I am really thrilled to see Songs of Salvation in more and more musical events.Yesterday, in the 2006 Grammy Awards, Mariah Carey presented her great song “Fly Like A Bird” (accompanied by a Choir, a song that also was featured in the 2005 “Storm Telethon” and in “Good Morning America“). Last night, at the end of that song, she was acclaimed with a standing ovation. You were able to see Sting and all the other singers standing up of their seats in awe after hearing Carey’s heavenly message, while Teri Hatcher (the most desperate one) even made a comment (that wasn’t captioned) related to that song and the Salvation that it brought to the whole place (and don’t forget Carey’s songs “My Saving Grace“, “When You Believe“, and her other related ones.)
Then, last Saturday Night Live (SNL) show (Feb 04, 2006), in his second rendering, Prince, featuring Tamar, presented the great song of his own salvation, entitled “Beautiful, Loved and Blessed.”
While at the same time, PBS was presenting in its Austin City Limits show, Gretchen Wilson singing her song “Politically Uncorrect“.
Then, last year, in the Country Music Awards, Brooks and Dunn presented their great song “Believe” (and, of course, they also have their great “Red Dirt Road” song); and we hear Josh Turner singing his “Long Black Train“
, while in her 2005 NBC‘s special, Faith Hill performed her beautiful song “There Will Come A Day“
, covering the very same topic that Mariah Carey was presenting yesterday to the cosmos…!
I am so Blessed!
Fernando Castro-Chavez.
P.S.
And of course, the rendition of “Amazing Grace” acappella by Faith Hill after 9-11 and after Katrina is one of the most beautiful songs ever!
We are bless to have such a music aficionado. 😀
Dear Teleologist,
Now that you mention it, how about the other beautiful song by the beauty Martina McBride entitled “Blessed“? (smile.)
Have a Blessed Weekend! (smile.)
Thank you fdocc, but I am afraid I am not much into music. Sad to say, I haven’t heard any of the singers that you’ve introduced here. 😀
So, Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)?
That’s another great song that Alan Jackson composed and was so good that you can find its lyrics even inside The Library of Congress (linked here in the first line of this reference.) In memory of those lost, and to raise our guard and alertness!
Carrie Underwood was singing last Thursday on TV her great song Jesus Take the Wheel. Then, while traveling to Dallas, the next songs resounded on the speakers:
Garth Brooks was singing Fit For A King, while Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton were singing When I Get Where I’m Going.
TAMAR Featuring PRINCE – Beautiful, Loved & Blessed
Univer…
My dear reader from Japan,
Thanks very much for your trackback showing your interest in that Song of Salvation by Tamar & Prince.
The next ‘Song of Salvation’ is a gem, recommended by Chris Lowe (the techno-genius from the British group “Pet Shop Boys“), a “gospel house prototype capable of moving anybody“, he says. Westley posted at Amazon.com that this song is without doubt a favorite track on either PSB 2 disk favourites selection called “Back to Mine“. However, Westley was unable to find much info about the group, but it sounded to him like a typical gospel choir put to a dance beat; he concluded “I find myself listening to “Stand on the Word” again and again”:
Stand On The Word by the Celestial Choir (Joubert Singers) [for a limited time a DJ included this great Song of Salvation here, in mp3]
Another music expert on the Internet commented on it: “The song is a perfect blend of live disco beats and strident gospel vocals, and it is easily one of the finest pieces of music I’ve ever posted here. I’m absolutely floored by this song, and honestly, I think you’d have to be crazy not to love it too.” DJ Johansen Smith also selected that song as one favorite while Tet Matteu transcribed some of its lyrics:
Current credits for the same song go either to DJ Larry Levan (as Lowe initially thought) or to DJ Tony Humphries, written and arranged by Phyliss Joubert. Co-Produced by George Rodriguez Jr. Mastered By Herb Powers Jr. 1985 US Label: Next Plateau. UK Label: Ten Records Ltd.
