Collective Soul Music Review
Collective Soul was probably the, if not one of the, most influential bands of the 1990s. They formed in Stockbridge, GA where the band grew up. Ed Roland, the singer/songwriter for the group formed the band and spent 1993 attempting to get a record deal by sending out demos. As for the name, it comes from the Ayn Rand book The Fountainhead. His father is a Southern Baptist pastor, and the results of this upbringing are evident in his music. Despite this fact, the band is not a Christian Band. As Ed Roland stated in one interview, “We’re five individual guys with five individual beliefs.” [1] This does not mean that Roland is opposed to Christian beliefs, but merely that the band should not fall under any specific label. However, just because the band is not a Christian Band, it does not mean that their lyrics are untruthful or that the do not encourage listeners.
To gain a better understanding of the bands message and to discuss songs worth listening to, we will take a chronological journey through the band's music one album at a time.
Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid (released 3/22/1994): 1. Shine (search for God’s direction and guidance) 2. Goodnight, Good Guy (someone who intercedes or prays for another who is feeling burnt out and heavy burdened), 3. Wasting Time (even if someone is being prayed for, they must still be responsible for their own actions, while we should be patient with someone, we can only lead them so far), 4. Sister Don’t Cry (salvation provides the foundation for someone to stand firm upon when life has beaten them down, this song exhorts someone to make the necessary leap of faith--note-one review stated that this song was about perseverance in hard times), 5. Love Lifted Me (this song is not the hymn, but it does describe how we are to lift one another up no matter what life’s circumstances, it also hints that God pulls us from despair), 6. In A Moment (the need to forgive and love one another before we can be unified), 7. Heaven’s Already Here (this song does not affirm that we are in the eternal state, but rather it affirms that when love lights our way, we can already see glimpses of heaven and enjoy each new day for what it holds), 8. Pretty Donna (Instrumental), 9. Reach (a cry for salvation and guidance), 10. Breathe (planting seeds, being a light, and loving other people) 11. Scream (this song deals with the hunger for truth, speaking out against those who would try to control any messages one believes—thinking for yourself is ok), 12. Burning Bridges (the desire one has to sacrifice all for the person he loves), 13. All (the love God has for His creation). There is no objectionable material on this album.
Self Titled (Released 3/14/1995): 1. Simple (the ease with which people should give up anger and worry, and share love) 2. Untitled (love and devotion to God above all others), 3. The World I Know (We live in a fallen world, but “hope still lingers on”), 4. Smashing Young Man (there is more to success than your own image in the sight of the world-this song contains the only curse word in the bands catalogue), 5. December (a treacherous breakup-why condone someone with one hand and condemn them on the other), 6. Where the River Flows ( the difficulty of the healing process after heartache), 7. Gel (love can be difficult but is made right through communication), 8. She Gathers Rain (Does she try to atone for her own sins or could the rain point towards the symbol of Baptism?) 9. When the Water Falls (the search for truth, even when it involves doubting those most trusted for the answers-in the end, we are not saved by our parents faith, we must, ourselves, believe the truth), 10. Collection of Goods (grace removes doubt and allows us to share peace, hope, caring words, and love), 11. Bleed (pain is a necessary part of life), 12. Reunion (people continually change, but it is always good to go home). This album makes reference to plural gods twice, once to “gods of the season” in “Where the River Flows,” and once to “the gods of hate” in “Collection of Goods.” The latter occurrence clearly refers to false gods, the first points towards leading someone to another problematic relationship. If all false things we follow are like gods we idolatrate with, then the gods leading us to painful relationships may be our own lusts and desires. When we need to be separated from gods of hate to receive saving grace, then we are ceasing to follow the ways of the world. In neither instance do these songs teach unorthodox views of Yahweh. The only objectionable material is the use of one curse word on “Smashing Young Man.”
Disciplined Breakdown (released 3/11/1997): 1. Precious Declaration (the joy of salvation) 2. Listen (the difficulty a hardened heart has in coming to repentance) 3. Maybe (dealing with death, hoping the deceased has entered into God’s presence-in memory of Kib Browning-the end of the song hints that we become angels at death, this is wrong but may not be the authors intended interpretation), 4. Full Circle (love comes and goes, in the last days love (possibly Christ) will return at the last judgment), 5. Blame (when someone clearly living in sin we cannot take their blame, but we can pray for their redemption), 6. Disciplined Breakdown (cry for delivery from our own wretchedness), 7. Forgiveness (the difficulty of forgiving others), 8. Link (the joy that comes with forgiving others), 9. Giving (the longing for more of God’s leadership in our lives), 10. In Between (the difficulty between human relationships as a result of good and evil in our nature), 11. Crowded Head (the challenge of being open and caring for someone who is untruthful), 12. Everything (sometimes it is heard to know what’s right and we need the guidance of others and of God). This album contains no objectionable content and is the most faith based of all their albums).
