The Wonder Years is a two-CD package compilation album by Christian singer-songwriter Michael W. Smith. It was released just weeks after his first single-disc compilation album The First Decade (1983-1993) by Reunion Records.
The elaborate slipcase packaging contains a 10.5 by 6 inches (27 cm × 15 cm) spiral-bound book that contains facing pairs of pages highlighting each of his prior eight albums. Each spread featured photographs and an accompanying background story on this period in his career. Inside the back cover are two trays which contain the two picture CDs. The album contains 32 songs, 17 songs more than The First Decade.
The set won a Dove Award for Recorded Music Packaging of the Year at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1994. This album has since gone out of print in favor of the more modest (and more focused) First Decade. The Wonder Years peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. A playlist of
The Wonder Years from YouTube is posted below this article.
Track listing
Disc 1
(from Michael W. Smith Project) produced by Michael W. Smith (tracks 2-4)
1. Friends (Michael W. Smith, Deborah D. Smith) (from Change Your World)
-4:40
2. You Need a Savior (Michael W. Smith, Deborah D. Smith) -3:35
3. Could He Be the Messiah (Michael W. Smith, Deborah D. Smith) -4:29
4. Great is The Lord (Michael W. Smith, Deborah D. Smith) -2:52
(from Michael W. Smith 2) produced by Michael W. Smith
5. A Way (Michael W. Smith, Gary Chapman, Tim March) -3:49
6. Hosanna (Michael W. Smith, Deborah D. Smith) -2:29
7. I Am Sure (Michael W. Smith, Mike Hudson) -4:41
(from The Big Picture) produced by Michael W. Smith and John Potoker
8. Pursuit of the Dream (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -5:11
9. Lamu (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -5:55
10. Rocketown (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:32
11. Old Enough to Know (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:47
12. Goin' Thru the Motions (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:55
(from The Live Set) produced by Michael W. Smith (track 13)
13. I Know (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:29
14. Emily (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) (from Go West Young Man) -4:17
(from i 2 (EYE)) produced by Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick
15. Secret Ambition (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -6:26
16. Pray for Me (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -3:53
17. I Miss the Way (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:34
Disc 2
18. I Hear Leesha (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -5:26
19. The Throne (Michael W. Smith, Gary Moore) -6:49
(from Christmas) produced by Michael W. Smith and Ron Huff
20. All is Well (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:08
21. Gloria (Traditional; arranged by Michael W. Smith) -5:03
(from Go West Young Man) produced by Michael W. Smith and Bryan Lenox
(Disc 1: track 13, Disc 2: track 22 -26)
22. Go West Young Man (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -3:54
23. Love Crusade (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:23
24. Place in This World (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -3:58
25. Seed to Sow (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -6:14
26. For You (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Will Owsley) -4:10
(from Change Your World) produced by Michael W. Smith and
Mark Heimermann (Disc 1: track 1, Disc 2: tracks 27 -32)
27. Picture Perfect (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -3:58
28. I Will Be Here for You (Michael W. Smith, Diane Warren) -4:35
29. Somewhere, Somehow (duet with Amy Grant) (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, David Foster, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:17
30. Give It Away (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -5:08
31. Love One Another (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:55
32. Cross of Gold (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) -4:36
Previous release: The First Decade (1983-1993) (1993) (compilation album)
Next release: I'll Lead You Home (1995)
Listen to the playlist for The Wonder Years here:
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