Gospel Song – Give Me Jesus. This powerful hymn enjoys a really interesting and instructive history. A White methodist minister, Rev. Jacob Knapp, published this song in 1845. The enslaved African American community picked it up in 1867, adapted it to their unique situation, and it has been considered a traditional spiritual ever since. I rejoiced …
Gospel Song – I want Jesus to Walk with Me. Fisk Jubilee Singers – I Want Jesus To Walk With Me (feat. Ruby Amanfu) [Official Music Video] – YouTube This poignant African American spiritual is a classic gospel song that has been covered by countless musicians. Since it is anonymous, the origins of the song are …
Lord Don’t Move My Mountain. Mountains can symbolize God and His stability and permanence, for sure. But mountains can also represent the difficult things in life we have to face. We often say we have to climb a mountain when we face adversity and need to overcome it. Our God is the God of those …
Gospel Song – Don’t Let the Devil Ride. Rev. Orvis Mays wrote this song in 1968. I’ve heard it said by a musician covering this great song that this a blues song that you can take to church. And that’s what it is. This is one of those gospel songs that has the soul of the …
Gospel Song – No More, My Lawd. “No More” was first recorded in 1947 at the notorious Parchman Farm of the Mississippi State Penitentiary System. The Farm was modeled after a slave plantation during the slavery era, and was called “the closest thing to slavery that survived the Civil War.” 90% of the prison population was …
Gospel Song – Soul of a Man. Blind Willie Johnson, the legendary gospel blues musician, recorded this classic song in 1930. Blind Willie was unsurpassed in terms of songs that have stood the test of time. He only recorded about 30 songs, in the late 1920’s, and they all continue to get a lot of attention …
Gospel Song – Now Behold the Lamb. Kirk Franklin (born 1970), “the reigning king of urban gospel,” composed and released this song in 1995. He is a prolific songwriter and arranger, an accomplished pianist, and a celebrated choir director. Franklin has won an astonishing 16 Grammy awards, and he is still going strong. His R & …
Gospel Song – Can’t Nobody Do Me like Jesus. Andrae Crouch (1942-2015), the composer of this classic, was a highly influential musician in gospel music, especially during the 1960’s and 1970’s. He had the gift of incorporating a contemporary secular style with traditional gospel. Crouch helped bring a modern musical sensibility into the church at large, …
Gospel Song – Lord Keep Me Day By Day. This poignant gospel song was composed by Eddie Williams, who was a musician associated with the famous gospel group The Caravans. The song is popular in churches and has been recorded by a wide range of gospel musicians. The prayerful request in the lyrics are universal for …
Gospel Song – We Shall Be Changed. Little is known about this classic gospel song, including who the composer was and when it was composed. The joy and hope of this song is infectious. With its buoyancy, this song could be triumphantly sung at a memorial or funeral service. The lyrics are taken directly from 1 …
Gospel Song – I Am Redeemed. The composer of this classic was Jessy Dixon (1938-2011), an internationally acclaimed gospel musician. He was an electric performer and worship leader, and a hugely successful songwriter. He released “I Am Redeemed” in 1994, and the song was later named the “gospel song of the decade.” For more on his …
Gospel Song – Sweet, Sweet Spirit. This classic hymn was composed by the gospel great Doris Akers in 1962. Pleases refer to the post, “You Can’t Beat God Giving” for more on her life and ministry. The story behind this song is that one Sunday morning, she was in prayer with her church choir before the …