Dosage (released 2/9/1999) The name means “the act of giving.” [2] : 1. Tremble for My Beloved (the fear of knowing that you will be a father-Ed found out he would be a father before writing this song), 2. Heavy (burdening others with your burdens-while it is plausible, I do not think this song is calling God a liar and blaming him for man’s fall, if anything like this, it is probably blaming Adam for the sin nature we have inherited as a result of the Fall), 3. No More No Less (the care, intimacy, and encouragement needed in a relationship), 4. Needs (is faith a product of our own needs or something more), 5. Slow (we all try and look past our faults, at least sometimes), 6. Dandy Life (when you find happiness, you find everything), 7. Run (the need to return to what matters in life) 8. Generate (pride is the root of many arguments, but we should not store up what needs to be said forever), 9. Compliment (the calm that is found after the storm has passed, it lets us know that there is more to life than just this world), 10. Not the One (sometimes we are not meant to for the person we happen to think we are), 11. Crown (by far the most difficult song on the album to understand, is it about love or about God? Maybe Both? As many other songs compliment one another on all the albums, if this song is to follow “Not the One,” then it may be intended to show someone’s struggle to accept the fact that they may never find the person God created them to be with. It could also be the struggle someone has when learning to understand salvation, or when wrestling with the truthfulness of salvation. One interesting thing to note, is that this is the first album where God is specifically thanked for their family members and others in the liner notes.). This album also contains no objectionable content.
Blender (released 10/10/2000) The cover of this album was meant to poke fun of boy bands, because the company had asked the members to show their faces more on their album cover. I had never considered this a concept album until recently, but seeing conceptual themes on strings of songs on their other albums, this is not unthinkable. This is also the first album containing a cover song. (“You Speak My Language” was done first by Morphine; Collective Soul sang it in memory of the death of their lead singer earlier that year.) Finally, this album features Sir Elton John on “Perfect Day.” Elton is credited as being Ed Roland’s inspiration for wanting to become a singer/songwriter. Now the album: 1. Skin (about someone who misses out on a relationship with Christ and his lover because of his poor decisions), 2. Vent (the person also loves heated discussion with his lover), 3. Why Pt. 2 (the Pt. 2 is so that it is not confused with an old demo released in Australia-the man is angry because his lover is now gone), 4. 10 Yrs. Later (he wonders if she still thinks of him, and he still misses her), 5. Boast (he hides his pain in pride), 6. Turn Around (he is given a second chance), 7. You Speak My Language (he is joyful of his renewed love), 8. After All (maybe the love was never meant to be rekindled) 9. Perfect Day (she continues to have a wonderful life), 10. Over Tokyo (he is starting over fresh) 11. Happiness (again he searches for happiness, but looks in the wrong place). [3] While I am not sure Collective Soul intended this to be a concept album, and think that maybe they didn’t, it may be interpreted this way. If you do not like that interpretation, the themes above still apply to the songs, just not to one couple. This was also Ross Childress’ last album as the lead guitar player. He was replaced by Joel Kosche. The other members include Dean Roland (Ed’s brother) on Guitar, Will Turpin on Bass, and Shane Evans on Drums. This song also uses the word “prick” on the song vent. I have never thought of this as a curse word, but some reviewers of the album have, so just to warn you…. This album is also the first one that blatantly answers life’s questions in a way that contradicts Scripture on both the song “Sin” and on “Happiness.”
7EVEN Year Itch (released 9/18/2001) This is a greatest hits comp, but contained two new songs: 1. Heavy, 2. She Said, 3. Shine, 4. Energy (someone betraying friends and a lover), 5. Run, 6. Gel, 7. Precious Declaration, 8. Why Pt. 2, 9. The World I Know 10. Next Homecoming (the need for something to come home to), 11. Listen, 12. December, 13. Forgiveness.
Youth (released 11/16/2004) Before releasing this album the band took a needed break and during this time Ed and Dean Roland both went through divorces. [4] This may give insight into the nature of some of the lyrics on this album. The name comes from the fact that they felt like this was a new beginning for the, that it was a youthful time in their career: 1. Better Now (the joy of moving on in life), 2. There’s a Way (again about moving on but this time it seems like it is more about the band returning after the break), 3. Home (home-this song does call God a tease in one verse, but it is not capitalized), 4. How Do You Love? (how can someone just move on in life after a tragic breakup?), 5. Him (a man questioning why she left him for someone else), 6. Feels Like (It Feels Alright) (remembering what it is like to be youthful-namely a teenager), 7. Perfect to Stay (the time it takes to be ready to move on in life), 8. Counting the Days (breaking the chains that hold us back in life-this song does say that the “gods” need to break the chains) 9. Under Heaven’s Skies (pure, committed, and honest love), 10. General Attitude (feeling back on top of things), 11. Satellite (the commitment to take care of someone).
Again, Collective Soul is not a Christian band, but chances are good that someone in the band may be a Christian. Furthermore, they write songs that are extremely catchy, albums that can be listened to all the way through, and they generally promote “faith, peace, forgiveness, truth, calm and love while rebuking selfishness, despair, fear, greed, pride and aimless meandering through life.” [5] They had more #1 Rock Singles than any other band of the 1990s, and they are off to a good start with their latest album. They certainly perform and record good art, and I would support buying all of their albums, including the new release. The only additional song I am aware of that they have recorded was “Jealous Guy” for the album Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon.
From the Ground Up (release date set for 5/24/2005-in one week) This will be acoustic versions of some of their best songs. This will be especially good for those of you who really like the softer stuff: 1. Compliment, 2. Youth, 3. December, 4. Perfect to Stay, 5. Under Heaven’s Skies, 6. She Said, 7. Counting the Days, 8. Satellite.
[1] http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/collective-soul-050224.shtml
[2] http://music.yahoo.com/read/interview/12048018
[3] The idea that this was a concept album comes from http://cmusicweb.com/modernrock/collectivesoul/blender.shtml
[4] http://www.collectivesoul.com/about/default.asp?Loc=2&MemID=34
[5] http://www.pluggedinonline.com/music/music/a0001072.cfm