Randy Stonehill is probably the most enduring figure in Christian music. For nearly thirty years he has brought us songs that make us laugh, cry, and think. While other artists go country, cross over, or retire, Stonehill keeps plugging along, every few years delivering a tasty album containing his patented mix of rockers, ballads, and the zany wit that is his trademark.
Thirst, Stonehill's 18th album, opens with a crash, charging into "Hand Of God," which features the passionate guitar of Stuart Adamson, formerly of Big Country, sounding like a set of bagpipes plugged into a Marshall stack. The lyrics reflect God's providence, in times of blessing and in times of adversity:
Can you confront these shadows, Face your fears up close? When you look them in the eye, You'll see they're just a lie, An imaginary ghost. Can you embrace your sadness, Taste the salt of your tears, Start laughing when you cry, 'Cause it means that you're alive, And thank God you're standing here? And there's a road through the mountains high, There's a boat that can take you across the river wide. For every heart love has healed, Every hope faith makes real, In all these things Oh, I have seen the hand of God.
The next track, "Fire," opens with a surreal curtain of sitars, Indian lap dulcimers, and other Eastern instruments, and explodes into a powerful rocker, winding up with some very Indian-sounding strings reminiscent of George Harrison's "Blue Jay Way." Stonehill sings of the purifying fire of the one true God:
Fire, holy flame, Walk with me, walk with me. Fire, holy flame, Take my heart And burn away this darkness in your fire.
Besides the rockers, including "Father Of Lights," based on James 1:17, there are a number of sometimes bittersweet ballads on this album. The late Keith Green sang of the Church being "Asleep In The Light," ignoring the cries of a lost world. "Sleeping" speaks from the opposite perspective-that of the Christian who is too lazy or too unconcerned to rouse himself into action. Stonehill sings:
Sometimes a voice whispers in the night About the river of souls running through my life. Lives in the balance, See 'em sinking down. Will I reach out or watch them drown? But I just go on sleeping...
He concludes the song with his own eye-opener:
There's a mournful dove at my window sill. If I don't wake up, who will?
After 28 years of recording and performing Christian music, it seems as though Stonehill's well is nowhere near dry. Even his "Uncle Rand" persona rears its wacky head on this album, not once but twice-in the "hidden" 11th track, "Keeper Of The Bear," and on "Baby Hates Clowns," which describes Stonehill's dismayed discovery of his lady's aversion to performers of the greasepaint-and-rubber-nose variety. The combination of classic, cranked up rock & roll with the bizarre plight of the harried protagonist makes for a genuinely entertaining story. It's difficult not to grin while listening to Stonehill describe his dilemma:
Oh, my girl loves surprises so I bought a pair of tickets, And we went to see the greatest show on earth Where everybody comes to have a really good time Underneath the big top. Oh, she seemed so delighted with the lions and the tigers And the men on the flying trapeze. Oh, but when the clowns come around, she clinches her fists, She looks as if she's catching a disease Baby hates clowns, and the tricks they do. Baby hates clowns, in their great big shoes. Baby hates clowns, with their polka dot clothes. Baby hates clowns, with their big red nose. Now I get a little nervous Every time that the circus comes to town. I don't know why baby hates clowns.
He proceeds to try to straighten her out:
Well, I gingerly suggested she was over-caffeinated, Or perhaps she had a simple case of nerves. She said as she glared at me with eyes like knives, "You got a lot to learn, boy."
Stonehill's curious exploration of his partner's coulrophobia (yes, that's right-fear of clowns) is engrossing. Take the bridge, for example:
She gets so traumatized, And I feel paralyzed In the midst of her psycho drama, I don't know what to do, It's such a mystery, All this hostility, I tell her she should lighten up. But all she does is tighten up and come unglued.
I wish that I could tell you that this song is an allegory of something in the Christian life, but if it is, I can't see it. I really think that the hidden meaning behind this song is to loosen up and enjoy life! "A merry heart does you good, like a medicine." (Proverbs 17:22a)
This album, I believe, is good medicine as well. In it, Randy Stonehill encourages us to believe in the God that he serves, provokes us to think about the plight of the dying world around us, and even manages to make us laugh. Not bad for a shiny, five-inch silver disk. I, for one, hope to see many more from Randy Stonehill.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Ed RockI should probably preface this with a little background to give you an idea of where this review is coming from. I heard my first Randy Stonehill song sometime around 1972 when he was featured in the World Wide Pictures film Time to Run. After my begging, my parents relented and bought me the 7" EP from the film. Years later, when I discovered Christian music in college, I recognized Stonehill's…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartUp until now Randy Stonehill was yet another of those artists I was aware of from afar. I recognised him as an influential figure and knew of his reputation as a great songwriter, but didn't actually own a single album. Thankfully, all of that has changed--the release of a new album meant the opportunity to form a personal opinion. Thirst is a well-crafted album with a rootsy feel. Producer Rick…Similar sounding releases
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