MWS

Michael W Smith has never been a rocker, but a lot of his lyrics are incredible. Especially in his earlier years -

This song will always get me:

I miss the way
Once a true believer
Once there was a fire in your soul
You were the epitome of blessed faith astir
With thirst for holiness
And hunger for the Word
Now you move in other circles
To the beat of different drums
And I see only glimpses of the one you used to be
The inspiration that you were to me
Chorus:
I miss the way His love would dance within your eyes
I miss the way His heart was the soul of your life
And somewhere in the saddest part of heaven's room
Our Father sheds a tear for you
He's missing you, too

Some are calling you a prodigal
Some aren't calling you at all
But far away someone is calling you back home
Do you hear it anymore out there on your own

Once a true believer...

So true. I own everything he's put out. Iconic, yet down-to-earth dude and his music, ditto!

This is another artist that I just never got into. The music never really interested me, so I never really checked out his lyrics.

MWS song "Missing Person" is very descriptive of my struggles and distance from God in the last 8 years of bad health:

Another question in me
One for the powers that be
It's got me thrown
And so I put on my poker face
And try to figure it out
This undeniable doubt
A common occurance
Feeling so out of place
Guarded and cynical now
Can't help but wondering how
My heart evolved into
A rock beating inside of me
So I reel such a stoic ordeal
Where's that feeling that I don't feel

CHORUS:
There was a boy who had the faith to move a mountain
And like a child he would believe without a reason
Without a trace he disappeared into the void and
I've been searchin' for that missing person

Under a lavender moon
So many thoughts consume me
Who dimmed that glowing light
That once burned so bright in me
Is this a radical phase
A problematical age
That keeps me running
From all that I used to be
Is there a way to return
Is there a way to unlearn
That carnal knowledge
That's chipping away at my soul
I've been gone too long
Will I ever find my way home

CHORUS

He used to want to try the straight and narrow
He had a fire and he could feel it in the marrow
It's been a long time and I haven't seen him lately
But I've been searchin' for that missing person

Quote :

So true. I own everything he's put out. Iconic, yet down-to-earth dude and his music, ditto

I have everything up to the worship projects. I'm prolly missing out, but after getting worship albums by about a dozen bands during the whole "Let's put out a worship album" period, I got tired of hearing a 20th rendition of "I can sing of Your Love forever"....

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This is another artist that I just never got into. The music never really interested me, so I never really checked out his lyrics.

MWS has a few really incredible songs, with great craftsmanship... but you have to wade through a few bland songs and a few bubble gum pop to get to them.

Missing Person is one of those incredibly written songs, lyrically and musically.

I have a few of his discs and enjoy them from time to time. I think the closest he has come to rock would be The Big Picture.

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For my 20th bday in 1987, my good pal Tom bought me The Live Set. The Big Picture and I 2 Eye are his most rockin' releases.

I LOVE the live set ! I always dug the way he changed up "Nothing but the Blood"... always gave me chills back in the day.

And here's a fun trivia fact about me - everytime I've installed a new car stereo, or bought a new home system (at least a dozen in the last 20 years), I ALWAYS play "Lamu" as the tester song to see if I have all the speakers right and amp and equalizer set. The beginning has that awesome drum sequence and I crank it as loud as it'll go. Strange ritual, but it's just my thing. (the video above doesnt have the drums like the album version)

I think that the Big Picture was one of his best, with Go West coming in a close 2nd... however, the one I've played the most and would vote #1 is "i2eye"
-The album just steps up in his talent and the song writing is great.

His older albums are way better then the newer ones. I use to be a huge fan back then. Now his stuff just doesn't have that feel to them, doesn't really feel like his whole heart is in them anymore.

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His older albums are way better then the newer ones. I use to be a huge fan back then. Now his stuff just doesn't have that feel to them, doesn't really feel like his whole heart is in them anymore.

Agreed

I have to confess, I never have listened to MWS.

Ahlitah wrote:

His older albums are way better then the newer ones. I use to be a huge fan back then. Now his stuff just doesn't have that feel to them, doesn't really feel like his whole heart is in them anymore.

I think you're on the right track here...I do believe he still pours his heart into his newer stuff, but not as much as he did back in the day IMO.

I have Four MWS releases, but my favorite is...
-Project
I think that was his first? I don't know why the other releases never got me hooked, but I listen to project to this day.

I think MWS is best listened to when only specific songs are picked off his albums. Like I said earlier, you hafta wade through some so-so songs to hear some real gems.
I like most of Project and II
I love every song on i2eye and almost every song on Big Picture. Then comes Go West, about 3 or 4 good songs. Every album from there had maybe 1 or 2 good songs.
(as DBF says, "IMO")

I hear ya. I don't dislike the albums I have, but for some reason Project stands out. Maybe its because every song on that release is 'bang' on for the message I like to hear. It is a very challenging album.
- Be strong and courageous
- Could it be?
- The race is on
- etc, etc.

Another song that MWS released that cought my attention was "Cross of Gold". It asked a very good question. Why do you wear your cross of gold?

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I think that the Big Picture was one of his best, with Go West coming in
a close 2nd... however, the one I've played the most and would vote #1
is "i2eye"

Probably agree, there were a couple in the mid-90s that were pretty good too. If only he hadn't tried the rap thing in "Love Crusade". I was in college in Huntington, WV when "Go West" came out and he did a word of mouth preview concert at the church he grew up in in Kenova (about a stone's throw from Huntington) the Sunday before it was released. It was pretty cool. Some of the people I went to church with when I was there knew him from when he was a kid and were disappointed when he turned to rock music instead of writing good "Christian music" like "Great is the Lord".

Even though I'm a cynical 43 year old man, this one still chokes me up:




You just CAN'T help but worship the Almighty when listening to this:

I still prefer Third Day's version of "Agnus Dei", but it is a good song.

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I still prefer Third Day's version of "Agnus Dei", but it is a good song.

you're probably right. We saw Third Day in concert and yes, tears streaming down the cheeks when they did that one.

who wrote it ? was it MWS or TD ?

How about these lyrics by rich mullens...

I believe in God the Father
Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Born of the virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
He was crucified and dead and buried

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

Quote :

I still prefer Third Day's version of "Agnus Dei", but it is a good song.

you're probably right. We saw Third Day in concert and yes, tears streaming down the cheeks when they did that one.

who wrote it ? was it MWS or TD ?

Smitty. It is on Go WEst Young Man.

brokentulsa wrote:

How about these lyrics by rich mullens...

I believe in God the Father
Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Born of the virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
He was crucified and dead and buried

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

Rich Mullins. Now there's a guy who could write a lyric.