Aaron Neville (born January 24, 1941, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an America… Read Full Bio ↴Aaron Neville (born January 24, 1941, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American soul and R&B singer and musician. He made his debut in 1966 with the hit single Tell It Like It Is, a Number One hit on the Billboard R&B charts. From 1977 he performed as part of The Neville Brothers with his siblings, Art Neville, Charles Neville, Cyril Neville & Ivan Neville.

Neville charted again, in 1989, when he collaborated with Linda Ronstadt on three consecutive duets: Don't Know Much, All My Life, and When Something Is Wrong with My Baby, the first two reached Number One on the Adult Contemporary charts. Neville has released more than 20 singles, including three Number Ones on the Adult Contemporary format, and a fourth on the R&B format.

His other hits have included Everybody Plays the Fool, his successful 1991 cover of the 1972 Main Ingredient song, that reached #8 on the Hot 100; Don't Take Away My Heaven, Hercules and Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You (The Rain Song). Neville's biggest solo successes have been on the Adult Contemporary chart, where "Don't Know Much," "All My Life," and "Everybody Plays the Fool" all reached Number One.

Aaron signed to SonyBMG's new Burgundy Records label in late 2005 and recorded an album of songs by Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and others for Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics, released on September 19, 2006. The album, produced by Stewart Levine, features collaborations between Neville and Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and others. The album's first single was a remake of The Impressions' 1963 classic It's All Right.

On October 27, 2006, Neville made a guest appearance on an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless. He sang Stand By Me" and Ain't No Sunshine, from his album, Bring It on Home … The Soul Classics. In 2008 he released Gold, which includes a double album of his hits.

http://www.aaronneville.com

Were You There
Aaron Neville Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble

Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Were you there when He rose up from the grave?

Overall Meaning

Aaron Neville's gospel song "Were You There" is a reflective and contemplative piece that draws the listener into a deep meditation on the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The opening question sets the tone for the song as a whole, which is a series of inquiries about the experiences of those who witnessed the death and resurrection of Christ. Each verse begins with a specific query, such as, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" or "Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?" The repetition of the phrase "Were you there" serves as a reminder that we were not actually there to witness these events, but we are still called to contemplate them and try to understand their significance.

The chorus, "Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble," is a powerful statement that highlights the emotional impact of contemplating the events of the crucifixion and resurrection. The repetition of the word "tremble" emphasizes the deep sense of awe and reverence that many Christians experience when contemplating these events. It also suggests a physical reaction to the intense emotions that these events can evoke.

While "Were You There" is a traditional spiritual that has been recorded by many artists over the years, Aaron Neville's version is particularly powerful due to his soulful vocals and the sparse instrumentation that allows the lyrics to shine through.

Overall, "Were You There" is a powerful and moving gospel song that encourages reflection and meditation on the transformative events of the crucifixion and resurrection.

Line by Line Meaning

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Did you witness the moment when my Lord was nailed to the cross?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Did you see when they impaled Him onto the wooden cross?

Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
The thought of such agony and pain makes me shake with fear, over and over again.

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Did you help place His lifeless body inside the grave?

Were you there when He rose up from the grave?
Did you witness the moment when He overcame death and emerged back to life?

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARVEY FUQUA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Sayitasiseeit

1y↑1

What an amazing underrated singer!!! His voice is like no other ❤

imforgiven2011

3y↑2

I WISH I HAD BEEN. IM SO IN LOVE WITH AARON. People do not understand his talent but I do!! I always harmonize with him and play the piano with his songs.........OHHH how I love him and his talent!!