Tag: The Strait Tapes

Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume III – 1986

Here’s Volume 3 of the Strait Tapes and I believe the last in the series but we’ve had a few surprises in this series so I will will say I think it is the final one. Again we have quite a few unreleased tracks to enjoy. I didn’t do a count but I think this one has the most examples of secular bands of Christians. Anyway it’s another fantastic offering and we should give credit the the gang over at Strait Magazine for putting together such a great series of tapes. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did.

1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – Released on their 1987 album The 77’s
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – Released on their 1985 album Reassembly
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – Released on his 1990 album Love Will Find A Way
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – still unreleased
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – Released on their 1984 album A System Of Grooves
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – Released on his 1986 album Charlie Peacock
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – Released on their 1987 album Trade Secret
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – still unreleased
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – still unreleased
10 – Vector – America – Released on their 1984 album Please Stand By
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – Released her 1986 album
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – Gag track as intro to next track
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – Released on his 1986 album Knowledge & Innocence
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – Released on his 1979 album Dancing In The Dragon’s Jaws
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – Released on his 1988 album Lost Horizon
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – still unreleased
17 – First Strike – Power – Released on their 1987 album Crank It Up!
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – still unreleased

Tracklist
1 – The 77’s – The Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes And The Pride Of Life. – 3:25
2 – Talking Drums – You Do Cry A Lot – 3:07
3 – Maldwyn Pope – Reunion Of The Heart – 4:31
4 – Bryan McGlynn – Soul Doctor – 3:28
5 – The Good Guys – Still A Mistake – 2:16
6 – Charlie Peacock – Down In The Lowlands – 4:28
7 – Trade Secret – With Or Without You – 3:42
8 – One A.M. – Over And Over – 3:12
9 – Mike Starkey – I Became A Johnson’s Baby – 2:01
10 – Vector – America – 4:05
11 – Deniece Williams – Straight Ahead – 4:07
12 – The Refuseniks – Quiet Time – 0:44
13 – Terry Scott Taylor – Old Time Gospel Camp Meeting Hour – 3:17
14 – Bruce Cockburn – Wondering Where The Lions Are – 3:27
15 – Steve Scott – Not A Pretty Picture – 4:03
16 – Jump The Nile – Proud To Be A Warrior – 4:13
17 – First Strike – Power – 4:51
18 – Bryan McGlynn – Stranger At The Party – 3:13

Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume II – 1985

This is the second of a series of tapes that were published by Strait which was the Greenbelt Newspaper that came out Bi Monthly in the 80’s. This is the second in the series released in 1985. While there are a few less rare tracks this volume it makes up for it with quantity. 18 tracks is pretty darn good for a compilation cassette. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did. This compilation was also released in Australia but with some modifications. Missing were Sheila Walsh – Send Me, Phil and John – The Wasted Years, and Steve Scott – Sound of Waves. Added was a great track from Idea – Take Us. Strangely the cover for the Australian version actually showed that the Walsh and Phil and John track were on the cassette but they were not.

1 – Garth Hewitt – Oscar Romero (Alien Brain 1985)
2 – Mark Heard – Victims of the Age (Victims of the Age 1982)
3 – Daniel Amos – Home Permanent (Vox Humana 1984)
4 – Sheila Walsh – Send Me (Don’t Hide Your Heart 1985)
5 – Randy Stonehill – Love Beyond Reason (Love Beyond Reason 1985)
6 – Paul Field – Valley of Dry Bones (from Visions 1985)
7 – Larry Norman – Iron and Steel (from Quiet Night 1984)
8 – The Fat Band – Kansas City (from The Fat Band 7-inch 1983)
9 – Steve Scott – Sound of Waves (12” mix)
(Australian version only) 9 – Idea – Take Us (previously unreleased)
10 – Passion Polka – Fighting Alone (Obsessions EP 2011)
11 – Charlie Peacock – Lie Down in the Grass (Lie Down in the Grass 1985)
12 – Phil and John – The Wasted Years (extended remixed version from Count Me Out 1983)
13 – Xtras – Don’t Look Back (previously unreleased)
14 – Pieces – Robot System (Face 2 Face 1985)
15 – Leslie Phillips – Give’em All You Got (Dancing with Danger 1984)
16 – The Front – It’s Hard to Take (The Front 1985)
17 – Avalon – Flags (not The Aussie Avalon, released on 7″ in 1984)
18 – First Strike – Loneliness Kills (Rock of Offense 1984)

Tracklist
1 – Garth Hewitt – Oscar Romero – 4:12
2 – Mark Heard – Victims of the Age – 3:13
3 – Daniel Amos – Home Permanent – 3:00
4 – Sheila Walsh – Send Me – 3:30
5 – Randy Stonehill – Love Beyond Reason – 5:33
6 – Paul Field – Valley of Dry Bones – 3:03
7 – Larry Norman – Iron and Steel – 4:07
8 – The Fat Band – Kansas City – 2:47
9 – Steve Scott – Sound of Waves – 4:26
(Australian version only) 9 – Idea – Take Us – 3:08
10 – Passion Polka – Fighting Alone – 4:18
11 – Charlie Peacock – Lie Down in the Grass – 3:26
12 – Phil and John – The Wasted Years – 2:58
13 – Xtras – Don’t Look Back – 3:50
14 – Pieces – Robot System – 3:44
15 – Leslie Phillips – Give’em All You Got – 3:51
16 – The Front – It’s Hard to Take – 3:22
17 – Avalon – Flags – 4:22
18 – First Strike – Loneliness Kills – 3:38

Various – The Strait Tapes – Volume I

This is a rather odd one. The Strait Tapes were a series of at least 3 cassettes published by Strait which was the Greenbelt Newspaper that came out Bi Monthly in the 80’s. How they got the rights to these songs is completely baffling but they did and they put out these great cassettes. This is the first one of this series. It is a mix of stuff we know and stuff we don’t. No one is too sure what year this cassette came out as the tracks themselves are from all over but the best guess is 1985. I’ve listed below what album these tracks showed up on if they did. There are some really rare unreleased tracks here a couple B sides so this is a real special compilation. I look forward to finding the next 2 cassettes in this series.

Larry Norman – If You Don’t Love the Lord (1986 Rehearsal 4 Reality/different version)
Robin Lane – Hard Cover (1984 Heart Connection EP)
Steve Turner – I Looked Down (1982 - City Without Love)
Philip Bailey – The Wonders of His Love (1984 The Wonders Of His Love)
Jump the Nile – Innocence Abroad (unreleased, band only had one 7")
Ring of Fire – Brave Men Cry (unreleased, no info on band)
Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark (1976 In the Falling Dark)
Maria Muldaur – There's Going To Be The Devil To Pay (1983 Sweet and Slow)
Randy Stonehill – Everything But Love (1985 Stonehill EP)
Press Any Key – Whisper On The Wind (1987 - Whisper On The Wind, different mix)
Garth Hewitt – Red Hot and Cooking (1982 B-side of The Hungry Wind single)
Interface – Memories (1984 Released as an A side single)

Tracklist
1 – Larry Norman – If You Don’t Love the Lord
2 – Robin Lane – Hard Cover
3 – Steve Turner – I Looked Down
4 – Philip Bailey – The Wonders of His Love
5 – Jump the Nile – Innocence Abroad
6 – Ring of Fire – Brave Men Cry
7 – Bruce Cockburn – In the Falling Dark
8 – Maria Muldaur – There’s Going To Be The Devil To Pay
9 – Randy Stonehill – Everything But Love
10 – Press Any Key – Whisper On The Wind
11 – Garth Hewitt – Red Hot and Cooking
12 – Interface – Memories