The Rock Revival: Original Music from the Jesus Movement

Description

The Rock Revival: Original Music from the Jesus Movement is a multi-artist 3CD box set featuring various Jesus Music artists from the 1970s, originally released on Sonrise Music Company in 1994 as three separated discs, The Rock Revival, Vol. 1: Feeling the Spirit, The Rock Revival, Vol. 2: Remembering the Future, and The Rock Revival, Vol. 3: Jesus People Music Festival. The Rock Revival: Original Music from the Jesus Movement combines three different releases into one Fat Boy box with 2 discs of studio recordings and one live CD. Featuring 55 songs and a 24 page book with artist bios and short Jesus Music histories by Larry Norman and Paul Baker.

Various Artists – The Rock Revival: Original Music from the Jesus Movement (Sonrise/Diadem)

During the late ’60s and early ’70s Jesus Movement when the loose revival resulting in countless thousands of hippies’ conversions to Christianity, the phrase “contemporary Christian music” was unknow. The sounds stirring from young believers with more rockin’ sensibilities than most churches of the time was called “Jesus music.”

Because so little of the music from this important era has been preserved, the three volumes of ‘The Rock Revival’ serve valuable purposes. For those around when this music was first being released, this collection will replace some possibly scratchy LPs. For younger rock fans, it will give a glimpse of tunes that were revolutionary for their time, though some sound downright quaint now.

For both camps, there are rarities and novelties galore. From his debut album, Randy Stonehill sings of coming to Christ where Larry made lunch in «Norman’s Kitchen». Larry Norman’s contributions include two from his ‘Upon This Rock’ premiere, «Sweet Sweet Song Song of Salvation» and «Forget Your Hexagram». Michael Omartian teems up with 2nd Chapter of Acts and Jerry McClain (of Pratt & McClain, who had a pop hit in ’76 with the theme to TV’s “Happy Days”) for a joyful rendition of Tom T. Hall’s contry hit, «Me and Jesus». Agape, possibly Christendom’s first metal band, is represented by two tunes from its tough-to-get records. And hear the late Jim Backus, better known as “Gilligan’s Island”‘s Thurston Howell III, recite the part of God in an excerpt from the rock opera ‘Truth of Truths’.

Other notable figures found throughout the ‘Revival’ include CCM columnist John Fischer, Bob Carlise and the late Keith Green’s first Christian group, Good News, and early hard rocker Randy Matthews. The latter two represent music that postdates the movement, as do a fail deal of the tunes here.

Buying the three-CD set is the best deal, for only a few bucks more than a single disc. Individual discs and tapes may be had separately as well. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, January 1995]

This three album box set was originally released in single volumes back in the ’90s and still remains the best introduction to America’s groundbreaking Jesus music revolution that anyone has put together. It is cram-packed with tracks that are either stunning music (Larry Norman’s «Without Love You Are Nothing», Pratt & McClain’s «The Song Of The Anti-Christ», Love Song’s «Little Country Church») or fascinating chunks of musical history like the cod doowop of Charles McPheeters & The Bible Belt Boogie Band on «Greasy Truth» or Arthur Blessitt (the evangelist who literally carried a cross around the world) preaching with a country band accompaniment. Many of these tracks were recorded for zero budget so consequently acts like the Hallelujah Joy Band or the Good News Circle don’t overcome the thin sound and dated arrangements. But with some fascinating sleevenotes and one or two wonderful vintage photos the whole package conveys much of the joy and excitement when 10 of thousands of Californian hippies and street people found faith in Christ. There are one or two miscues in the compilation – Barry McGuire’s pre-conversion «Eve Of Destruction» is out of place here while the Voices Of Jerusalem is unexceptional call and response black gospel, but on the whole the music or the historic significance make this a hugely enjoyable album that anyone looking to explore CCM’s roots needs to search out. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, January 2012]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-rock-revival-music-of-the-jesus-movement/363952302)

3CD tracklist:

