Live the Life
| Live The Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 28, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Studios |
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| Genres | Christian rock, CCM | |||
| Length | 56:52 | |||
| Label | Reunion | |||
| Producers |
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| Michael W. Smith chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
Live the Life is an album by American musician Michael W. Smith. One notable song on this album was "In My Arms Again," which Michael W. Smith wrote for the film Titanic. "Missing Person" also received airplay on Christian radio.
There were 26 songs written and completed for the album, whose release date was pushed back twice as Smith wasn't fully satisfied with the track list. Along with the 12 songs which eventually made it on the album, the tracks "Greater Than We Understand" and "Evening Show" were released on the B-sides of the CD singles for "Live the Life" and "Love Me Good" respectively. The remaining 12 songs appeared in some form on Smith's 1999 album This Is Your Time.
"Song for Rich" is an instrumental tribute to Rich Mullins who died in a car crash on September 19, 1997.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Michael W. Smith & Wayne Kirkpatrick except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Missing Person" | 6:01 | |
| 2. | "Love Me Good" | 4:41 | |
| 3. | "Live the Life" | Smith, Brent Bourgeois | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Never Been Unloved" | 4:39 | |
| 5. | "I Believe in You Now" | 4:44 | |
| 6. | "Don't Give Up" | Smith, Bourgeois | 4:20 |
| 7. | "Let Me Show You the Way" | Smith, Nik Kershaw, Stephen Lipson | 4:12 |
| 8. | "I Know Your Name" | Smith, Beverly Darnall | 4:00 |
| 9. | "Matter of Time" | Smith, Bourgeois | 3:42 |
| 10. | "In My Arms Again" | Smith, Joanna Carlson, Cindy Morgan | 6:11 |
| 11. | "Song for Rich" | Smith | 1:53 |
| 12. | "Hello, Goodbye" | 5:22 | |
| 13. | "Live the Life (reprise)" (hidden track) | Smith, Bourgeois | 2:30 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Love Me Good (Acoustic Mix)" | 3:52 | |
| 14. | "Live the Life (Acoustic Remix)" | 4:40 | |
| 15. | "Do You Dream of Me?" | 4:21 | |
| 16. | "Once Again" | 3:17 | |
| 17. | "Live the Life (Reprise)" (hidden track) | Smith, Bourgeois | 2:30 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 18. | "Greater Than We Understand" | 3:13 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 3. | "Evening Show" | 8:38 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Michael W. Smith – vocals, keyboards (1, 4–8, 10–12), acoustic piano (2, 3, 5), programming (2, 5, 6, 10), guitars (3, 7, 9), Hammond B3 organ (6)
- Mark Heimmerman – keyboards (1, 3–5, 8, 9, 11, 12), Hammond B3 organ (1)
- Bryan Lenox – programming (2, 6, 10), keyboards (10)
- Phil Madeira – Hammond B3 organ (2)
- Dennis Patton – programming (5, 9)
- Marc Harris – Hammond B3 organ (5)
- Stephen Lipson – programming (7), guitars (7)
- George Cocchini – guitars (1, 3)
- Jerry McPherson – guitars (1–4, 6, 8, 12)
- Will Owsley – guitars (1)
- Micah Wilshire – guitars (3)
- Tom Hemby – guitars (4)
- Nik Kershaw – guitars (7)
- Robbie McIntosh – guitars (7)
- Chris Rodriguez – guitars (8, 9, 12)
- Dann Huff – guitars (9)
- Brent Barcus – guitars (10)
- Brent Milligan – bass (1)
- Jackie Street – bass (1–3, 8, 9, 12)
- Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (4)
- Dan Needham – drums (1, 3, 4)
- Neil Conti – drums (7)
- Scott Williamson – drums (8, 9, 12)
- Terry McMillan – percussion (1–5, 9)
- Luis Jardim – percussion (7)
- Steve Brewster – percussion (8, 12)
- Ronn Huff – string arrangements and conductor (3)
- Tom Howard – string arrangements and conductor (9), orchestrations and arrangements (10)
- Nashville String Machine – strings (3, 9)
- John Mock – woodwinds (11), woodwind arrangements (11), tin whistle (12)
- Peter Cairney – woodwinds (11)
- Hunter Lee – woodwinds (11)
- William Verdier – woodwinds (11)
Background vocals
- Mark Heimmerman – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 8, 9)
- Judson Spence – backing vocals (1, 3, 5)
- Micah Wilshire – backing vocals (1, 5, 6)
- Wayne Kirkpatrick – backing vocals (4, 9, 12)
- Michael Black – backing vocals (5)
- Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals (6)
- Lori Wilshire – backing vocals (6)
- Brent Bourgeois – backing vocals (8)
Choir on "Love Me Good"
- Da'dra Crawford, Vicki Hampton, Mark Heimmerman, Nicole C. Mullen, George Pendergrass, Scat Springs, Lori Wilshire and Micah Wilshire
Production and Technical
- Michael Blanton – executive producer
- Mark Heimmerman – producer (1–5, 8, 9, 11, 12)
- Michael W. Smith – producer (1–6, 8–12)
- Stephen Lipson – producer (7)
- Keith Compton – engineer
- Tom Laune – engineer
- Bryan Lenox – engineer, mixing
- Heff Moraes – engineer, mixing
- Todd Robbins – engineer
- Joe Baldridge – mixing
- Rob Burrell – assistant engineer
- Robert "Void" Caprio – assistant engineer
- Dave Dillbeck – assistant engineer
- Patrick Kelly – assistant engineer
- Alan Litten – assistant engineer
- Shawn McLean – assistant engineer
- Tim Putnam – assistant engineer
- Joe Costa – mix assistant
- Adam Hatley – mix assistant
- Dan Rudin – computer editing
- Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Jimmy Abegg – photography
- Diana Lussenden – art direction, design
Chart performance
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 23 |
| US Top Christian Albums (Billboard) | 1 |
References
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ Billboard – 13 Dec 1997 – Page 45 " "Live The Life" has already won the hearts of Smith's faithful fans in Christian music circles."
- ↑ "www.philcallaway.com". www.philcallaway.com. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ↑ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
