The legendary Cathedral Quartet retired in 1999, upon the death of lead singer Glen Payne. Former Cathedrals members formed several groups; one of these was the Old Friends Quartet, which featured former Cathedrals bass George Younce and his son-in-law, Ernie Haase, who had sung tenor with the Cathedrals for nearly ten years. The Old Friends Quartet disbanded after about two years on the road, as Younce's ill health prevented them from doing much travelling.
Ernie Haase, a native of Evansville, Indiana, still had a love for quartet singing and wished to create a quartet that was 21st Century in image and attitude, but traditional in sound, emulating the great Southern Gospel groups of the 20th Century, including the legendary Statesmen Quartet, the Stamps Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers and of course, the Cathedral Quartet. Along with Old Friends Quartet pianist Garry Jones, Haase gathered three other young men with similar love and respect for Gospel music, and the Signature Sound Quartet was born. Jones left shortly after the recording of their first album, Stand by Me.
Almost immediately, their name was heard everywhere, and when audiences saw the fun and energy that the group gave at their concerts, they responded enthusiastically, rocketing the Signature Sound Quartet to instant stardom. With the fame came some controversy, as some Gospel music lovers objected to the "outlandish" look of the group, which included short ties and oddly-colored suits. Still later, the group began styling their hair in "modern" stand-up spiked style, which further added to their controversy. The fan reaction, however, was far more positive than negative, and trade magazines began referring to them as "the next Statesmen", implying that the mold-breaking style they created brought to mind the similarly outside-the-box thinking of the classic group.
In 2004, the group changed its name to Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, reportedly in order to avoid confusion with other similarly-titled regional groups, and since Bill Gaither suggested getting Ernie Haase in the group name for fans who would remember him from The Cathedrals. They signed with the Gaither Music Group and became regular performers with the Gaither Homecoming tours and videos. Like-minded legendary singer/producer Bill Gaither eventually began scheduling a second series of concerts with only Signature Sound and the Gaither Vocal Band appearing together. Due in part to the popularity of these concerts, the two groups decided to record a single album together, due out sometime in late 2007. The group is also at work on an album due out in 2008.
In May 2007, pianist Roy Webb came off the road to be with his dad, who was dying of cancer. On May 29, 2007, it was announced that Webb had resigned from the group. Later, it was announced that Gordon Mote would be the group's piano player during their Get Away Jordan summer tour.
Discography
* Stand by Me (2002)
* Building a Bridge (2003)
* Glory to His Name (2003)
* The Ground is Level (2004)
* Great Love (2004)
* Christmas with Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (2004)
* Stand by Me: Live (2005)
* Self Titled (2005)
* Get Away, Jordan (2007)
* Influenced (2008)
* Dream On (2008)
Godspeed
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Lyrics
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'Cause this world is not my home
So I'm traveling light on my journey here
Making plans for the day I go
If this is the last time we have down here together
I promise you, I'll see you in forever
Godspeed, bon voyage, until we meet again
If I go before you do or you're the first to fly
Godspeed, adios, for now goodbye
There may be some tears when we're saying so long
But our parting will be sweet
'Cause my heart is sure that the time will come
I will meet you on golden streets
So lets make some memories to treasurer for a lifetime
And love each other like it's the last time
Godspeed, bon voyage, until we meet again
Farewell, go with God, see you soon my friend
If I go before you do or you're the first to fly
Godspeed, adios, for now goodbye
Aloha, arrivederci, sayonara, ciao
Bona suerta, auf wiedersehn for now
Godspeed, adios, shalom, goodbye
The song "Godspeed" by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound begins with the singer expressing their desire to leave this world and join the heavenly place that they have been dreaming of. The world is not their home and they are just a traveler on a journey, making plans for the day they finally leave. However, they’re not sad about the inevitable goodbye because they know that they will see their loved ones again in the afterlife. They promise to see each other in forever, reassuring the listener that there is no final farewell.
The chorus features the phrase "Godspeed", which is a word used to wish someone a speedy and safe journey. The singer says "Godspeed, bon voyage, until we meet again" and bids their friends and loved ones farewell, wishing them all the best on their journey until they meet again. The last verse features different phrases from different languages, including Aloha, Ciao, and Sayonara, but the sentiment remains the same: the singer wishes their loved ones all the best wherever their journey may take them.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been dreaming dreams of a Heavenly place
I have visions of a wonderful afterlife
'Cause this world is not my home
This Earth is only temporary and is not where I belong
So I'm traveling light on my journey here
I am living simply and without excess baggage in my temporary life
Making plans for the day I go
I am preparing for my eventual departure from this world
If this is the last time we have down here together
If this is the final time we're together here on Earth
I promise you, I'll see you in forever
I vow to see you in the afterlife with God
Godspeed, bon voyage, until we meet again
Wishing you a safe journey until we reunite
Farewell, go with God, see you soon my friend
Goodbye, may God be with you until we meet again
If I go before you do or you're the first to fly
If I pass before you, or you pass before me
Godspeed, adios, for now goodbye
Until we meet again, goodbye
There may be some tears when we're saying so long
Saying goodbye may cause some sadness and tears
But our parting will be sweet
Our goodbyes will be positive and meaningful
'Cause my heart is sure that the time will come
Because I am confident we will meet again in Heaven
I will meet you on golden streets
We will reunite in a beautiful, perfect afterlife
So lets make some memories to treasurer for a lifetime
Let's cherish the time we have together and create lasting memories
And love each other like it's the last time
Let's show each other love as if it's our final moment together
Aloha, arrivederci, sayonara, ciao
Various ways of saying goodbye in different languages
Bona suerta, auf wiedersehn for now
More ways of saying goodbye in different languages
Godspeed, adios, shalom, goodbye
Various ways of wishing someone goodbye and a safe journey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAY DEE DAUGHERTY, LEONARD J KAYE, IVAN KRAL, PATTI SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind