The Struggle Is Over

I love this song. EVERYONE goes through hard times, but young black kids growing up in urban setting can have it really hard, so when these young men and women sing “You’ve been in this place long enough, and your mountainside has been rough…the struggle is over for you”…it goes right to my heart.

  1. The Struggle Is Over Youth For Christ 7:52

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The Youth for Christ Choir, led by T.L. Barrett, was an approximately 40-member ensemble of children ages 12 to 19, which grew out of his Tuesday night weekly choir meetings.

T.L. Barrett is a complicated figure. Context colors perceptions of the man. To many on Chicago’s South Side, Barrett has been known for more than four decades as an activist and pastor, an influential figure in the city’s black community, and an active participant in numerous projects and initiatives intended to improve social and economic conditions on the South Side.

In the 1970s, Barrett’s congregation included many noteworthy Chicago-area musicians, such as Maurice White and Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire, Donny Hathaway, and Phil Cohran. Barrett, recording as Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir, released the album Like a Ship (Without a Sail) in 1971. The album featured instrumental contributions from Phil Upchurch, Gene Barge, Charles Pittman, and Richard Evans (of Rotary Connection). It was reissued by Light in the Attic Records in 2010 to critical acclaim and praise from musicians such as Jim James and Colin Greenwood. Barrett also released several further albums of music over the course of the 1970s, as well as discs of sermons; he also recorded as Rev. T.L. Barrett.

Use Me

You know I LOVE Youth Choirs and The Soul Children of Chicago are among the very best. Give the song time…the opening solo isn’t riveting (IMHO) but once the choir comes in it’s great…USE ME, have Thine own way, USE ME as an instrument of praise!

 

  1. Use Me Walt Whitman & The Soul Children of Chicago 5:09

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If I had ten thousand tongues,
I’d praise You with every one.
If I could fly to the uttermost parts of the world,
I’d spread the good news of Your greatness.

If I could blow like the wind,
if I could roar like the sea,
I’d perform for You a symphony.
But since I have none of these,
I’ll just use what You gave to me;
but whatever I use, whatever You choose,
I’ll use it to say thank You Lord.

Chorus
Use me as an instrument of praise
(so I might praise Your name)
and it won’t be in vain.

(Use me) so someone can see
the light that shineth, that shineth in me.

Use me as an instrument of praise,
so that I might worship You.

Vamp 1
Whenever I pray, use me.
Whatever I say, speak through me.

Vamp 2
Use me, have Thine own way,
use me as an instrument of praise.

God Reigns

By now most of you all know of my love of youth choirs and this is a great example of why.  From the outset with the riffing B3 organ and the intro right up until the the end, this song is wonderful.  Yes, perhaps the soloist doesn’t have the most beautiful voice, but it is full of spirit and conviction. Kudos to this great youth choir for a job beautifully done.

 

  1. God Reigns Union Temple Youth Choir 7:09

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Jesus Is Coming Soon

Great song…the build at the end that starts at 4:02 is nothing new musically, but it is really good and sounds just great when done by the “kids”, especially when they put it all together at 5:10.

 

  1. Jesus Is Coming Soon GMWA Youth Mass Choir 6:56

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Worthy To Be Praised

This is a great song with a wonderful Caribbean feel to it. The building 4 part chorus starting at 2:43 is super…pretty impressive singing for a “youth choir”.

 

  1. Worthy To Be Praised GMWA Youth Mass Choir 4:46

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God Has Smile On Me

One of my favorite songs.  This song has been recorded by a whole lot of choirs and groups over the years since Isaiah Jones, Jr. wrote it in 1974.  For many years I thought James Cleveland wrote it since it is considered to be one of his signature songs.  It IS one of his signature songs; he just didn’t write it.  Here is Jefferey LaValley’s New Jerusalem Young Adult Choir singing their rendition of the song.

 

  1. God Has Smiled On Me New Jerusalem Young Adult Choir 5:49

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Do You Know The Way To Jesus

The Allegro Workshop Chorale is an offshoot of the Gospel Music Workshop of Amrerica’s youth program…it’s a “kids” choir”, but there is nothing amateur about this choir.  They are well rehearsed and sound great, but then again, you’d expect nothing less from the GMWA.  This song was recorded in 1980.

 

  1. Do You Know The Way To Jesus The Allegro Workshop Chorale 3:19

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Praises

From the ever talented Jeffrey LaValley and his New Jerusalem Young Adult Choir.  Very refreshing and different kind of contemporary gospel sound.  One reason I like the cut is because it is so raw.  The choir is not the greatest; they sound a bit “pitchy” (as American Idol judges might say) in places, but the song works nonetheless.

 

  1. Praises New Jersusalem Young Adult Choir 4:42

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(Never Can Forget) What You’ve Done For Me

Okay, so I watched a YouTube video last night of The Trinity UCC of Chicago choir singing “(Never Can Forget) What You’ve Done For Me”.  That led to a serious case of earworm and that lead to this post; THREE (3) versions of the song, each of which I love.  For the version from the Trinity UCC, I spliced in a solo intro from another recording because I love that too…you can hear the change in quality, if not a bit in pitch, but it works..IMHO.   The version from the GMWA Youth Choir has the best fidelity, and the last version is good old time music.  Have a wonderful day.  And NEVER forget all the wonderful things He’s done for you.

 

  1. Never Shall Forget What He's Done For Me Trinity UCC of Chicago Gospel Choir 8:57

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  1. (Never Shall Forget) What He's Done for Me Gospel Music Workshop of America Youth Choir 6:36

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  1. (Never Can Forget) What He's Done For Me Eddie Robinson & Mount Olive Fort Lauderdale Mass Choir 5:56

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Trust Him

One of the sad things about gospel music is that it has never gotten the recognition it deserves.  Not that people sing gospel for recognition, that’s different, but the music itself should be recognized for what it is; inspiring, powerful, soul stirring, healing music.

 

  1. Trust Him Newark New Jersey Youth Mass Choir 6:44

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Today’s song is from an unknown youth choir from Newark N.J.  I can find NOTHING at all about them on the internet (other than a few of their songs on YouTube).  But they make a great sound and the song, “Trust Him” is a great song.  Had Ty Pearson, Pastor at Faith Builders International in Holy Springs, N.C. , not taken the time to post this (and soooooooooo many others) on his Gospel Nostalgia You Tube page, no one would have known about this great group of kids, their music and this song.