Description
Maranatha! 5 is a multi-artist compilation released on Maranatha! Music in 1976. It is the fifth of seven multi-artist compilations released by Maranatha! Music during the 1970s as a part of their Maranatha! Series. These compilation albums featured various artists signed to the Maranatha! Music label.
August 1975 Daniel Amos, a new band recently signed to Maranatha! Music, entered studio for the first time to record their song “Aint Gonna Fight It” for the upcoming fifth Maranatha! multi-artist compilation. Another band connected to Maranatha! Music was The Road Home. Short time after the band’s leader Bill Sprouse Jr. had finished laying down the piano and vocal track for his song “Psalm 5”, he untimely passed away at age twenty-six. The remaining band members then went into the studio with friends and finished the recording of the song. Bryan Duncan and his Sweet Comfort Band actually wrote and recorded a song entitled “Golden Ages” as a tribute to Sprouse. Both “Psalm 5” and “Golden Ages” were included on the Maranatha! 5 compilation album. (“Psalm 5” was later covered by Love Song on their double live-album Feel The Love, released in 1977.)
The Everlastin’ Living Jesus Music Concert was the first release of the Maranatha! Series, and was followed by the release of six more compilations released between 1972 and 1980: Maranatha! 2, Maranatha! 3: Rejoice in the Lord, Maranatha! 4, Maranatha! 5, Maranatha! 6: A Family Portrait, as well as the final installment, Maranatha! 7.
Album liner notes (printed on the inside of the gatefold sleeve)
The past few years have brought a multitude of changes to Christian Music. The terms “Contemporary Sound” and/or “Jesus Music” have been used to define the new style that’s been added to traditional inspirational music. We want the outreach of Maranatha! Music to be much more than just a new style. The package may have changed but not the present. We believe that Christian Music must not only be inspirational, but also edifying to the deepest part of the spirit, evangelistic enough to reach the outer most parts of the earth, and yet a source of praise to God, for the writer, singer, player or simply those who sing along.
As the effectiveness of the Lord’s music continues to increase we are witnessing some beautiful changes. Christian writers are looking deeper into their life with the Lord to share with expression and sincerity the things they’re experiencing. Reaching past the obvious rhymes that are so much a part of the “protestant vocabulary” and bringing a fresh, honest and inspired message of what Jesus can do.
Melody and lyrics inspired by the Holy Spirit present a forceful and timeless message regardless of the style with which they are labeled. Even though time may change the patterns of how we say it, the message of God’s love and plan of Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ shed for our sins remains constant from Bach to Rock. And it’s our desire to share this truth of God’s love with everyone a part of this world today.
Dedication:
The source of the Lord’s music never changes, but the instruments do. David is no longer with us, but the lyrics that were to become scripture remain. Several months ago “Big” Bill Sprouse of The Road Home woke up at two o’clock A.M. in the morning with the music and the melody to the words of Psalm 5. Less than a week after I recorded his worshipful lead vocal, our brother Bill went home to be with the Lord. Shortly after, all of us involved in this album gathered in the same studio to add our voices in worship to God with Bill’s.
God combined the lyrics of the Psalmist David and the inspiration of our brother Bill Sprouse to give us one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard sung to the Lord. We’ll miss him, but sometimes I simply feel that after God heard the potential of King David’s lyrics and the gift of Bill’s music together, He thought the team would work much better together, in person. Much of Bill’s music remains with us, but I believe that today he’s there with the Lord and all His host, preparing material for what we’ll all be doing together someday. “Singin songs to Jesus all the time.”
Tom Stipe, Producer
Notable for being the debut of Daniel Amos with their heart-warming non-LP ballad «Ain’t Gonna Fight It». Sweet Comfort Band with Bryan Duncan also appears for the first time with «Golden Ages», as well as country rockers Bethlehem with «Bright And Shining Son». Another fine Mustard Seed Faith tune in «Sidney The Pirate», as well as another cut by The Road Home (the praise ballad «Psalm 5»). Also an orchestrated piano ballad from Bob Cull («So Much Love»). The remaining artists are Gentle Faith, Parable, Fred Field and Erick Nelson, each with tracks also available on their corresponding studio albums. Rather mellow at times as the album chooses to focus on the softer side of these artists, but ultimately another very worthwhile entry in this series. Look for the cover with the angels groovin’ to the jukebox in a malt shop. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/maranatha-5/1532808745)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. Gentle Faith – “Jerusalem”
A2. Daniel Amos – “Ain’t Gonna Fight It”
A3. Parable – “Maybe”
A4. Mustard Seed Faith – “Sidney The Pirate”
A5. Fred Field – “Falling”
Side Two
B1. Erick Nelson – “Something Happened To You”
B2. Bob Cull – “So Much Love”
B3. Bethlehem – “Bright And Shining Son”
B4. Sweet Comfort Band – “Golden Ages”
B5. The Road Home – “Psalm 5”
Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape and 12-inch vinyl LP by Maranatha! Music, with the LP housed in a gatefold sleeve.
Gatefold Cover Artwork
Gatefold Cover, Inside
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