O Happy Day

  1. O Happy Day Edwin Hawkins 5:11

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The Just Shall Live By Faith

  1. The Just Shall Live By Faith New Jerusalem Baptist Church 5:43

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Hold On, Don’t Let Go

  1. Hold On, Don't Let Go Richard Smallwood 6:29

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I Live For You

Today we have a beautiful acapella contemporary Christian song with the same beautiful sound as Take 6.

College acapella groups could take a cue from this group and learn that great acapella is not about a bunch of people trying to emulate an entire percussion section, but in tight, beautifully crafted, intricate, close harmonies expertly sung.

  1. I Live for You True Vibe 3:01

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True Vibe was a short lived contemporary christian music group from Nashville, TN from 1999 – 2003. They recorded two albums, the second of which (See The Light) was nominated for a Grammy as Best Pop/Contemporary Christian Album in 2002.

There Is None Like Him

The Mississippi Mass Choir is arguably the best of all the big, professional, mass choirs out there.

In 1988, after wrestling with the idea of forming a mass choir for many years, Frank Williams, a member of The Jackson Southernaires and an executive in the gospel music division of Malaco Records, decided to form The Mississippi Mass Choir. He began calling on Mississippi gospel talents like David R. Curry Jr., who became the choir’s music director. Having the musical foundation laid, the two sent audition announcements via radio across the state of Mississippi and tapes began pouring in. With great enthusiasm, singers of Mississippi thrust themselves into the mission of the choir, to “serve God through song”.

  1. There Is None Like Him Mississippi Mass Choir 6:12

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In the spring of 1989, five weeks after their debut album was released, Billboard magazine certified it as the Number 1 Spiritual album in the country. The album stayed on the Billboard charts for a consecutive 45 weeks, setting a new record for gospel recordings. At the 9th annual James Cleveland GMWA Awards, the Mississippi Mass won the Choir of the Year-Contemporary, and Best New Artist of the Year-Traditional. They also walked away with four Stellar Awards in 1989 and were nominated in several categories for the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards and Dove Awards.

Redefining the choir experience, each Mississippi Mass concert is like a rousing church service, with a Reverend at the helm. By the end of a concert, there is no one left who has remained in their seat throughout, no voice unsung, no hands left hanging limply at anyone’s side, and no one who hasn’t felt a mountain move within them by what they have just experienced. The Mississippi Mass Choir moves the masses. (Sources: Wikipedia and Mississippi Mass Choir web site)

Let Us Not Be Weary

So here’s another song from Minister Keith Pringle. This song never fails to catch my attention; the rhythm is ear catching (you can’t miss the cow bell in the percussion section!), the tune unique, and the lyrics require a little thought, but for me it all adds up to a great song. I always seem to get a good case of ear worm having heard it and end up thinking of it all day.

If anyone cares, the lyrics are taken from Galatians 6: (this is not meant to be a bible study blog…but I will say that about 90% of the bible passages I know I learned from listening to gospel songs, not reading the good book.)

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

  1. Let Us Not Be Weary Keith Pringle and The Pentacoastal Community Choir 4:12

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I’m Running For My Life

Tighten your seat belt and hold on, because we have a fast paced, hand clappin’, foot stompin’ traditional gem today. This is from one of the big artists of the 80’s, Minister Keith Pringle and The Pentecostal Community Choir.

  1. I'm Running For My Life Keith Pringle & Pentecostal Community Choir 5:17

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Things Will Be Better

If you’re ever having a bad day and you feel a bit down, take a listen to this song and it might help you feel a bit better.  The lyrics are not that of your average garden variety gospel song, but they seems work with the contemporary feel of the song.

“Sometimes I’m crippled by my fate and tears lay tracks on my cheeks, oh yes they do. The road to  joy becomes too narrow and I slip and fall; the highway to peace is jammed with traffic of confusion.”

Great backing band with a B3, a Wurlitzer electric piano (VERY 1970’s!) and a great bass player…oh, and a fine choir too!

  1. Things Will Be Better D. J. Rogers & Watts Community Choir 4:53

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Heaven Knows

I often come up with ideas for songs to post on the blog while listening to my iPod while walking my dog in the early morning. I hadn’t heard this song in a LONG time and the lyrics really hit me in the face because they seemed so relevant and I could only shake my head and think “Wow, that’s powerful! WHEN was that written?”  The answer: 2006.  Sigh.

 

  1. Heaven Knows Deitrick Haddon 3:27

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“Heaven Knows”

The homeless is still homeless, the poor is still poor
Yet we find billions of dollars to fund senseless wars
And yes, we’re fighting terrorism, what about the quiet racism?
Divided among ourselves, somebody’s crying for help

Chorus:
Heaven is listening (Listening)
Heaven is watching (Watching)
Heaven knows (Knows)

And they may not play this on the radio
‘Cause the devil don’t want you to know
If we don’t stop the hypocrisy
The nation will lose it’s soul
They’d rather play music about money and sex
Like we don’t have no intellect
Somebody need to show some respect
‘Cause God ain’t through with us yet

Chorus

Heaven knows,  heaven knows the preachers that’s not preachin’
And heaven knows the teachers that’s not teachin’ (Knows)
Heaven knows the politicians are stealing
Heaven knows, heaven knows the ones that are out there killing
Oh, heaven knows that the world needs a revival (Heaven knows)
That we’ve walked away from the Bible (Knows)
Heaven knows that the world needs healing (Heaven knows)
That somewhere we’ve lost our feelin’

Chorus (3x)

What a Time

This is the Real Deal. (I’m pretty sure that’s NOT Clapton on guitar, but the style fits the song perfectly.)

  1. What a Time Reverend Charlie Jackson 3:07

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