Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is a southern gospel vocal quartet founded in… Read Full Bio ↴Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is a southern gospel vocal quartet founded in 2002 by Ernie Haase, former Cathedral Quartet tenor, and Garry Jones, former Gold City pianist. They are known for their contemporary style and energetic live performances.
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)

What Child Is This?
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What child is this who lay to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch our keeping?

This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud

The Babe, the Son of Mary

Where lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and lamb are feeding?
Good Christians fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading

Nails, nails shall pierce Him through
The cross be borne for me and you
Hail, hail the Word made flesh
The Babe, the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, come king to own Him
The King of Kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him

Raise, raise a song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary, ooh, ooh

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Ernie Haase & Signature Sound's song "What Child Is This?" are a question: "What child is this who lay to rest/On Mary's lap is sleeping?" The singer is wondering about the identity of the child, who is being watched over by angels as well as humble shepherds. The chorus provides the answer: "This, this is Christ the King/ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing/ Haste, haste to bring Him laud/ The Babe, the Son of Mary." The child is none other than Jesus, who is born in poverty--"Where lies He in such mean estate/ Where ox and lamb are feeding?"--but whose message will be shared with the world.

However, the singer notes that Jesus's message will not always be readily accepted: "Good Christians fear for sinners here/ The silent Word is pleading." The "silent Word" seems to refer to Jesus himself, who will be put to death by nails pierced through his hands and feet, as the stanza states: "Nails, nails shall pierce Him through/ The cross be borne for me and you." Despite this ominous foreshadowing, the song urges listeners to acknowledge Jesus's majesty and authority, "The King of Kings salvation brings/ Let loving hearts enthrone Him." The song ends on a note of celebration as the virgin sings a lullaby to her son, "Joy, joy for Christ is born/ The Babe, the Son of Mary."

Line by Line Meaning

What child is this who lay to rest
Who is this child that is lying down?

On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Why is this child sleeping on Mary's lap?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
The angels are singing sweet songs for this child.

While shepherds watch our keeping?
Meanwhile, the shepherds are watching over us.

This, this is Christ the King
This is the King of Christ.

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
The shepherds are guarding Him and the angels are singing for Him.

Haste, haste to bring Him laud
Let's hurry to praise Him.

The Babe, the Son of Mary
This baby is the son of Mary.

Where lies He in such mean estate
Why is He in such a poor state?

Where ox and lamb are feeding?
He is lying where the ox and lamb are feeding.

Good Christians fear for sinners here
Christians are afraid for the sinners in this world.