Music Review: The World as Best as I Remember It Volume 2 by Rich Mullins

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: "Growing Young" and "Sometimes by Step" standout from an impressive collection of songs

Cons: A few songs take some effort before you love them

The Bottom Line: 

Rich's lyrics are

Poetic and sometimes deep

On this must own disc




Rich Mullins Takes a Second Stab at Remembering the World

Since I didn't become a Rich Mullins fan until after his death, I must admit I am still puzzled by this duo of early 90's releases.  1992 saw the release of The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2, which came on the heels of Volume One in 1991.  The covers are the same, just a different color, but I'm not sure to this day what holds these two together.  Not that I don't love this disc.

The only real connection between these two releases is "Sometimes by Step."  The chorus to this song appeared as "Step by Step" on disc one.  Here, Rich has taken what has become a popular praise song and fleshed it out with great lyrics that tie us today into Abraham's ancient struggle of faith.  Musically, the two mesh perfectly, and if you didn't know about the chorus only version, you'd think they'd always been together.  As with the first disc, he reprises this song at the end with a much shorter, mostly chorus version.

I do find it funny that the first words on the disc are "Hello old friends/There's really nothing new to say."  Of course, he then goes on to talk about the joys of reflecting on the familiar story of our salvation.  It's quiet as openers go with a tempo a bit on the slow side and acoustic guitar and strings.

There are several fun songs on the disc.  "Everyman" gives us brief glimpses (like one line each) of some of the men and women that Jesus encountered in the Bible.  It then goes on to remind us that Jesus died to save everyone no matter their background.  All this in an upbeat piano based song.  The production here actually harkens back to the 80's a bit, but that's a rarity on this disc.

Also fun is "To Tell Them."  What makes it fun is that the music is just piano and various percussion instruments (like finger snaps, cymbals, and water bottles), and the piano isn't always there.  It's the number that always makes me smile on this disc.

The piano gets a bigger role in "The Just Shall Live," a song that really drives home our faith.  The scripture references at the beginning of the song are quite impressive, and it really is amazing how Rich works them into his lyrics.

"Waiting," on the other hand, talks about just how hard it is to live out our faith.  It's a guitar heavy song that I'll admit had to grow on me quite a bit.  You really have to listen to the lyrics to get what Rich is saying here, and until you listen to the entire song, it's just okay.

But it's the last four songs on this disc where Rich really knocks it out of the park.  I can't get enough of them.  Up first is "The Maker of Noses."  This song finds Rich searching for a utopia where all pain and suffering have disappeared.  What I love is his contrast of the world's answers compared to God's:

They said boy you just follow your heart

But my heart just lead me into my chest

They said follow your nose

But the direction changed every time I went and turned my head

They said boy you just follow your dreams

But my dreams were only misty notions

But the Father of hearts and the Maker of noses

And the Givers of dreams He's the one I have chosen

And I will follow Him.

The song is very keyboard heavy and has that early 90's power ballad feel to it.

I'll admit I love "What Susan Said" despite the questions it leaves in my mind.  The biggest of those is who is Susan?  That's a minor point, however, since the lyrics are so great.  This is a song about true friendship with glimpses of that in the verses.  I view the last lines of the chorus as a promise of an open door no matter when or where to a friend.  It always makes me think of the good friends in my life and how thankful I am for them.

I have confessed before that I have a thing for Prodigal Son inspired songs, and so it will come as no surprise that "Growing Young" is one of my all time favorite Rich Mullins songs.  Again, we're got a 90's power ballad feel with the keyboard based song.  But the lyrics are timeless.  The verses talk about how the pleasures of the world just leave us feeling empty.  Then comes the chorus:

And everybody used to tell me big boys don't cry

Well I've been around enough to know that was the lie

That held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand prodigal sons

Well we are children no more, we have sinned and grown old

And our Father still waits and He watches down the road

To see the crying boys come running back to His arms

And be growing young

I have to admit that the final song on the disc is an old hymn.  "All the Way My Savior Leads Me" was written by Fanny Crosby.  All Rich has done is a new arrangement with him playing the hammer dulcimer.  He sings three verses eventually adding guitar to the mix.  It's a simple arrangement, but it's beautiful and really allows me to focus on the great words.

It's very rare to find a disc where I like all the songs.  That's the case here.  Even the weaker tracks are good.  And the great tracks?  They are absolutely awesome.

In fact, it would be my contention that The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2 has been overlooked when it comes to assessing Rich's legacy.  I wish more people would add it to the list of his great releases because that's exactly what it is.  If you don't have this one in your collection, fix that today.

CD Length: 41:53

Tracks:

1. Hello Old Friends

2. Sometimes by Step

3. Everyman

4. The Just Shall Live

5. Waiting

6. To Tell Them

7. The Maker of Noses

8. What Susan Said

9. Growing Young

10. All the Way My Savior Leads Me

11. Sometimes by Step (Reprise)