A Christmas Album- 1983
Unguarded- 1985
Heart In Motion- 1991
Behind the Eyes- 1997
Simple Things- 2003
* indicates albums featured in this countdown


1 comment:

  1. when i was young & that album came out (& I was a Christian growing up) that was one of my favourite albums. "If These Walls Could Speak" was my favourite song. I believe I still have the cassette in my eclectic music collection.

    ReplyDelete

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