26 years ago, contemporary band 4him dropped their anticipated album, The Message. The group had amassed a strong following in the 1990s and had grown into one of the biggest presences in the contemporary Christian music scene. To mark the occasion, I look back at some of the band's legacy songs, found on this album.
"Lay It All On The Line"
Kicking the album off in an upbeat fashion, "Lay It All On The Line" played to the band's upbeat strengths. Singer Mark Harris provides strong vocals that harmonize well with his co-vocalists. The song balances its upbeat tempo with a melodic approach. It speaks of surrendering our lives to Christ and not trying to get by on our efforts alone.
"Center of the Mark"
The ballad sings of how loving God and others should be our lives' ultimate focus. Offering a balance to the more anthemic hits, this song shows that 4Him excelled in the ballad department as well. The band's vocalists get a chance to shine in this song, offering excellent harmonies and complementing each other's strengths.
"The Message"
A fine example of the vocalist Andy Chrisman sound, the title track was a big hit on Christian radio. With a soaring chorus coupled with understated verses, the song employs strong dynamics to showcase the band's versatility. The song best boasts the album's theme of showing the love of Christ to the world. Not only confined to proclaiming it, but also letting every action of our loves point back to Christ and His message.
"Measure of a Man"
I'd argue this is the most famous song from the record. Not only was it a hit single in its time, but it also became one of the most iconic songs of 4Him's career. Andy Chrisman's vocals are strong as usual. The band hits with one of their signature power choruses. The song's theme is sorely needed in our age of confused masculinity. It can be difficult for Christian men to find the balance between the modern attempt to feminize men and the stereotypical machismo that has defined toxic masculinity. In this song, the band sings, "What's in the heart defines the measure of a man." It's a timely message that calls men to define themselves not by wealth or intelligence or by physical prowess, but rather by the kind of person they choose to be inside and how they let that influence their actions day to day.
Did we miss your favorite song from the album? Let us know what your favorite song from The Message is.
J.J. Francesco is a longtime contributor to the NRT Staff. He's published the novel 'Because of Austin' and regularly seeks new ways to engage faith, life, and community. He is currently working on releasing a brand new novel.
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