Rich Mullins

His self-titled debut includes the original version of "Elijah" (this was Rich's favorite version) and "Save Me" (a song he performed at concerts frequently). There are also songs he co-wrote with Wayne Kirkpatrick and Pam Mark Hall.

Pictures in the Sky

One of my favorite quotes from "Pictures in the Sky" is: "All that we need / Has been lost in what we've found / And all we shall be / Is growing by leaps / In a love that knows no bounds" which Rich co-wrote with Cathy Snyder and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Favorites such as "Be With You" and the classic "Be With You" can be found on this recording.

Winds of Heaven...Stuff of Earth

Rich Mullins tells where his "Home" really is and sings of his "Awesome God" on Winds of Heaven...Stuff of Earth. He also includes "If I Stand" on this album which is a very popular favorite among "Mullinites," which is what hardcore fans of Rich Mullins have been called since his death. His own take on "How Can I Keep From Singing" is interesting, especially with the vivid lines: "I see the moon / The moon is bleeding / There is a shadow on the sun / And I know this life / This life is fleeting..." Rich's life was indeed fleeting, but one of the things he left us is this album, to aid us in praising our God, and to be strengthened in our walk.

Never Picture Perfect

Never Picture Perfect has the hidden classics such as "The Love of God" and "First Family" among the hits "While the Nations Rage" and "My One Thing." "Hope to Carry On," the Rich Mullins song that Caedmon's Call covered, can be found on this album. "Don't give me that / I want the truth," Rich says in his bizarre song: "Higher Education and the Book of Love," with Margaret Becker singing background vocals.

World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. I

Volume One of the World... is "everyone's favorite." Not mine personally, but most of Rich's family and friends' favorite. This is not surprising with tracks like "Jacob and 2 Women" (covered by Carolyn Arends), "I Hear You" (covered by Michael W. Smith, and Ashley Cleveland), "Calling Out Your Name" (the title of the most extensive Rich Mullins homepage) and "Sometimes By Step" (sung in churches everywhere).

World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. II

"Hello Old Friends" is the best song about forgiveness I've ever heard, while "What Susan Said" is just plainly my favorite Rich Mullins song of all time. His cover of the hymn "All the Way My Saviour Leads Me" and "The Maker of Noses" and "Growing Young" aren't the types of songs you'd find being played on your local radio station, but are carefully hidden on this recording. Find these songs! They will touch you deeply.

A Liturgy, a Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band

Favorites such as "The Color Green," and "Peace" appear on this recording as well as his "Creed" (read Chapter 1 of G. K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, if not the whole thing), "Hold Me Jesus," his rockin' tribute to Mark Heard: "How to Grow Up Big and Strong, as well as his Christmas song: "You Gotta Get Up." This is the best project Mullins put together. This is not my opinion. This is the best project Rich Mullins ever did. You will not find another "Rich" album with such a variety of topics, musical styles, and praiseful lyrics. In "Here in America," he sings, "If you listen to my songs I hope you hear the water falling," but we can certainly hear a lot more.

Brother's Keeper

Brother's Keeper is neither strange, nor brilliant, but it could not be described as much of anything particular as it was only recorded in two weeks. It is a collection of stories disguised as song lyrics, with the exception of maybe "Cry the Name" which is so powerfully praiseful. "Eli" and "Let Mercy Lead" talk about young children, while "Promenade" tells the story of "Officer Black" and "Damascus Road" tells the story of Paul.

Songs

This album is called the "best-of" Rich Mullins. Not so. Yes, these will be the radio hits, the songs you are familiar with. If you do not want to discover some of his best work and just buy your favorites, buy this album. This album is good; I have it. Maybe if you are only planning to buy one Rich Mullins album, you might want to buy this one.

Canticle of the Plains

Rich Mullins DOES NOT sing on this album; Kevin Smith, Michael Tait, Leigh Nash, and Mitch McVicker do. Canticle... is NOT an album; it's Rich Mullins' first (and last) attempt at writing a play. These are not songs; they are different parts of one story. This album is very picturesque and will give you images of "Spanish angels whose halos are bright yellow roses" and "a love that's taller than the ponderosa pines" among other things!

The Jesus Record

The ballance between the posthumous two-disc collection is off. The "Jesus Demos" disc is so bare and honest; Rich sings the songs he was planning to professionally record. Then the "Jesus Record" disc with guests like producer Rick Elias, Ashley Cleveland, Amy Grant, and Phil Keaggy contrasts almost too much with the demos. They say that if you are or even if you are not a fan of Rich Mullins' music "BUY THIS ALBUM, IT IS THE BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR." Some will even say it's the best album of the decade; it just depends on who you talk to. Why? Because this album captures who Jesus was. It also captures the emotion of Rich's death. I, personally, would not tell you to buy this album if you do not like Rich Mullins. It would be a waste of your money. I can tell you if I did not like Rich's style of music beforehand, I would have considered The Jesus Record a waste of my money. Luckily I like Rich Mullins. I would recommend that no matter what you think of Rich, you read the lyrics though.