However, when I decided to search who really was the original DJ that included this song, I discovered one of the most astounding stories behind these “Songs of Salvation“, next there are some of the excerps from Tim Lawrence’s Blog:
[Note: Jus Born was the mini-label of Walter Gibbons, which only produced 3 hit recordings: “Set It Off“, by Steve “Strafe” Standart; “Searchin” by Arts and Crafts, and “Set It Off” again, but this time, Tim Lawrence writes “the idiosyncratic evangelist [Gibbons] teamed up with Barbara Tucker, then an unknown gospel vocalist. Released in 1985 under the moniker Harlequin Four’s, the record was the third (and probably last) issue on Jus Born Records]
So, we can conclude that the very original recorder of that great live song ‘Stand On The Word’ was not Levan, as originally Lowe thought, and was not Humphries, but the great and unique Born-Again, newly Saved Christian DJ, Mr. Walter Gibbons!
The full and long story of Gibbons himself, who went from darkness to light can be read at the Blog of Tim Lawrence, called “Liner Notes”, in his great long posting entitled “Mixed With Love: The Musical World Of Walter Gibbons (Suss’d/Salsoul, 2004)”
Some other songs that Gibbons himself re-mixed after his salvation are the next ones: “Saved By The Grace Of Your Love“,”4 Ever My Beat” by Stetsasonic [one of the earliest HipHop Raps], “Time Out” by the Clark Sisters, “Let No Man Put Asunder“, by First Choice, “Stand By Your Man” by the Robin Hooker Band, “My Love Is Free” and “Ten Percent” both by Double Exposure, his mixes of some of the works of Arthur Russell (Schoolbell/Treehouse, Let’s Go Swimming, and an early edit of Go Bang), “Magic Bird Of Fire” and “It’s Good For The Soul” both by the Salsoul Orchestra (with his own ‘vocal emphasis’), “It’s Better Than A Good Time” by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Catch Me On The Rebound“, by Loleatta Holloway, etc…
Tim Lawrence also wrote about Gibbons:
I couldn’t find the lyrics for some of the songs, but while I was looking for the Clark Sisters, this information presented itself to me: Missy Elliott also saved space for gospel tracks to be put on her discs. “Higher Ground” and “I’m Movin’ On“, etc. There you find her singing with gospel vocal sensation Yolanda Adams, members of the legendary Clark Sisters, and newcomers Mary Mary. [Missy Elliott declared:] “I had a friend that passed and before she went she always asked me if I would do a gospel record. I wanted to show my appreciation for her always being there for me.” Missy pauses. “But if you listen to all my records, you know I always take time out to give thanks. In this business you’re always going to have to engage in a lot of things you might not want to, but it never takes away from my spirituality. No matter what happens, that will always be there.”
Finally, and In Memoriam for Walter Gibbons, I want to include the recent ‘Song of Salvation’ composed and performed at the Academy Awards by Dolly Parton, the song “Travelin’ Thru“.
And, now that I mentioned them, from “Mary, Mary” I want to recommend their great modern Gospel HipHop song called Shackles. Interpreted by the Clark Sisters, well, all their Gospel songs are great, i.e., from Spielberg’s movie “The Color Purple“, the song “Speak Lord“, also her great songs “Miracle” and “I’m Looking for a Miracle”, while from Yolanda Adams, her great songs “I Believe” and “Gotta Believe”, etc.
Then, from the oldies, the country song “I Saw the Light“, currently a favorite Gospel song, originally composed by Hank Williams Sr. with hundreds of renditions by different singers, being a great interpretation the live performance one by Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, with his amazing piano rendering.
Two more Songs of Salvation are, first the song “Spirit in the Sky” originally composed by Norman Greenbaum and recently performed by junior artist Gareth Gates, The Eagles Band and others, and “Rise Up” by Funky Green Dogs; and finally, “With Arms Wide Open“, by Creed.
I really don’t like that recently, like others, so many Websites that offer Music Lyrics are secretly installing different spy ad-aware programs once you open their pages, so, I deeply recommend you to have an anti-spy software like a Personal Firewall before opening any of those lyrics pages.