In this era of digital music, iTunes, and downloading individual songs, the craft of making entire albums often gets overlooked.

Yet back in the day -- and sometimes even today -- there's nothing quite like an artist who, in a burst of creativity and connection, records an entire album that's a) full of good songs; and b) highlighted by a great song (or two).

So here are my five favorite of all time. You'll note that the list omits some bona fide classics, such as Led Zeppelin IV, Boston, Sticky Fingers, and even Viva La Vida.

But it's my list and I'm sticking to it.

5. Tom Petty, Into The Great Wide Open. A much-underrated follow up to Full Moon Fever (which featured Free Fallin'), this makes my list because there's no filler. Every song is good, a couple are very good (For All The Wrong Reasons), and Learning To Fly is one of my all timers.



4. Don Henley, The End Of The Innocence. An album that starts with the title song and ends with "The Heart Of the Matter"(see Blog title) is strong to the core. There are a couple of late 80s period pieces like "Little Tin God" and "If Dirt Were Dollars" that harken back to the PTL scandal and the Gary Hart-Donna Rice debacle respectively.



3. The Call, Reconciled. The best album by the best artist nobody knows. "I Still Believe" and "Everywhere I Go" brought me back to faith.



2. U2, The Joshua Tree. How can you improve on an album that starts off with "Where The Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"??



1. Hotel California, The Eagles. I guess I am holding on to 16 as long as I can. This was the signature album of my adolescence, and the title song plus "The Last Resort" lands this as my #1.

Early on, I didn't like John Mellancamp.

First, there was the name. What was it? John Cougar? Johnny Cougar? John Cougar Mellancamp? Johnny Mellancamp? Mellan Johnnycamp? Why couldn't he just settle on one?

Then, musically he seemed to me at first blush to be a poor man's Bruce Springsteen. A Midwesterner trying to cop an East Coast attitude.

And finally, the politics. Mellancamp is the stereotypical rock activist who professes his concern for the poor from the back seat of his limousine. He can be maddeningly and simplistically self-righteous.

But then Julie and I went to a concert in 1999. And about half way through the show I realized, "I like all these songs. They are really, really good."

So since that night, I've been a fan. I'll go for seasons where his CDs are all I listen to. The amplified acoustic guitar, the gravelly voice fueled by nicotine, and the insights that make often make Christians squirm all combine to make him one of my favorites -- whatever his name is.

So here are my Top Five John Mellancamp songs:

1. Authority Song. Now I love authority. I almost never fight it. Yet this song never fails to make me smile, especially the narrator's conversation with his preacher. And by the way, there is profound theological truth here: authority does always win.



2. Little Pink Houses. Is this America? Check it and see. Love the opening guitar line.



3. Peaceful World. One of the best songs of the 00s for sure. From the much underrated Cuttin' Heads CD.



4. Walk Tall. Somber, reflective, and beautiful. Those of us who follow Jesus need to heed the line: "be careful of those who kill in Jesus' name, who don't believe in killing at all."



5. Wild Night. Yes, it's a Van Morrison cover. And yes, the vocals of Me'Shell Ndegeocello make the song. But Lord, how good does it sound even 17 years after its release?

In John Irving's novel The Last Night In Twisted River, the narrator makes this observation:

But family histories – chiefly, perhaps, the stories we are told as children – invade our most basic instincts and inform our deepest memories, especially in an emergency.

I can't let go of that sentence. It's one of those narrative insights into human nature that makes good fiction more "true" than real life.

Because isn't it true? The stories we are told as children shape and determine what we value as adults?

For me, on this day, that's a heavy truth with a light application.

Because what story was I told most frequently as a child? To love and support SMU football.

As my dad was a member of the faculty there, we went to home games at Cotton Bowl, we watched away games on television when we could, and we died a thousand deaths every time our Mustangs lost to the Longhorns, Aggies, or Horned Frogs.

Now I didn't go to SMU myself. I haven't lived in Dallas since 1980. I didn't even go to seminary there -- which I could have since it is obviously a "Methodist" school.

So why did I call my brother when SMU jumped out to a big early lead against nationally-ranked and highly regarded TCU on Saturday?

And why did I text my son to make sure he was keeping up with the same game?

And why was I nervous as a cat when SMU blew a large lead and the game went into overtime?

And why did I react just as these players did when the Mustangs held on that final fourth down to secure their first win over a ranked team in, well, ages?



I know. Because of the stories I was told as a child.