Never Picture Perfect (1990)

Never Picture Perfect is the fourth studio album by Christian singer -songwriter Rich Mullins, released in early 1990 on Reunion Records.

Produced by Reed Arvin, the album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. Mullins plays the hammered dulcimer on the track "My One Thing." The Christian vocal trio First Call provides backing vocals on the songs "My One Thing" and "Alrightokuhhuhamen," country music singer Pam Tillis provides backing vocals on the a capella album intro "I Will Sing" and Christian rock singer -songwriter Margaret Becker provides backing vocals on the song "Higher Education and The Book of Love." "Hope to Carry On" is a song originally recorded by Mullins' band Zion in 1981 on the album Behold the Man. The Christian alternative folk band Caedmon's Call would cover the song on their 1997 self-titled album and Mullins would appear in their music video months before his passing. Mullins wrote all the songs on Never Picture Perfect.

Track listing

All songs were written by Rich Mullins.

1. I Will Sing -1:26

2. Hope to Carry On -2:33

3. While the Nations Rage -4:51

4. First Family -3:06

5. Alrightokuhhuhamen -4:12

6. Higher Education and The Book of Love -5:47

7. Bound to Come Some Trouble -3:41

8. The Love of God -2:48

9. My One Thing -3:42

10. Somewhere -4:32

11. The Love of God (reprise) -0:49

Radio singles

1990 "My One Thing" -#1 Christian CHR, #6 Christian AC

1990 "While the Nations Rage" -#2 Christian CHR, #1 Christian AC

1990 "Alrightokuhhuhamen" -#4 Christian CHR, #1 Christian AC

1990 "First Family" -#20 Christian AC

1991 "Somewhere" -#8 Christian CHR, #29 Christian AC

Previous release: Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988)

Next release: The World As Best As I Remember It, Volume One (1991)