Basics of Life

4HIM | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Verity
• ASIN: B0000005DK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,454 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even their weakest CD is still good, October 18, 2000

By 

scott_from_dallas (Irving, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basics of Life (Audio CD)

4Him puts out such incredible music that even when one of their CDs is not up to par with their other CDs, its not a problem. This is my least favorite 4Him CD. Perhaps it is because Basics of Life was overplayed and I'm a little tired of it. Yes, the message is fantastic and I like it. But I do listen to the music for more than just the spiritual side and there is nothing wrong with that. I recommend the CD, but if you can only buy one, get 4Him, Face the Nation, The Ride, or The Message first.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every song is inspiring!, February 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Basics of Life (Audio CD)

This CD proves that 4Him is truly a group of blessed guys. Mark Harris has a tremendous gift in his ability to write songs that continuously move people to feel "spirit led." These guys are my favorite and they can do no wrong! Keep it up!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Have to inject some sanity, April 20, 2006

By 

Greg Brady "columbusboy" (Capital City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Basics of Life (Audio CD)

Stacks of awards or not, this is musically pretty average. What you get here is 4 good (not great but competent) male singers that do lots of harmony to middle of the road AC pop and light rock. Occasionally they're given a really good lyric to work with (they don't write most of their own stuff) but most of it is oft-trod "Jesus loves you..He's the only way to live" stuff that has been heard zillions of times.

HIGHLIGHTS:
There are 3 tunes on here which break free of the pack. The title tune is a pretty good manifesto calling for an increased moral and spiritual renewal in America (without the extremes of say, Carman's "America Again"). ("We need to get back to the basics of life/A heart that is pure and a love that is blind/A faith that is fervently grounded in Christ/The hope that endures for all times..") "Through His Eyes" is a call for racial unity and the return to God of every man and woman on Earth. ("He desires to see the good/in each and every man/That He has purposed from the start..") "when it's Time to Go" speaks of the time that a child "leaves the nest" of home ("Say goodbye,cry some tears/but don't worry") and neatly dovetails it into Jesus' departure from the home of Mary and Joseph to dying for our salvation and in the end awaiting a reunion with them in Heaven. ("When I hit the City/I'll build you a house right down the street from Mine...") It's surefire singalong fare and a darn good lyric.

LOWS:
"Head Over Heels" is yet another 'Jesus is my boyfriend/girlfriend' lyric that gives Christian contemporary music a bad name in the music world at large. "Fountain of Youth" strains too hard in its concept: a world seeking immortality through the mythical Ponce de Leon search would be better served by seeking Jesus and obtaining eternal life (if not eternal youth). The metaphor is just too specious.

BOTTOM LINE:
It's under a buck used and only the title track appears on either of their 2 hits collections (BEST ONES and CHAPTER ONE...A DECADE) so this is worth getting for the 3 best tunes. Don't expect to be blown away overall, though. (For some unclear reason, CCM Magazine rated this #66 on their 100 Greatest Christian Albums of All Time.)