Tribute to Bebo Norman

It is truly unreal that almost an entire year has gone by since I found out that one of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters, Bebo Norman was announcing his retirement at the end of 2013. I came into the Bebo fold later in his career. While I had enjoyed his radio hits for a while, it wasn't until his sixth album, Between the Dreaming and the Coming True that I realized what an amazingly talented songwriter Bebo was. That album spoke to me in a special way and I've purchased every one of his studio albums since. Oddly enough, for monetary purposes, I never went back to purchase his older records despite the fact that I'm a huge fan of his in general. Therefore, I've decided since he's retiring and not planning on releasing any further music... ever (Bebo, you say this but I hope its not true... we'll see how that goes- once a songwriter, always a songwriter, I say!) I plan on purchasing one of his first five albums every year or two as if he were releasing new music. After listening to the clips on iTunes, his whole catalog has held up incredibly well through the years. As we enter the Thanksgiving season, I must add Bebo Norman's 20 years of music ministry to the list of what I am thankful for. Bebo, your songs spoke words to the cries of my heart, they gave voice to the questions I was too afraid to ask, they answered my stubborn thinking with honest rebuttals and declared the never-changing truth and glory of our Great God and Savior. Whatever path the Lord leads you down in this new phase of your ministry, may you always speak the truths of scripture with honesty and integrity and "sing of His glory" both now and forever!

No Craig blog would be complete with lists so, in honor of Bebo's career, below are my Bebo Lists :)

My Favorite Bebo Norman Songs:

1. My Eyes Have Seen Holy

2. Great Light of the World

3. I Will Lift My Eyes

4. Never Saw You Coming

5. Ruins

6. Could You Ever Look at Me

7. The Middle

8. Into the Day

9. Pull Me Out

10. The Hammer Holds

11. The Only Hope

12. Time Takes Its Toll

13. Yes I Will

14. The Broken

15. I Hope You See Jesus

16. Now That You're Gone

17. Stand

18. Falling Down

19. Outside Her Window Was The World

20. Nothing Without You

Album Rankings:

Base on a completely unscientific conglomeration of critical reviews and my personal opinion :)

1. Between the Dreaming & The Coming True

Easily one of the best reviewed albums of Bebo's entire career (and my personal favorite Bebo album), CCM Magazine's Russ Breimeier said "I admire this new Bebo Norman enough to call Between his best." And I agree. The average star ranking of this album, based on ten published reviews, is 4 1/2 stars! Cross Rhythms' Philip Croft said it perfectly when he wrote: "There is a real lyrical depth to this one that no doubt comes from the experience and growing maturity that Bebo Norman now has." Bebo himself stated that on this record he discovered a newfound confidence as an artist and very few artists can take you on the journey of love, longing, loss, pain, joy and hope that Bebo brings us through on Between the Dreaming and The Coming True. A must buy for every CCM fan.

2. The Fabric of Verse

Released independently in 1996 and then re-released in December of 1999 after his national debut, Ten Thousand Days (which featured a few songs from The Fabric of Verse, including his signature song, "The Hammer Holds"), This album has remained one of the highest regarded of all of Bebo's albums and is considered the standard by which all other releases are measured... even if it is out of print...

3. Myself When I Am Real

AllMusic's Steve Losey said that "Myself When I Am Real is an exercise in well-produced, acoustically driven folk-pop that presents itself as a powerful package, eliciting one memorable song after another... It's a gift from a powerful performer sharing his talents with the rest of the world." Jesus Freak Hideout's John DiBiase said that "Bebo goes for broke lyrically on Myself When I Am Real, exposing his heart and soul to listeners, set to infectious rhythms." This record contains Bebo's most well-known song, (and biggest radio hit) the Song of the Year Dove Award nominated "Great Light of the World".

4. Lights of Distant Cities

Bebo's swan-sang record is as good as any of his other works, and easily his best since Between the Dreaming and the Coming True. (Not that any have been bad) Bebo himself said that Lights of Distant Cities was "one of the more pure representations of me in a long time..." It received 4-5 star reviews from every critical outlet that reviewed it, including Christianity Today's Andrew Greer who said that "For longtime fans, Lights serves as a homecoming of sorts, to the song, to the lyric, to the heart behind a man who has lived nearly half his life musically testifying to an unchanging God. And for Norman the artist, these songs are a poignant journal from one who has wandered the desert a time or two, only to come home a bit wiser and truer to his craft than before." Jesus Freak Hideout's Jerold Wallace said that "One of the most frequent complaints about Contemporary Christian music is a lack of genuineness. Countless songs with the same basic lyrics, song structure and message are available to you at the turn of a radio dial. Bebo Norman has been one artist that has dodged this label with his consistently passionate, transparent lyrics for the past 16 years. His newest release, Lights of Distant Cities, continues this trend with his remarkable songwriting and memorable collection of music."

