I requested that people answer these questions for a survey:

1.  Favorite Mitch song lyrically:

suzan: I'm hoping others will find an answer to this one.  For me picking just one would be ludicrous.  But a definite favorite is The Lemonade Song. I know Mitch has called this just a "stupid little song".  I find it to be a bold one.  It's not just fun like the Chris Rice "Cartoon Song", it's fun and has punch with plenty of meaning to ponder on.  I also think that this is a definite not just penned by Mitch tune.  I really think God planted some of those lyrics in Him and then just smiled with the final result.

Bob: Only Love Will - Simple truth.  Just hits home for me.

Robin:  The reason I didn't respond to your "request" for so long is because it's just too danged hard to do.  But here's my  best effort.  I can't say that these will always be (or even *really* are right now) my favorites, but I'd have to say that these are the ones I find I *most* gravitate to.  And even then, I can't limit it to  ONLY one - cause there are "ties".  It's impossible to pick just one.  I tried.  I really did.  But it's just impossible.  Mitch - She Asked Me How & Only Love Will  (*Not* in an order.  It's a dead tie.)

Danl:  It's always difficult for me to take these kind of surveys, since my "favorite anything" changes often, add to that, my favorite Mitch song, will not be any of these, since it's my favorite musically.  My favorite song lyrically was Watch Over Me but since the terrorist attack I've been listening to Upside Down for music therapy.

Kelli:  Oh, this is so hard!  There are several that God uses to speak to me.  It changes.  I think I would have to say One of these Days.  At first, this was just a song that I sung because it had a good tune, and good words. Then as I was driving one day, listening to it, and not singing it, God began to speak to me.  To me this song is about surrender.  Surrendering everything to God.  When Mitch says "one of these days my will might turn to dust, and leave me empty enough to live, but He's gonna fill me up again" really speaks to me.  When I give up  my will, my wants, my desires, and begin to desire Gods will for my life, I empty my self of selfishness and He fills me up with His desires. 

2.  Favorite Mitch song sung in concert:

suzan:  Well again a tough one to answer.  However Watch Over Me  is special.  It's almost painful at times to hear this beautiful ballad of prayer because it cuts to the heart and soul of how many of us feel at times.  And to say I was moved by it, is again an understatement of emotions.

Bob:  This is a tough one, but I guess it would be Take Hold of Me. Saw this performed as a duo with Jeff Weiss, harmonizing and providing accompaniment on acoustic guitar. There were some wonderful smiles and interactions between them, as they put on a very personal concert at the Praise Coffeehouse, Greenville, IL 9/01.

Robin:  I'd add a category:  The song(s) you most want to see Mitch include when he has a *full* rock band and is touring HUGE auditoriums -Hope (Oh - and Freedom, too.)  These would be  really great playing REALLY loud with a huge, wild, screaming, lunatic audience.  Oh yeah - and One Of These Days will be great in that setting also.   :)  Okay.  There you have it.  You'll notice that  none of the Chasing the Horizon songs are on my list.  It's not that I don't like that CD.  I do.  It's just that what I've found out about myself is that it takes me a looooooooonnnnggg time to figure out what I like best.  I figure in about three years I'll be able to do something like this with CTH.

Danl: My fav in concert would definitely be one of his new ones, You Have Everything, which has a very cool pop-rock sound to it.

Kelli: He's changing all his songs so fast!  Right when I know every word, sung every way, I see him in concert, and he's changed the way he sings it!  That's completely okay though, Mitch is still the best in concert.  I suppose, if I had to chose, my favorite is There You Are.  Maybe its because he hasn't changed it, that I've noticed, or because I haven't heard it as much sung in concert as the others.  I am not sure.  Maybe its just cause its a beautiful song!
 

3.  Favorite Mitch/Rich /rich penned together song is question:

suzan:Gospel Rain.  This song always, always moves me with awe.  I just like everything about it.  The pace, the lyrics, the delivery in concert.  It makes me feel good when I hear it.

Bob:My Deliverer - I find myself humming' this one all the time.  Reminds me that my Deliverer is coming - my Deliverer is standing by.....

Robin:  Mitch/Rich [& Beaker for the Canticle ones] - You Are All, New Mexico, There You Are (YAA first.  The other two, a dead tie.).

Danl: Good question - one I have not considered before.  I had to go back and take inventory to make sure I was considering all of  them. If you consider just Mitch songs, then the fav would be Gospel Rain.This used to be my least favorite song when the CD first came out, but because of what Brad and Mitch have done to this live in concert it is now one of my favs (and was just recently de-throned last Sept. as my favorite for question #2 when I heard the other).

If you consider all the others (most of which are Canticle songs) I surprised myself to find out my favorite was neither a Mitch song or a Rich song.  It is A Million Years (co-penned by Mark  Robertson, Mitch, and Rich) on This Train's "Mimes of the Old West." I hadn't listened to this song in more than a couple years, and the memories of hearing it for the first time came flooding back. It was recorded before Rich died (and Rich is singing harmony) but wasn't released until after the accident. The message and melody is haunting.

Kelli: This one is easy!  Definitely, She Asked Me How.  This was my favorite song all together, 'till God began to use One Of These Days.  Now I can't choose a favorite overall song. She Asked Me How says much about what the power of Gods love can do in and around us.  It has really been a challenge to love with a love that is forever the same.  I can hear Rich's voice in parts of this song, which gives me chills. Lyrically, I can tell this is one that the brothers in Christ wrote together. 

You can answer short on these or expand on the why.. your option.. First names only without e-mail addresses will be used and answers may be edited.  This is an on going article.  So if your reading it and would like to contribute just mail responses to:

Link to another survey article: Survey