Friday Random Ten

My next entry in the "concert on memory lane" process is Michael W. Smith. I had gone to see Jars of Clay, but MWS was surprisingly impressive with his musicianship. It was sort of funny -- I asked my highschool DCE (Director of Christian Education) directions to the concert, and he told me not to worry -- there were two opening bands to MWS. I told him I was in town to see one of those "opening bands", and he was completely dumbfounded. I guess he didn't get that I was willing to pay MWS prices to see my little JoC folks play in a big venue. Even though I didn't go to the concert specifically to see him, I was impressed with his show. He's a great performer, and can play the piano beautifully, and all by ear -- did you know he can't even read music?

While I was impressed with his piano-by-ear ability, his lyric writing always frustrated me. I always most disliked the songs he wrote on his own without any lyrical help. He is an amazing musician, but he is not a lyricist. As such, it was important to me to find a song to share that he played piano (not guitar) in, but not that he'd written the words for. In the end, I settled on this tune, with words written by Diane Warren. This was from a concert back in 1993, which is sort of when I stopped listening to him, and therefore his 1980s-ish-persona is preserved in my brain as who he is, even though he keeps making albums and putting on concerts. Meanwhile, I sort of laughed at the little part at the beginning talking about how he composes and plays his music, so I thought you might also enjoy that little laugh. And so, without further ado, I give you "Smitty".



And now to see what Pandora gave me for my Michael W. Smith station.

"Here I Am" by Michael W. Smith* on Healing Rain
"Holy Is The Lord" by Chris Tomlin* on Arriving
"Holy Holy Holy" by Stephen Curtis Chapman on Amazing Grace
"You Are So Good To Me" by Third Day on Chronology Volume Two
"Let It Rain" by Michael W. Smith* on Worship (Live)
"My Redeemer Lives" by Reuben Morgan on World Through Your Eyes
"Shout To The Lord" by Lincoln Brewster on Let The Praises Ring
"Cannot Say Enough" by MercyMe on Almost There
"You Are A Child Of Mine" by Mark Schultz on Stories & Songs
"Freedom" by Michael W. Smith on The Second Decade (1993-2003)

It's a pretty blah group of songs, but I didn't really expect anything different with the key I gave it. There are couple of good praise songs that I like to sing in church, and that I will consider a success for this round.

* Acts I've seen live