Top Christian Albums of the 1980's -- #5

SO YOU WANNA GO BACK TO EGYPT...? – Keith Green (1980)

Released in May 1980, it's really a 70's album, but it still makes the cut for this decade. Keith Green released four albums in his lifetime and all were outstanding. His first two don't qualify for this list chronologically. Songs for the Shepherd would follow and have slightly better production values; many consider it the first "worship album." Egypt gets the nod regardless, however, as it presents Keith Green at his most versatile, inspired and passionate, and even features Bob Dylan on harmonica.

It was also the album which introduced this writer to CCM, and I remember not only being impressed with the musical quality and creativity, but with the booklet that came with the album and included the lyrics, the background of each song, comprehensive Scripture references, and reprints of several tracts from Keith's outfit Last Days Ministries. A tour de force from an artist taken from us far too soon, and greatly missed nearly thirty years later.