5. Christmas... From the Realms of Glory

One of the most self-aware and honest reflections on Christmas I have ever heard, Bebo balances secular and sacred music with class and passion while also challenging Christendom to think beyond the presents, glitter and lights of an American Christmas and to the glorious story of redemption that was wrapped in a manger and "Born to Die".

6. A Thousand Days

The first major label release from Bebo that includes a handful of songs from The Fabric of Verse, came out during a glut of singer-songwriter album debuts (including perennial tour mates Andrew Peterson, Jill Phillips, Sara Groves, and Mitch McVicker) and it stood out from the pack in a big way. Cross Rhythms' Mike Rimmer said that "Bebo has the skill to pen songs that examine the human condition and the grace that can be discovered in the midst of brokenness. There is healing and insight; truth in the midst of pain and plenty of grace emerging from struggle captured in these songs and they're delivered with a light rootsy musical touch built around Bebo's guitar. Ten Thousand Days is a stunning understated introduction to Bebo's sensitive, vivid songwriting. Absolutely excellent."

7. Bebo Norman

Andrew Greer of Christian Music Planet via New Release Tuesday said, "What’s so interesting about Norman’s music is his aptitude for good pop while never forfeiting the integrity of each and every line. And on Bebo Norman the singer/songwriter takes the next step in a career that is sure to be celebrated for many years." Kim Jones of About.com said, "most albums have some good music and a few great highlights. Bebo Norman's self-titled release offers up a lot of great music and more highlights than should be legal." For me, Bebo Norman was an all too short collection of honest and singable songs, most of which have remained on my iPod to this day. While "Britney" was an obvious (and successful) ploy for radio play, "Ruins" and "Never Saw You Coming" have become life anthems for me. It was no where near one of the best reviewed albums, critically from Bebo, but in my opinion, it was one of his most accessible.

8. Ocean

Critics were divided over this album and so was I. "Could You Ever Look At Me", "The Middle", "Everything I Hoped You'd Be" and "I Hope You See Jesus" rank among Bebo's best material, lyrically and "Here Goes", "God of My Everything" and "Ocean" were just as radio worthy as any of Bebo's previous singles but there was just something inconsistent about the record as a whole that made it feel disjointed. I still enjoy the album but this was the record when you could really get the sense that Bebo was tiring of the singer-songwriter lifestyle and was ready for a change; pointing to his forthcoming retirement. Still, Christian Broadcasting Network's Hannah Goodwyn said that "the album's got a personal feel to it that just pulls you into a musical conversation, one where Bebo is pouring out his soul, all while encouraging yours." And I certainly agree.

9. Big Blue Sky

Probably Bebo's most forgotten album, Big Blue Sky had no hit radio singles but the album track "Tip of My Heart" was recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his first Gospel album. Perhaps Christianity Today's Russ Breimeier said it best when he wrote, "for the record, I believe there's something critical to say about every album because it's impossible to please everyone. Big Blue Sky may be a 'louder' album than Ten Thousand Days was, but it will still be too mellow an album for some people, and possibly not mellow enough for purists looking for just Bebo and his acoustic guitar. The songs are all excellent, though some will say they're generally not as intellectually profound as past songs such as 'The Hammer Holds.' Also, I've already talked to some who have a problem with Bebo including a love song, 'You Surround Me,' on the same album as 'Perhaps She'll Wait for Me,' which is about coping with loneliness as a single. These are all valid observations, I suppose, but it's also nitpicking for what many will agree to be an excellent follow-up from Bebo Norman, showing that the quality of his first album was no accident. Because he's demonstrated that he can consistently write solid pop songs and that he's also capable of musical growth, Bebo's future as a songwriter is bound to be filled with blue skies."

10. Try

Unanimously considered Bebo's weakest album, Try brought to a head the noted frustrations of Bebo's career: The expectations of his fans, record label, radio, critics and even himself were all at odds as best evidenced by the fact that there were two versions of the two biggest radio hits on the album: "Yes I Will" (with Joy Williams on the radio friendly version that was the lead single from The Christ: His Passion soundtrack and the slowed down acoustic recording on Try) and "Nothing Without You" (which book-ended the CD in odd fashion as the acoustic version was considered the official album track version and the more produced radio version was the bonus cut). Try's first single "Disappear" was also the first song Bebo ever recorded that he had no hand in writing. Melodic.net's Pär Winberg said that "Bebo is one of my biggest favorites of the last couple of years. His three latest albums have all three been a superb show in soft Midwestern singer songwriter rock. Add Bebo's marvelous voice to the recipe and you understand that I have some expectations on the guy. Unfortunately the new album is his weakest of the four." Christianity Today's Russ Breimeier said that "Try is unquestionably a good album, but it indicates an approach by Bebo Norman that is simpler, not more sophisticated." But regardless of these critiques, Try is still an album head and shoulders above most releases in CCM and as Cross Rhythms' Alan Chesters said, the album is "generally concerned with searching for, finding and experiencing faith" and how "each song seems to fit him like a glove and with arrangements easy and varied on the ear, from ballad to up-tempo, there's not a dud track to be found."