He Delivered Me

Rance Allen probably has the most unique voice in gospel.  Well…after the late, great James Moore maybe.  Rance had slipped into virtual obscurity when Kirk Frankin sought him out to record a version of “Something About The Name Jesus“.  Allen’s performance on the song introduced his unique style to a whole new generation and his career re-bloomed.

 

 

  1. He Delivered Me The Rance Allen Group 5:30

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Bless The Lord

Another masterpiece from Richard Smallwood and his gifted vocal group “Vision”.  This song brilliantly moves from contemporary to semi-classical and back again, and as always, the vocal dynamics are beyond compare. 

 

  1. Bless The Lord Richard Smallwood 5:21

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Oh What A Tiime

A great traditional sounding song from Ms. Dottie Peoples…nee Dottie Pearson.  “Back in the day” before Dottie became a well known gospel singer, she put out a secular funk/soul/disco album in 1978 titled simply “Dottie” that included a cover of Fontella Bass’s “Rescue Me” and a song called “Bring It Over Baby”. 

 

  1. Oh What A Time Dottie Peoples 6:03

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  1. Bring It Over Baby Dottie Pearson 2:53

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We Shall Wear A Crown

Not to be confused with Thomas Whitfield’s classic song, “I Shall Wear A Crown”, this song is from the great Rev. Timothy Wright.  The song itself is only about 2 minutes long…the remaining 2 1/2 minutes is a vamp with Wright, the female soloist and the choir.

 

  1. We Shall Wear a Crown Rev. Timothy Wright 4:21

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Not The Time

This is not the time for giving up
This is not your place where you should be
Not the time or the place to lie in defeat
You got to hold on, you got be strong

Sometimes you win
Sometimes you lose
It’s apart of life that everyone goes through

Sometimes there’s joy
Sometimes there’s pain
That’s apart of god’s plan
It is his own plan

This is not the time…
Not the time, not the place
Just believe, keep the faith
Gotta learn how to wait…wait on the Lord

There is hope for the hopeless
There is life for the lifeless
He’s a friend to the friendless
He’ll give you peace and sweetness
There’s help for the helpless
There is a home for the homeless
He can mend your broken pieces

 

  1. Not The Time Marvin Sapp 7:18

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(The Sun is Gonna Shine, If I) Hold Out

This song gets me EVERY TIME.  The ending just sucks me in with it’s building power and energy.

It you have ever felt down, that nothing is going to change or get better, that there is no hope, that no one cares about you, no one sees your silent tears, that you’ve lost your faith…then just listen.  Because the sun IS gonna to shine...just hold out.

 

  1. Hold Out - Mini Version New Direction 3:52

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We Worship Christ

Ricky Dillard and The New Generation Chorale…they never disappoint and they are always examples of the very finest in vocal execution.  In this song they are also masters of Dillard’s great syncopations.  “Clap your……hands,  stomp your…..feet, raise your….hands, leap for…..joy!”  And it all winds up with a great traditional vamp.

 

  1. We Worship Christ Ricky Dillard & The New Generation Chorale 6:44

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Give It To Me

As I look for songs I’ve yet to post, I’m amazed at how I’ve missed some of the great classic songs. Case in point; Rev. James Cleveland’s 1976 recording of his composition, “Give It To Me”.  For those who were with Joyful Voices when the choir first formed in 1999, this song was one of the first songs we learned and was part of our repertiore for several years…and with good reason.  It’s a GREAT song.

 

  1. Give It To Me Rev. James Cleveland and The Southern California Community Choir 4:06

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Fear Not

Another of my favorites. I always get encouragement when I hear this song; it’s so powerful.  The song sort of peters out at the end, and I’m curious to know how much longer it went on because I KNOW that the choir got louder and the lead resumed his exhortation again.  Would have loved to hear the WHOLE recording before it was edited.

 

  1. Fear Not The Florida Mass Choir 6:24

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Love Train

Okay, the O’Jay’s “Love Train” isn’t a true gospel song, BUT, it’s been covered by plenty of gospel groups including James Cleveland and The Gospel Music Workshop of America Mass Choir. Additionally it was covered by The Boston Community Choir the year I sang with them at First Night. It was our last song and we kept singing as we processed out of the Tremont Temple…with the crowd going wild, singing and clapping and dancing. It was great fun!

So, here’s a tribute to a great song, LOVE TRAIN. For FREE I am throwing in a slower R&B version by a guy named Bunny Sigler, an R&B singer/producer from the ’70s. Enjoy.

 

  1. Love Train Rev. James Cleveland and The GMWA Mass Choir 4:41
  2. Love Train Bunny Sigler 7:01

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