Cristy Lane is best remembered for her 1979 single "One Day at a Time," a g… Read Full Bio ↴Cristy Lane is best remembered for her 1979 single "One Day at a Time," a gospel song that blended Protestant fervor with the language of self-help in a seamless, heartfelt whole. She is also noteworthy as one of the builders of the Branson, MO, live-entertainment phenomenon. Lane was born Eleanor Johnston to a family of 12 in Peoria, IL. Married before she was 20, she had three children by 1964. Her husband, Lee Stoller, a salesman, encouraged her to sing professionally, but she was painfully shy. After some tentative attempts, she landed several nightclub appearances and then a guest slot on Chicago's WLS Barn Dance radio program in 1968. She took her stage name from that of a Peoria DJ, Chris Lane.Several early attempts to break into country music in Nashville came to nothing, and Lane struggled with the pressures of the performing career her husband was urging upon her. She attempted to commit suicide twice in the late '60s, once after a difficult 1969 tour of Vietnam, organized by Stoller during which Lane performed 120 shows and was involved in a helicopter crash that left her stranded in the midst of a battle. Lane and Stoller returned to Peoria and opened a pair of nightclubs that featured Lane as the marquee attraction. In 1972, the Stoller family moved to a Nashville suburb and continued its attempts to get Lane's career off the ground. The reaction from established label executives ranged from indifference to sexual come-ons for Lane, and finally Stoller formed his own label, LS, in the mid-'70s. He was tireless in promoting Lane's career, and his efforts were rewarded when the label's debut single, "Tryin' to Forget About You," and its follow-up, "Sweet Deceiver," made the charts in 1977. That year she also made it to the Top Ten and the Top 20 with "Let Me Down Easy" and "Shake Me, I Rattle," respectively. Lane scored three more hits the following year and in 1979 was named New Vocalist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. During the awards ceremony Lane sang "I Just Can't Stay Married to You," which later became a Top Five hit. In late 1979, Lane was signed to United Artists Records and had three more hits. But the label balked at releasing the song Lane and Stoller had planned for their next single, "One Day at a Time."That song was a several-years-old entry from Kris Kristofferson's catalog of compositions; co-written with Nashville veteran Marijohn Wilkin, it was of a piece with other religious songs (such as "Why Me, Lord?") the hard-living Kristofferson had written in soberer moments. Shortly before Lane's version appeared, the song had topped British charts in a version by vocalist Lena Martell. For country radio in 1980, it was an unorthodox song, but Lane and Stoller correctly estimated its powerful impact. After it hit number one on the country charts, Lane released "Sweet Sexy Eyes," her final Top Ten hit. Her career hit the skids temporarily when Stoller was imprisoned on racketeering charges in 1982, but the couple bounced back after Stoller observed the spectacular success yodeler-crooner Slim Whitman had experienced after beginning direct television marketing of his music. By 1986 Lane and Stoller had put together a strong pair of linked materials: a One Day at a Time album and a Lane autobiography of the same name. Marketed through television advertising and later on the World Wide Web, these items sold well for years and kept Lane's name before a demographic just waiting to be tapped: that of country fans in late middle age. As Branson began to emerge as a major entertainment destination in the late '80s and early '90s, Lane and Stoller jumped on the bandwagon. Their Cristy Lane Theatre became a major Branson attraction, hosting not only Lane's own performances but also early appearances by Branson stars-to-be such as Yakov Smirnoff (in 1992). Lane sold her Branson theater in the mid-'90s but remained active as a performer. She has recorded several albums of gospel and sentimental standards for marketing through her website and elsewhere. Plans were laid in the early 2000s for a film depicting Lane's life story.

Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Cristy Lane Lyrics

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I am weak but thou art strong,
Jesus, keep me from all wrong,
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to thee.

Just a closer walk to Thee,
Jesus grant my humble plea!
Daily walking close to thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Through this world of toils and snares,
If I falter Lord, who cares,
Who with me my burden shares?
None but thee, my dear Lord, none but thee.

Just a closer walk to Thee,
Jesus grant my humble plea!
Daily walking close to thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When the journey here is o'er,
Time for me will be no more,
Guide me to thy distant shore,
To thy shore, O dear Lord, to thy shore.

Just a closer walk to Thee,
Jesus grant my humble plea!

Daily walking close to thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cristy Lane's song, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," express the singer's desire to stay on the right path in life with the help of Jesus. The first verse begins, "I am weak but thou art strong," acknowledging the singer's weakness and need for spiritual guidance. The following lines ask Jesus to "keep me from all wrongdoing" and to let the singer "walk close to thee." The repetition of the phrase "let it be, dear Lord, let it be" emphasizes the importance of the singer's request.

The second verse continues the theme of staying close to Jesus through life's challenges, acknowledging that the world can be difficult and full of "toils and snares." The singer asks Jesus, "If I falter, Lord, who cares?" The answer is clear: "None but thee, my dear Lord, none but thee." The final verse looks beyond this life, imagining a journey to an unknown shore. The singer asks Jesus to guide her on this journey and to keep her walking closer to him.

Overall, the song is a heartfelt plea for spiritual guidance and strength. The repeated refrain of "just a closer walk to Thee" emphasizes the importance of this ideal in the singer's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I am weak but thou art strong,
Despite my weakness, I take solace in your strength.

Jesus, keep me from all wrong,
Guide me along the right path and prevent me from straying.

I'll be satisfied as long
I don't want for more, as long as…

As I walk, let me walk close to thee.
…I continue to walk with you in close proximity.

Just a closer walk to Thee,
My one and only desire is to be closer to you.

Jesus grant my humble plea!
I humbly implore you.

Daily walking close to thee,
Every day, may I walk alongside you.

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Please make it so.

Through this world of toils and snares,
In this world full of challenges and traps,

If I falter Lord, who cares,
If I stumble, who will take notice?

Who with me my burden shares?
Who will shoulder the weight of my struggles?