Amy Grant - The Collection Review

Writing this review stirs a very interesting thought in my mind.  I just did an item search to see if the CD already existed and I was totally taken by surprise to see that not only didn't it exist but no other Amy Grant music was recommended.  If you are a contemporary Christian fan or a fan of Vince Gill then most likely you know who Amy Grant is.  Amy Grant was married to Gary Chapman for years but now has been married to Vince Gill for years.  If you know contemporary Christian music you will also know that Amy Grant is also a contemporary to Michael W. Smith.

Amy Grant was one of the early leading ladies in contemporary Christian music.  I knew of her name as well as Sandi Patty and Twila Paris back in the '80s and Amy Grant is probably best known by her signature song, El Shaddai.  During the 90s she crossed over to the pop genre as she introduced Baby Baby and Every Heartbeat to a new generation.  Okay, I'm giving too much information.

The Collection was released in 1986 on cassette and then later remastered onto CD.  It was her first collection of greatest hits and she has since released a few more.  On The Collection Amy Grant also introduced two new songs: Stay For Awhile and Love Can Do. 

The songs on The Collection are:

1. Stay For Awhile
2. Love Can Do
3. Find A Way
4. Everywhere I Go
5. Angels
6. Thy Word
7. Where Do You Hide Your Heart
8. Emmanuel
9. Sing Your Praise To the Lord
10. In A Little While
11. El Shaddai
12. I Have Decided
13. All I Ever Have To Be
14. Father's Eyes
15. Ageless Medley

Written inside my cassette I have the date 2/21/89.  I used to put the date that I purchased a cassette inside the leafjacket with my name.  I listened to this tape for years because I was in love with the songs El Shaddai, Father's Eyes and In A Little While.  One year I even had the chorus to In A Little While playing on mine and my brother's answering machine.

In a little while we'll be with the Father.  Can't you see Him smile?  In a little while we'll be home forever in a while.  We're just here to learn to love Him we'll be home in just a little while.

Several weeks ago I began to reminisce and I really wanted to change my voice mail greeting at home and I wanted this song but it didn't come out clear on the cassette.  So, last week while shopping with my sister I was looking for a new Gaither CD and came across Amy Grant's The Collection CD for only $8.92.  I snatched it up and have been listening to it like crazy.

In A Little While talks about someone having a very discouraging day and receiving a letter from the Lord basically telling them to look up because soon it will be over and you will be with your father.

And if you ever listened to any style of Christian, gospel, inspirational music you have probably heard of El Shaddai.  This song transcends the genres.  Janet Paschal (southern gospel) performs it on her The Best Of Janet Paschal CD.

My sweet Adonai was given his nickname from this song.  Adonai meaning "my secret" or "my confidante."  John and I knew this song and loved it and it had great meaning to us and still does for me.  El Shaddai is just one of the many names of God given to Him in the scriptures and in the song Amy Grant lifts up the majesty and glory of His name.

Chorus to El Shaddai:

El shaddai, el shaddai,
El-elyon na adonia,
Age to age youre still the same,
By the power of the name.
El shaddai, el shaddai,
Erkamka na adonai,
We will praise and lift you high,
El shaddai.

Father's Eyes is a play on words.  Amy Grant begins talking about the earthly body and how she may fall short of mom or dad's expectations.  But then, "in her Father's eyes" she has found worth.   

Chorus to Father's Eyes:

Shes got her fathers eyes,
Her fathers eyes;
Eyes that find the good in things,
When good is not around;
Eyes that find the source of help,
When help just cant be found;
Eyes full of compassion,
Seeing every pain;
Knowing what youre going through
And feeling it the same.
Just like my fathers eyes,
My fathers eyes,
My fathers eyes,
Just like my fathers eyes.

If you love contemporary Christian music you will probably enjoy this CD.  Because it's an older collection you can get it fairly cheap in stores.  My only complaint about the CD is that since it has been digitally remastered I don't think it has all the strength that the audio cassette did.  I can tell on some songs where the music should be stronger and on other songs where her voice would appear a little differently but the music and the message are still the same.

I even have the song El Shaddai as a ringtone on my phone for my pastor and his wife.  I love that song!  And I have Father's Eyes set as the ringtone for my parents.  There's a hymn that says, "Take the name of Jesus with you..."  well, that is what I'm doing and you can too if you choose a gospel CD.