Various – Real 80s CCM

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

Various – Voices – 1987

This was a sampler from Myrrh that featured known and unknown artists. Here is a bit about these artists and their respective tracks;

Tata Vega – “In Your Light” – Tata Vega is a secular artist who had great success in the 70’s with stage musicals. As far as I can tell she never released a Christian album. The track appears to be unreleased.

Bob Carlisle – “Heaven Is Waiting” & “Teach Me How” – Bob Carlisle is best known for being in the band Allies in the 80’s and had several solo projects in the 90’s. Both tracks appears to be unreleased.

Bryan Duncan – “Come As You Are” – Bryan is well known for being in Sweet Comfort Band and then a very successful solo career. The track appears to be unreleased.

Matthew Ward – “Light Of The World” – Matthew is well known for being in
2nd Chapter Of Acts and then a very successful solo career. The track appears to be unreleased.

Howard McCrary – “In Your Presence” – Howard released a solo album in 1985 but is better known for being a member of The California Raisins. This track Appears to be unreleased.

Kim Boyce/John Elefante – “Helpless” – Kim Boyce had several Pop Christian albums in the 80’s. John Elefante is well known as a member of Kansas and as a very successful producer in the Christian music scene. The track appears to be unreleased.

Rick Riso – “Heaven Must Have Sent You” – Rick has released 3 Christian albums and this track appeared on “Shouting At The Walls” as a CD Bonus Track.

Benny Hester – “Then You Call My Name” – Benny is a well known solo Christian artist. This track Appears to be unreleased.

Tommy Funderburk – “Lift Up My Voice” – Tommy is best known for being one of the members of The Front. He did also have a solo album in 2005. This track Appears to be unreleased.

Tracklist
1 – Tata Vega – In Your Light – 3:50
2 – Bob Carlisle – Heaven Is Waiting – 4:29
3 – Bryan Duncan – Come As You Are – 4:32
4 – Matthew Ward – Light Of The World – 4:30
5 – Howard McCrary – In Your Presence – 4:23
6 – Kim Boyce, John Elefante – Helpless – 3:28
7 – Rick Riso – Heaven Must Have Sent You – 3:48
8 – Bob Carlisle – Teach Me How – 4:29
9 – Benny Hester – Then You Call My Name – 3:19
10 – Tommy Funderburk – Lift Up My Voice – 4:14

Various – Rock of the Ages – Rock & Roll From The Third Dimension – 1983

This sampler is relatively unremarkable in that all the songs on it were very well known. The only thing that stood out about the release was that the album cover was 3D and the album came with 3D glasses so you could enjoy it.

Tracklist
1 – Leslie Phillips – Put Your Heart In Me (Beyond Saturday Night) – 4:00
2 – Randy Stonehill – The Glory And The Flame (Between The Glory And The Flame ) – 3:10
3 – Imperials – How Can You Live (Stand By The Power) – 3:46
4 – Maria Muldaur – Keep My Eyes On You (There Is A Love) – 4:01
5 – Kenny Marks – He’ll Finish What He Started (Follow Him) – 3:11
6 – Amy Grant – Too Late (Never Alone) – 3:15
7 – White Heart – You’re The One (White Heart) – 3:56
8 – David Edwards – Anything But Love (Get The Picture) – 3:34
9 – Dion – I Put Away My Idols ( I Put Away My Idols) – 3:08

Various – Adventures in the Land of Big Beats & Happy Feets – 1989

This has to be the worst sampler in the history of Christian music. It’s not the songs that are bad, they are great songs from great artists. It’s what they did with them that is the problem. Let me explain. This album is constructed as follows. The opening, ending, and all odd number songs are studio dance beats attributed to non existent bands. All of the even songs are well known songs by well known artists BUT they have been “remixed and extended”. Now first of all this album came out in 1989 and the secular music scene was done with cheesy two bit extended dance tracks. But for whatever reason Word Records chose at this late time to jump on a bandwagon that had already left the building. So here we go. Every song we have heard of before on this album is an “extended remix”. I use the term “extended remix” term loosely as these are without a doubt the worst remixes I have ever heard. So what we have here is the business idea of re releasing the same content over and over again only this time they pretended to dress it up as something new. What a disaster. OK listen to the album once and forget about it, that’s what I did.

Tracklist
1 – Rakim D. & The Garden Beats – Prologue – 2:03
2 – Imperials – Fallin’ – 4:18
3 – Bunny Whop And The Hip Hop – Baow Baow Baow – 1:06
4 – Philip Bailey – Thank You – 5:29
5 – Randy McNally & The Road Dogz – Rappin’ Detail – 1:12
6 – Amy Grant – Wise Up – 6:28
7 – Billy B. & The Beez Nees – No Bout Adoubt It – 1:11
8 – Steve Taylor – Svengali – 5:46
9 – Billy B. & The Beez Nees – Doutout – 0:57
10 – Kim Boyce – I Just Want To Celebrate – 5:16
11 – The Nerf Wilson Ensemble – Tee Vee Whiz – 0:51
12 – Ideola – Jericho – 4:28
13 – The Nerf Wilson Ensemble – Gee Tee Vee – 1:12
14 – Russ Taff – I’ve Come Too Far – 5:39
15 – Snappo Schultz – BBBBBeatitudinal – 1:16
16 – Sheila Walsh – Ship Of Love – 7:00
17 – Snappo Schultz – BBBBBeatitudinal – Part II – 1:01
18 – Randy Stonehill Cold Rock The Groove – 4:35
19 – Rakim D. & The Garden Beats – Epilogue – 0:42

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Bradley Grose
Compilation Producer – Leon Mulczk
Coordinator [Cover] – Laurie Fink (2)
Executive-Producer – Tom Willett
Music By [Link Music By] – Lee Cahuenga (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19)
Remix [Re-mixes], Edited By [Edits] – Lee Cahuenga
Written-By [Links Written By], Producer [Links Produced By] – Linx, Inc. (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19)

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Word, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word Records Limited
Distributed By – Word (UK) Ltd.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.

Various – Front Row – 1984

This is a 1984 Refuge Records sampler

Included on this sampler;

Rick Cua – “Changed” from his album No Mystery
Edin-Adahl – “Wake Up” from their album Alibi
Bonnie Bramlett – “White Dove” from her album Step By Step
Per-Erik Hallin – “You Put Another Song In My Heart” from his album Better Late Than Never
Will McFarlane – “That’s How I Know You Called Me” from his album A Colony Of Heaven
Tom Douglas – “Jesus Never Sleeps” which was not released on an album
Forerunner – “Faith Walk” from their album (a.k.a)
Jerusalem – “Time” which was released as a bonus track on the CD release of Can’t Stop Us Now
Lifesavors – “Break In My Head” from their album Dream Life
Bryn Haworth – “Never Give Up On Love” from his album Pass It On
Joe English – “Anthem” from his album The Best Is Yet To Come

Tracklist
1 – Rick Cua – Changed – 3:50
2 – Edin-Adahl – Wake Up – 4:14
3 – Bonnie Bramlett – White Dove – 3:31
4 – Per-Erik Hallin – You Put Another Song In My Heart – 4:13
5 – Will McFarlane – That’s How I Know You Called Me – 3:21
6 – Tom Douglas – Jesus Never Sleeps – 4:10
7 – Forerunner – Faith Walk – 4:04
8 – Jerusalem – Time – 5:50
9 – Lifesavors – Break In My Head – 2:33
10 – Bryn Haworth – Never Give Up On Love – 3:35
11 – Joe English – Anthem – 3:20