Wide-Eyed Wonder
Encyclopedia
Wide-Eyed Wonder is the fifth studio album from Christian alternative rock band The Choir, released in 1989.
, Myrrh Records
pulled out all the stops with this album, which was—perhaps not coincidentally—the band's most commercial release to date. Wide-Eyed Wonder was everywhere, from a Christian radio special to non-stop advertisements in a wide variety of Christian magazines to heavy promotion in Christian bookstores to the band's first CCM Magazine
cover story. Even two music videos and a making-of documentary were released in conjunction with the album. If that wasn't enough, the band's profile was raised even further when they were the sole opening act for Russ Taff
on a national tour.
A lot of important events had taken place in the prior two years which gave the record company much to promote, but more importantly, gave The Choir a lot to address musically. The band had added its first (and to date, only) female member in Robin Spurs, who joined The Choir as their new bassist after a stint with local Los Angeles
phenomenon The Toasters
. A female bassist was quite a novelty in itself, but Spurs was unique in Christian music at the time, and the fact that she was also very attractive certainly helped the promotion of the album. It was obvious from band newsletters and the Wide-Eyed Wonder documentary that Spurs brought a new energy to the band, becoming the first member to have a song written specifically about them ("Robin Had A Dream").
However, the real story of the album comes from the life of songwriter and drummer Steve Hindalong
. In the same year that Wide-Eyed Wonder was recorded, he and his wife Nancy had their first child, Emily, which made the tragic personal events detailed in "Sad Face" on their prior record
seem like a distant memory. Most of the songs on the album deal with Hindalong's joy over new fatherhood ("To Cover You," "When She Sees Me" and the title track) or the importance of family life ("Happy Fool," "To Bid Farewell"). As a result, the album is the most upbeat recording The Choir ever released, although hints of darkness sneak out in songs like "Robin Had A Dream" and especially "Car, Etc." which shows that the band had not abandoned its penchant for moody experimentation. In keeping with the spirit of the album, the band even spoofs that tendency on the final track.
After assisting with the recording of Chase the Kangaroo
, late singer/songwriter Mark Heard
came onboard to produce two tracks for the album, including the band's first cover song, "Behind that Locked Door," written by ex-Beatle
George Harrison
. This unusual choice didn't sit well with many critics at the time, who pointed out that the song didn't fit with the rest of the record. Whether stung by that criticism or not, The Choir would never again record another cover song for one of their own albums, although after the death of Heard, they recorded one of his songs ("Tip of My Tongue") featured on two tribute albums dedicated to him.
. All music by Derri Daugherty
and Hindalong
, unless otherwise noted.
Daugherty's grandmother, in a still taken from the Wide-Eyed Wonder documentary, was featured on one of the shirts offered on the band's tour with Russ Taff
(see left).
with The Lost Dogs
on the band's 2004 album, MUTT.
Recording history
Making up for their almost non-existent promotion of Chase the KangarooChase the Kangaroo
Chase the Kangaroo is the fourth studio album from Christian alternative rock band The Choir, released in 1988.-Recording history:Chase the Kangaroo was a radical departure from the upbeat, alternative pop sounds of Diamonds and Rain, and quickly proved to be a seminal work—not only for The Choir,...
, Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records, also known as Myrrh Worship, is a Christian music record label. According to Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for Contemporary Christian music as the label that first published music by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of...
pulled out all the stops with this album, which was—perhaps not coincidentally—the band's most commercial release to date. Wide-Eyed Wonder was everywhere, from a Christian radio special to non-stop advertisements in a wide variety of Christian magazines to heavy promotion in Christian bookstores to the band's first CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the...
cover story. Even two music videos and a making-of documentary were released in conjunction with the album. If that wasn't enough, the band's profile was raised even further when they were the sole opening act for Russ Taff
Russ Taff
Russell Taff is an American gospel singer who is originally from Farmersville, California. Taff later then moved to Arkansas where he graduated from Cutter-Morning Star High School in Hot Springs, Arkansas....
on a national tour.
A lot of important events had taken place in the prior two years which gave the record company much to promote, but more importantly, gave The Choir a lot to address musically. The band had added its first (and to date, only) female member in Robin Spurs, who joined The Choir as their new bassist after a stint with local Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
phenomenon The Toasters
The Toasters
The Toasters was one of the first American bands in the third wave of ska, and is one of the longest active third wave ska bands.They have released nine studio albums, most of them on Moon Ska Records. The Toasters experienced a small degree of commercial success in the late 1990s due to the...
. A female bassist was quite a novelty in itself, but Spurs was unique in Christian music at the time, and the fact that she was also very attractive certainly helped the promotion of the album. It was obvious from band newsletters and the Wide-Eyed Wonder documentary that Spurs brought a new energy to the band, becoming the first member to have a song written specifically about them ("Robin Had A Dream").
However, the real story of the album comes from the life of songwriter and drummer Steve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
. In the same year that Wide-Eyed Wonder was recorded, he and his wife Nancy had their first child, Emily, which made the tragic personal events detailed in "Sad Face" on their prior record
Chase the Kangaroo
Chase the Kangaroo is the fourth studio album from Christian alternative rock band The Choir, released in 1988.-Recording history:Chase the Kangaroo was a radical departure from the upbeat, alternative pop sounds of Diamonds and Rain, and quickly proved to be a seminal work—not only for The Choir,...
seem like a distant memory. Most of the songs on the album deal with Hindalong's joy over new fatherhood ("To Cover You," "When She Sees Me" and the title track) or the importance of family life ("Happy Fool," "To Bid Farewell"). As a result, the album is the most upbeat recording The Choir ever released, although hints of darkness sneak out in songs like "Robin Had A Dream" and especially "Car, Etc." which shows that the band had not abandoned its penchant for moody experimentation. In keeping with the spirit of the album, the band even spoofs that tendency on the final track.
