Vital Signs (1984)

Vital Signs is the second studio album by the Christian rock group White Heart,

released jointly in March 1984 on Home Sweet Home Records and Myrrh/Word Records.

Vital Sings features Scott Douglas as the new lead vocalist replacing Steve Green, who left White Heart in 1983 after their self -titled album was released. Green does provide backing vocals on the group's first number one hit "We Are His Hands" featuring Douglas on lead vocals. Green was one of the choir vocalists on the song, along with Amy Grant, Russ Taff, Bob Farrell of Farrell and Farrell, Kathy Troccoli and many others. "We Are His Hands" was ranked at number 92 from CCM Magazine's 2006 book The 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music.

The album peaked at number nine on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart. White Heart produced the album themselves for Home Sweet Home Records with Chris Christian as executive producer. This would be the final album to feature Dann Huff as guitarist and vocalist. A music video was made for the title song. You'll notice that Gordon Kennedy was in the video as Dann Huff's replacement as lead guitarist.

Vital Signs was reissued on CD jointly by Retroactive Records and Christian's record label Home Sweet Home Records on April 9, 2021, released as part of The Legend Series. The album was remastered with the tape dropout on the track "Undercover" featured on previous versions and a live bonus track of "Hosanna" taken from their live album Live at Six Flags. The CD booklet contains lyrics, photos and a trading card with White Heart on the front and information about the band and the album on the back.

Track listing

1. Sing Unto the Lamb (Billy Smiley, Dann Huff, Mark Gersmehl) -3:19

2. Draw the Line (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl, Dwight Liles) -4:43

3. Walking in the Light (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl)– 4:04

4. Carried Away (Safe on the Wings of the Lord) (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl, Steve Chapman) -4:26

5. Quiet Love (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl) –3:58

6. Following the King (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl) – 4:11

7. Let Your First Thought Be Love (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl, Dann Huff) – 3:59

8. Undercover (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl) –4:00

9. Vital Signs (Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl, Dann Huff, Gary Lunn) –3:56

10. We Are His Hands (Mark Gersmehl) -4:29

Personnel

White Heart:

Scott Douglas -lead vocals, backing vocals

Billy Smiley -piano, acoustic guitar, lead vocals on track 9 , backing vocals, arrangements

Mark Gersmehl -keyboards, synthesizers, lead vocals on tracks 2 and 8, backing vocals, arrangements

Dann Huff -lead guitar, acoustic guitar, co-lead vocals on tracks 3 -7, backing vocals, arrangements

David Huff -drums, percussion

Gary Lunn -bass guitar

Radio singles

1984 "Following the King" -#29 Christian AC/CHR

1984 "We Are His Hands -#1 Christian AC/CHR for 4 weeks

Previous release: White Heart (1982)

Next release: Hotline (1985)

Watch the music video of "Vital Signs" here: (poor quality)