Fav Schlitt songs poll #2 of 2 (Unfit For Swine)

[greenchili]

With the recent ending of Petra's music ministry I thought it'd be kind of interesting to start a series of polls on favorite songs. Starting with their first album and working to the last. I figured I'd do an album each week.

Since that series of polls have concluded it's time to move on to complete the set. Since I did a set of poll's on solo work by former lead singer Greg X. Volz. It is now John's turn for two polls on the solo albums that he did.

This poll will be the John W. Schlitt branch of my polls. Since I know there are numerous Schlitt fans. So for those interested, get out your JWS CD's and start listening. Do it now!! Listening is NOT optional!!!

Here are the results from last weeks poll on "Shake"

Wake The Dead [8]
Show Me The Way [2]
Inside Of You [2]
Carry The Burden [2]
The Hard Way [2]
The Road To Calvary [2]
Don't Look Back [1]
Let It Show [1]
One By One [1]
Try Understanding His Heart [1]

This one was a little different than previous polls. The votes are a bit more spread out. "Wake The Dead" took the clear lead with 8 votes. With a 5 way tie on songs with 2 votes, the rest got one each (thank you susannah )

Next up? "Unfit For Swine", released in 1996

Not much to say about this one except it pretty much has the same exact crew with slightly different results. So get to voting!

[sue d.]

Boy, I think we need a resounding chorus of WAKE THE DEAD here! 36 views, and NO replies?

OK, then I will be the first.

Swine was/is 'way out there' and a definite departure from Shake - and from Petra.

John had said that when Shake came out, many said it sounded very much like a Petra album, so he wanted to get away from that - hence Swine.

He is very proud of this album, but it's one of the biggest disappointments of his life. Lyrically the album said what had been on his heart for years... words he wanted to pen for a long time... but it wasn't well received by the industry folk.

It WAS well-received by ME, because I hosted my first show with John on the Swine Tour ...now don't laugh... we were BOTH 10 years younger (circa 10/18/96!)



(see http://www.johnschlitt.net/PicPages/101896SHEWI.htm for a few more)

To this day, every time I hear the opening strains of "Fisherman scared in the dark of night..." I recall that moment that John belted it out on the stage in Sheboygan... a concert that was two years in the making (on my part, raising enough funds to get it going).

The band was fantastic - they sounded just like the studio album, even though NONE of them actually played on the album.

In fact, two of John's band members became Petra members shortly thereafter: Kevin Brandow and Pete Orta (both with very long hair, for those of you who care!).

I have no idea what song to vote for... I really love them all!

[winterlens]

This is probably my favorite Petra/John Schlitt album. It is a radical departure from the standard sound, though it probably could've used a bit more polish (I guess they recorded it in about five days? Sounds rather live). But it does a pretty good job at encapsulating the gospel. It loses a bit of God's sovereignty in some places, but doesn't overdo man's, I don't think.

I voted "Can't Get Away."

[greenchili]

This is one of those albums that for me it is just hard to pick one song. There are not any that really stick out in my head like other albums. It is also one of those kind that depends on what mood I'm in when listening to it.

As for the reviews of shake, when referring to sounding too "petra" like. I think they were referring to the Petra'isms in John's singing style. There are a couple Petra album's though that sound more John, and John albums that sound more Petra.

Anyways just take a listen to Michael Sweet with stryper compared to his solo stuff and you will see what I mean. Completely different vocal style. That is probably what the reviewers were referring too.

Besides I do not take much stock in critics. It's like they will sing the praises on one album and then when the next album comes out they will talk about how the previous one wasn't all that great, or that it was overhyped. Or visa versa. They will be kinda neutral when an album first comes out but then later talk about how great it was compared to the new one.

They'll complain that you didn't depart enough from your older style, but when you do then they complain you went to far. It's really not worth the bother.

[christian]

cant get away is an awsom song.......but....each one of the songs are greatttttttttt


great times!!!

[calicowriter]

I would probably have to say that if I had to choose, I prefer "Shake" to "Swine" because I love every song on "Shake" but there are a couple I could do without on "Swine," especially "We Don't Have to Take It." That is a song that proves what I've said for over 10 years and that is, middle-aged white guys should not under any circumstances attempt to rap (or anything that remotely sounds like rap). And, although this has nothing to do with the music, I absolutely hated the photo on "Swine," not to mention the look on the video for "Can't Get Away."

But, like Sue, I have really good memories of seeing the Swine tour. It was not only a good show, but the night I saw it was one of the most powerful moments I've ever experienced in a church or concert setting. To say that the Spirit was with us would be an understatement. It was an annointed evening.

I voted for "Need I Remind You" because that song can really hit my heart sometimes. A couple of times I've seen John in concert and he would perform that song, all of the sudden I have been overwhelmed with emotion and ashamed of my Christian walk. It's kind of like how a lot of people felt when they saw "The Passion of the Christ." When you really stop to think about what all Christ suffered for us, and then compare it to how we live our lives, it convicts us to repent and be stronger Christians.

[Shell]

That is a cute 10-year-old pic of Sue and John. I like
"Swine", there are a lot of good songs on the CD, but I prefer "Shake" also. "God Is Too Big" is probably my favorite song on "Swine".

I seem to recall John mentioning he didn't like the pic on the cover of "Swine" either. The one on "Shake" is a lot better.

[greenchili]

I think I'm gonna go with "Need I Remind You" as well.

What? No comments about the pink disc??

Wish I had a pic of it.

[Pethead1]

I voted for I killed a Man. My son who was like 4 at the time loved it and was sing at my mom's "I killed a man who did nothing to divserve it" and she asked me what in the world I was doing letting him listlen to souch a song. Befor I could answer he said "Granma, I killed a man is Jesus coz of sin. See He loves us." That is why it is my favorite. It brought the message of the cross to a 4 year old in a way he could understand and it turn he took it to others.


He is also the kid who asked my why was God stupid?

[St_Augustines_Pears]

My vote goes for "Can't Get Away".