3-9-11 - "Give It Away" ~ Michael W. Smith

Michael W. Smith was my first favorite artist.  I grew up playing piano, and (at least after the realization that my dreams of making it big in pro sports were highly unlikely at best) I wanted to be a musician, and MWS was a master.  If you listen to his catalogue over the years, you'll hear songs which were relevant lyrically and musically, and smart pop/rock tunes all the way through.  Didn't hurt that he worked with a great lyricist in Wayne Kirkpatrick (the Bernie Taupin to Smith's Elton John...)


This song was from his "Change Your World" album in 1992, just about the time I started getting into his music, and music in general.  It fit the mold for early-90s pop from a musical standpoint, but I think it holds up ok today, too.  He threw in some jazzy chords to make things more interesting, and the message is a pretty important one - we all need to give away our love, to our family and friends, but to others as well.  Take or leave the Christian theme in the third verse, anyone on the planet should be able to agree that the world would be a better place if we all learned to sacrifice our selfish desires, even just a little bit and/or a little more often, to make someone else's life a little better.

"We can entertain compassion
for a world in need of care,
but the road of good intentions
doesn't lead to anywhere,
'cause love isn't love
'til you give it away...


There was a man who walked on water,
he came to set the people free,
he was the ultimate example
of what love can truly be,
'cause his love was his life,and he gave it away..."