According to national research taken from Gallup and Barna polls, almost 90 million Americans are approaching the millennium having never read the Bible. Songs from The Book is just one small portion of the largest campaign ever to promote the Bible.
Some of these songs were written specifically for this project, and some are re-cut classics. In a star-studded project such as this, it's difficult to judge which tunes stand out most; the quality of songs and artists has already proved successful. Therefore, the project must be evaluated from the standpoint of why it was designed. If it was designed to help promote a Bible translation entitled The Book, do its lyrics quote the Bible? Are its themes consistent with the themes of the Bible? Does it truly have the "star" appeal to do its job of selling merchandise?
Lyrics are doubly important when part of a CD's function is to sell The Book. While many songs on the project quote scripture directly, three songs -- "The Book," "God So Loved," and "Thy Word" -- quote famous portions and will immediately catch listeners' attention.
"The Book," by Michael Card, sounds as though it were written specifically for this marketing blitz. In it, Card sings about things found in the Bible, and their effects. Jaci Velasquez lends help with "God So Loved." Most of her fans will immediately recognize the chorus as coming straight from John 3:16.
God so loved the world
that He gave His one and only son
that whosoever believes in Him
will not perish but have everlasting life.
"Thy Word," which features the little-known artist Ginny Owens and whose lyrics are my favorite of these three songs ("Thy Word" is completely from the Old Testament), also features my favorite melody on the project.
Several of the songs here were chosen because they hold firmly to themes expressed within scripture. Many are re-makes of older songs. Sixpence None the Richer's ballad "Trust" is a soft, melodious tune that attempts to establish control in this world of mass confusion. The remake of "El Shaddai" by Winans Phase 2 sounds similar to the original, but this version has been updated with a more urban sound.
As I mentioned previously, this project is definitely star studded. While not my favorite tunes, "Jesus Is" and "The Word," by Point of Grace and Anointed, respectively, are definitely show-stoppers for the typical Contemporary Christian Music fan. Two other tunes I'm not certain about contain the voices of 4Him, Sandi Patty, and BeBe Winans. Each of these songs has lyrics expected in a compilation such as this. The shock is that each sounds like a Christmas hymn. This is not what a listener expects, and it throws off part of the project's tail end.
Other high-profile voices include Bryan Duncan, Crystal Lewis, and Steven Curtis Chapman. The most famous name on Songs from The Book is that of Amy Grant. Ironically, the tune on which Grant's voice leads is "Nothing is Beyond You," written and initially performed by the late Rich Mullins. This song and "My Deliverer," by the Ragamuffins, come from the Dove nominated CD of the year, The Jesus Record.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Trish PattersonIn an attempt to expose the nearly 90 million Americans who, according to research, have never read the Bible, Tyndale Publishers have published a New Living Translation called The Book. A musical companion, Songs from The Book, compiles recordings by top name Christian artists such as Michael Card, Amy Grant, Anointed, Crystal Lewis, Point of Grace, Sixpence None the Richer, Jaci Velasquez,…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by James StewartAnother collaboration between a number of CCM artists, this time to promote a new translation of the Bible. Most of the included tracks have appeared elsewhere and are fairly middle-of-the-road. Sixpence None the Richer turn in a countrified version of "Trust" from their The Fatherless and the Widow album and the Ragamuffins offer "My Deliverer" from The Jesus Record. Apart from these two tracks…