Disc One – Feeling the Spirit

01. Paul Clark – Listen Closely – 1:25 (from Come Into His Presence, Myrrh Records 1974)
02. One Truth – Reason to Rejoice – 3:46 (from One Truth, Sonrise Mercantile 1976)
03. Larry Norman – Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation – 3:52 (from Upon This Rock, Capitol Records 1969)
04. Omartian, Pratt & McClain – Me and Jesus – 3:10 (from Like Brothers)
05. Love Song – Little Country Church – 2:43 (from Love Song, Good News Records 1972)
06. Randy Stonehill – Norman’s Kitchen – 3:57 (from Born Twice, One Way Records 1971)
07. Resurrection Band – Waves – 2:58 (from Awaiting Your Reply, StarSong Records 1978)
08. Randy Matthews – Small Circle of Friends – 3:29 (from Randy Matthews, Spirit Records 1980)
09. Good News – Run to the End of the Highway – 2:48 (from Good News II, Sonrise Mercantile 1977)
10. Al Mossburg – Kind of a Woman – 4:01 (from Jesus: The Moment Of Truth, custom label 1972)
11. Agape – Voyaging Pilgrim – 2:54 (from Victims of Tradition, Renrut 1972)
12. Charles McPheeters & Bible Belt Boogie Band – Practice What You Preach – 2:34 (from Faces, HGRS 1980)
13. Armageddon Experience – I’ve Got the Love – 2:24 (from The Armageddon Experience, MM Records 1970)
14. Paul Clark – Song of Love – 4:12 (from Come Into His Presence, Myrrh Records 1974)
15. The Simple Truth – Ain’t Jesus Good – 3:31 (from Ain’t Jesus Good, Creative Sound 1973)
16. John Fischer – Way of All Flesh – 3:03 (from Have You Seen Jesus My Lord, F.E.L. Records 1970)
17. Hallelujah Joy Band – To All There Comes a Time – 3:46 (from The Hallelujah Joy Band, Creative Sound 1973)
18. Larry Norman – Shot Down – 2:00 (from In Another Land, Solid Rock Records 1976)
19. Liberation Suite – Heal the Broken Hearted – 4:31 (from Stride for Stride, Chapel Lane Records 1980)
20. Newbury Park – Thank You – 3:12 (from A Taste of New Wine, Creative Sound 1972)

Disc Two – Remembering the Future

01. Barry McGuire – Eve of Destruction – 3:35 (from Lighten Up, Myrrh Records 1974)
02. Omartian, Pratt & McClain – The Song of the Antichrist (Here I Am) – 3:26 (from Pratt & McClain, ABC Dunhill 1974 [single version])
03. Liberation Suite – How Do I Get to You – 3:23 (from Stride for Stride, Chapel Lane Records 1980)
04. Paul Clark – He’ll Do the Same – 4:26 (from Come Into His Presence, Myrrh Records 1974)
05. Larry Norman – Forget Your Hexagram – 2:24 (from Upon This Rock, Capitol Records 1969)
06. Armageddon Experience – God Leads a Sheltered Life – 3:01 (from The Armageddon Experience, MM Records 1970)
07. Randy Stonehill – I Love You – 3:02 (from Born Twice, One Way Records 1971)
08. Agape – Wouldn’t It Be a Drag/Change of Heart – 4:31 (from Victims of Tradition, Renrut 1972)
09. Randy Matthews – Which Side Are You On – 4:09 (from Randy Matthews, Spirit Records 1980)
10. Wendell Burton – Guru – 3:50 (from Shinin’ thru the Rain, Lamb & Lion Records 1979)
11. Kentucky Faith – Open Your Eyes – 2:30 (from Fool’s Gold, Mark Records 1970)
12. Charles McPheeters & Bible Belt Boogie Band – Ain’t Got No Time – 3:05 (from Faces, HGRS 1980)
13. Good News Circle – I Wish We’d All Been Ready – 3:34 (from He Can Make You Smile, Sonrise Mercantile 1973)
14. Resurrection Band – The Return – 3:30 (from Awaiting Your Reply, StarSong Records 1978)
15. Hallelujah Joy Band – It’s All Coming to an End – 3:36 (from The Hallelujah Joy Band, Creative Sound 1973)
16. Mike Johnson – The Last Battle – 3:20 (from The Last Battle, Creative Sound 1972)
17. Truth of Truths – Prophecies of the Coming of the End – 5:28 (from Truth of Truths: A Contemporary Rock Opera, Oak Records 1971)
18. One Truth – Victory In the Lord – 3:04 (from One Truth, Sonrise Mercantile 1972)

Disc Three – Jesus People Music Festival

01. Voices of Jerusalem – We’ll Kneel At Jesus Feet – 1:17
02. Arthur Blessitt & the Eternal Rush – Soul Session At His Place – 3:02
03. Andraé Crouch & The Disciples – One Touch of His Hand – 2:15
04. Charles McPheeters & Bible Belt Boogie Band – Greasy Truth – 3:14
05. Hallelujah Joy Band – My Friend Jesus – 3:01
06. Kentucky Faith – Front Seat, Back Seat ‑ Kentucky Faith 2:58
07. Love Song – Since I Opened the Door – 3:04
08. Love Song – Two Hands – 3:10
09. One Truth – Calm Assurance – 2:53
10. Steve Israel & the Moment of Truth – Lord I Need You – 3:32
11. Larry Norman – Without Love You Are Nothing – 2:38
12. Larry Norman – Taking My Time – 0:56
13. Agape – Happy – 2:36
14. Harvest Flight – Truth – 3:13
15. Randy Stonehill – Never Can Repay – 2:21
16. Ron Salsbury & J. C. Power Outlet – Let All the Applause Be for Jesus – 1:43

Note: Released both as a 3-cassette set and a 3CD Box.

An advertisement for Sonrise Music’s 3-disc Rock Revival Series was featured in the February 1994 issue of CCM Magazine.