There was a time when '80s rock band White Heart was counted among the top-tier groups in the Christian music industry. Contemporaries like Petra are known to audiences then and now. But White Heart was consistently counted on to be present on radio charts for a good decade (from the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s). Their brand of arena rock, while likely written off as dated by many modern listeners, is a perfect fit for their heyday when everyone's hair was flowing and music sounded as big as the electronics needed to play them.
Tales of Wonder was the third in a string of four albums widely considered to be peak White Heart. It was released in 1992, the year I was born. This means that it and I both share a 30th birthday this year; an honor both gratifying and horrifying to both myself and the album's curators, I am sure.
Successful Wonders
The strategy of releasing music has undergone some changes in the years since this album dropped. Now, each individual hit is milked so much that a given album seems to have fewer hit songs than ever, despite the gaps between albums getting longer and longer. Back when this album was released, it wasn't uncommon for artists to drop a new album nearly every year or so. And despite that, a good portion of each album would make its way to the radio.
So is the case of this album. Every song was not only released as a single to one of the Christian radio formats, but it also achieved some notable degree of success. This feat makes Tales of Wonder one of the more dense collections of hits in White Heart's catalog. While it arguably has few of its all-time most notable songs, its bench of utility players of the band's highlights is second to none and helps elevate the album as a whole to top-tier status in the ranking of definitive White Heart albums.
Wonderous Words
White Heart music could never be pigeonholed into just one or two lyrical themes. This album is no exception. The topics covered range from the gentle love ballad, "Gabriella," to the biting socio-political commentary of "Raging of the Moon," as well as other songs "Who Owns You" and "Vendetta." "Unchain" is a desperate prayer for the freedom of Christ while "Say The Word" is a song of evangelism, promoting the spread of Christ to a hurting world.
It might be easy to romanticize past decades as simpler times in which everyone was a lot happier. There is perhaps a degree of truth in it, but looking back at things released during this timeframe doesn't paint things quite as rosily. Several of these songs speak to societal problems such as violence. "Vendetta" proclaims, "Count the locks upon your door/Guess Beaver doesn't live here anymore/A gun for me, a gun for you/Now they're killing people for their tennis shoes/Young and old share the fear/A violent streak is running everywhere."
"Raging of the Moon" and "Who Owns You" look at the acceptance of evil in society. Songs like "Say The Word" and "Light A Candle" point to hope in troubled times. While the troubles of the day may seem overwhelming, looking to the past that we now view as so ideal and seeing how they were just as troubled, and yet hopeful, can provide a way for us to find our own hope moving forward.
The Sound of Wonder
Perhaps one thing that has always set White Heart apart from their contemporaries is their uncanny ability to create an atmosphere of wonder in many of their songs. While they can belt out some guitar-driven classic rock goodness with the best of them ("Vendetta," "His Heart Was Always In It"), they mix it up with ethereal sonic hooks ("Unchain") or folksy whimsical melodies ("Say The Word"). Even moody rockers such as "Who Owns You" are elevated with musical surprises that give it a mysterious atmosphere.
Even the demo of the acoustic closer "Morningstar" (which would later be expanded into a full song) helps create a musical atmosphere that is distinctly White Heart and distinctly "wondrous."
These various musical moments paint pictures in the mind even when the lyrics aren't flying. Treat yourself to a walk down memory lane, to another time in music, packed with wonder and nostalgia. But which upon careful introspection, came with many of the same struggles and issues we face today.
J.J. Francesco is a long-time 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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