Staton sang with the Jewell Gospel Trio and as teenagers, they toured the traditional gospel circuit in the 1950s with The Soul Stirrers, C. L. Franklin, and Mahalia Jackson. They recorded several sides for Nashbro, Apollo[disambiguation needed ], and Savoy Records between 1953 and 1963, before launching a solo career in 1968.
She had 16 R&B hits for Fame Studios and received Grammy nominations for cover versions of country standards. In 1975 she started working with disco producer Dave Crawford and had hits "Young Hearts Run Free" and "Victim". Also, The Mighty Majors ("You Can Never Go Back") was her backup band once on the road.
In 1982 she returned to gospel forming Beracah Ministries with her husband John Sussewell. In 1991 she had a top 10 UK hit as The Source featuring Candi Staton with dance track "You Got The Love".
In 2004 when Sex and the City ended its successful six-year run, the last song played on that show was "You Got the Love" with Sarah Jessica Parker walking down New York City streets and talking about the endless relationship with herself.
His Hands
CANDI STATON Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes the slightest whisper
Oh it could hurt so much
I could feel him coming near me
His little noises and such
Then my man,
Would lay his hands,
On me
O he might touch me in a way
That a man should
Bring me to passions
MMM that only he could
And so summer that we meet
Whenever when ever he would
Then my man,
Would lay his hands,
On me
Oh
O the kindness and protection
MMM the tenderness and the care
When he was happy Ew goodness me
But when he was scare
Oh Oh when he was scared
Those hands took on a life, a life undead
They where viscious and they where small
But they were big enough
To keep this womans back
I ask the lord oh ah
Oh lord I didn’t ask for it
not a love or anything else
Not the years I spent in this world
of a man that only loved himself
No I didn’t ask for it OH god It’s mine now
Those hands are in my mind and my soul
But lord it’s you it’s you and me that makes the power
I will pity that I will pity that beautiful man and Lord I’m going to bless his path
We were both, just wounded children Oh in a love thank god it didn’t last
There’s a lot a thing’s lord in your touch
Sometimes your slightest whisper, moves me so much
Your grace and your forgiveness oh the who world and such
When my lord
Lay your hands
On me oh mmh mh mmh
When my god
Oh you rest your gentle lov’n hands
On me.
The song "His Hands" by Candi Staton is a poignant narrative about the complicated nature of love and the consequences of an abusive relationship. In the lyrics, Staton describes the love and kindness her man showed her, but also the times when his hands turned vicious and abusive. She juxtaposes the gentle touch of her lover with the cruel and hurtful touch he sometimes inflicted upon her. Staton's description of the power dynamic in the relationship is chilling, with her partner's hands growing in dominance and violence when he was scared.
Staton divinely invokes the power of God in the final verses of the song, where she declares that the abusive relationship was not what she had asked for, but now those hands are forever etched in her mind and soul. She finds solace in knowing that it is God who gives her the power to heal and that she will bless her ex-partner's path. Staton's use of religious overtones in the song imbues "His Hands" with a sense of redemption and catharsis. The lyrics express the struggles of an abuse survivor with powerful observations and insights.
– The song "His Hands" was written by Candi Staton and her husband, Clarence Carter.
– The song was released in 2006 on Candi Staton's album His Hands.
– "His Hands" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007 in the category of Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
– Candi Staton is known for blending Southern soul, R&B, gospel, pop, and disco music in her songs.
– "His Hands" was inspired by Staton's own experiences of domestic abuse.
– The song's slow, soulful tempo contributes to its haunting narrative.
– The song has been covered by several artists, including Michael Kiwanuka.
– Staton is often referred to as the First Lady of Southern Soul Music.
– Her career began in the late 1950s, and she has released over 30 albums to date.
– In 2020, Staton was awarded a Pioneer Award at the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
Chords: Unfortunately, the chords for "His Hands" are not readily available.
Line by Line Meaning
There were a lot a things, in his touch
His touch conveyed many things to me
Sometimes the slightest whisper
Even his quiet words could be impactful
Oh it could hurt so much
His touch had the ability to cause pain
I could feel him coming near me
I was aware of his presence approaching me
His little noises and such
Even his small sounds were significant to me
Then my man, Would lay his hands, On me
My partner would touch me
O he might touch me in a way That a man should
He touched me in ways that were appropriate for a romantic partner
Bring me to passions MMM that only he could
He was the only one who could make me feel that level of passion
And so summer that we meet Whenever when ever he would
We would meet in the summertime whenever he wanted to
O the kindness and protection MMM the tenderness and the care
He showed me love, kindness, protection, tenderness, and care
When he was happy Ew goodness me But when he was scare
When he was happy, it was wonderful, but when he was scared, it was not
Oh Oh when he was scared Those hands took on a life, a life undead
When he was scared, his hands became violent and unpredictable
They where viscious and they where small But they were big enough To keep this womans back
Although his hands were small, they still had the ability to cause harm
I ask the lord oh ah Oh lord I didn’t ask for it not a love or anything else Not the years I spent in this world of a man that only loved himself No I didn’t ask for it OH god It’s mine now
I did not ask for the abusive relationship, but it is now a part of my life
Those hands are in my mind and my soul But lord it’s you it’s you and me that makes the power
The memories of the abuse still affect me, but I find strength in my relationship with the Lord
I will pity that I will pity that beautiful man and Lord I’m going to bless his path
I will have compassion for my abuser and pray for his well-being
We were both, just wounded children Oh in a love thank god it didn’t last
Our dysfunctional relationship was a result of our own personal wounds, and I am grateful it ended
There’s a lot a thing’s lord in your touch Sometimes your slightest whisper, moves me so much Your grace and your forgiveness oh the who world and such
The Lord's touch conveys many things to me, even the slightest whisper can move me, and his grace and forgiveness extend to the whole world
When my lord Lay your hands On me oh mmh mh mmh When my god Oh you rest your gentle lov’n hands On me.
I find peace and comfort when the Lord's touch is upon me
Contributed by Tristan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Terinia reid
on It's the Anointing
I love this song