After assisting with the recording of Chase the Kangaroo
Chase the Kangaroo
Chase the Kangaroo is the fourth studio album from Christian alternative rock band The Choir, released in 1988.-Recording history:Chase the Kangaroo was a radical departure from the upbeat, alternative pop sounds of Diamonds and Rain, and quickly proved to be a seminal work—not only for The Choir,...
, late singer/songwriter Mark Heard
Mark Heard
John Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA....
came onboard to produce two tracks for the album, including the band's first cover song, "Behind that Locked Door," written by ex-Beatle
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
. This unusual choice didn't sit well with many critics at the time, who pointed out that the song didn't fit with the rest of the record. Whether stung by that criticism or not, The Choir would never again record another cover song for one of their own albums, although after the death of Heard, they recorded one of his songs ("Tip of My Tongue") featured on two tribute albums dedicated to him.
Track listing
All lyrics by Steve HindalongSteve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
. All music by Derri Daugherty
Derri Daugherty
Derri Daugherty is an American record producer, songwriter, guitarist and singer, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for band The Choir....
and Hindalong
Steve Hindalong
Steve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
, unless otherwise noted.
- "Someone To Hold On To" (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Tim ChandlerTim ChandlerTim Chandler is a bass guitar player, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies and The Choir....
) – 3:50 - "To Cover You" – 2:31
- "Robin Had A Dream" (Music by Robin Spurs, Hindalong) – 4:17
- "Spin You Around" (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Chandler) – 4:11
- "When She Sees Me" – 4:11
- "Wide Eyed Wonder" – 3:35
- "Happy Fool" – 3:29
- "Car, Etc." (Music by Daugherty, Hindalong, Chandler) – 6:17
- "Behind That Locked Door" (Lyrics and music by George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
) – 3:02 - "To Bid Farewell" – 4:38
- "Car, Cont." – 1:03
The Choir
- Derri DaughertyDerri DaughertyDerri Daugherty is an American record producer, songwriter, guitarist and singer, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for band The Choir....
- Lead vocals, guitars - Steve HindalongSteve HindalongSteve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
- Drums, percussion - Robin Spurs - Bass guitar, vocals, fabulous hats
- Dan Michaels - Saxophone, lyriconLyriconThe Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument, the first wind controller to be constructed.Invented by Bill Bernardi , it was manufactured by a company called Computone Inc in Massachusetts...
, fabulous sunglasses
Additional musicians
- Greg Lawless - Guitar solo ("Spin You Around")
- Mark HeardMark HeardJohn Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA....
- Bass guitar and autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
("Behind That Locked Door"), background vocals ("Someone To Hold On To," "When She Sees Me," "Behind That Locked Door") - Gene EugeneGene EugeneGene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
and Riki MicheleRiki MicheleAdam Again chanteuse Riki Michele is a female Christian alternative music artist. She has also recorded four eclectic solo records....
- Background vocals ("Spin You Around") - Marc Sercomb - Background vocals ("Car, Etc.," "Car, Cont.")
- Nancy and Emily Hindalong, "Squeaky Bear," Dave Hackbarth, Orlando Conchola - Background vocals ("Car, Etc.")
Production
- Executive producer: Tom WillettTom WillettTom Willett is an American musician, author and entertainment industry executive. He toured and recorded extensively as a bass player during the 1960s and 1970s, served as booking agent and manager for numerous artists in the 1980s, and worked as an artist and repertoire and marketing executive...
- Producers - Steve HindalongSteve HindalongSteve Hindalong is an American drummer, percussionist, songwriter and producer best known for his work with the alternative rock band The Choir...
and Derri DaughertyDerri DaughertyDerri Daugherty is an American record producer, songwriter, guitarist and singer, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for band The Choir....
, except for "Wide-Eyed Wonder" and "Behind That Locked Door" by Mark HeardMark HeardJohn Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA.... - Additional production - Dave Hackbarth, Mark HeardMark HeardJohn Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA....
- Recording - Dave Hackbarth
- Mixing - Mark Heard at Neverland StudiosNeverland StudiosNeverland Studios is an American recording studio owned and operated by musician and songwriter Derri Daugherty.Neverland was originally built in Los Alamitos, California, but eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee when Daugherty relocated there in the early 1990s...
, Los Alamitos, California - Mastering - Steve Hall at Future Disc
Videos
- The video for "Someone to Hold On To" and the black-and-white documentary of the band's recording of Wide-Eyed Wonder, was directed by famed photographer Linda Myers-Krikorian, wife of eccentric rock performer Tonio K.
- The video for "Robin Had A Dream" was directed by Mark HeardMark HeardJohn Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA....
. According to the band, the video cost a mere $3000 United States.
Promotions
Russ Taff
Russell Taff is an American gospel singer who is originally from Farmersville, California. Taff later then moved to Arkansas where he graduated from Cutter-Morning Star High School in Hot Springs, Arkansas....
(see left).
Covers
The song "To Cover You" was later re-recorded by Derri DaughertyDerri Daugherty
Derri Daugherty is an American record producer, songwriter, guitarist and singer, best known as the lead singer and guitarist for band The Choir....
with The Lost Dogs
Lost Dogs
Lost Dogs are an American musical supergroup formed in 1991, comprising vocalists, songwriters, and guitarists from multiple Christian alternative rock bands. Their current lineup includes Terry Scott Taylor , Michael Roe , Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong . The original lineup included Gene...
on the band's 2004 album, MUTT.