Ba… Read Full Bio ↴Helen Baylor (born January 8, 1953) is an American gospel singer.
Baylor was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in Los Angeles, where she first performed as a secular nightclub act. She opened for Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and B.B. King while still in her teens, and performed in the musical Hair. In the 1970s she continued working in musicals and also sang with Captain & Tenille and Chaka Khan, but struggled with drug abuse in the 1980s as her career soured.
Baylor became sober late in the decade, strengthening her Christian faith and deciding to launch a career in gospel music. She released her first gospel effort on Word Records in 1990. Her first five albums all hit the Top Ten of the U.S. Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, with the most successful being 1994's The Live Experience, which reached #1 on that chart
Helen's Testimony
Helen Baylor Lyrics
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Not to come back home
I did stay all the night through with you
Without knowing you, gone
Without time for the world to breathe on
The changing dust it woke
Glimpses of all the life you poured out
Till the vessel brokeDon't know if I'll see you
When it's my turn to come home
Don't know if I'll see you
But I hope so, but I hope so
Parting now at our own Grey Havens
The words you left the debris
So be still, knowing that
He'll see you across the sea
Don't know if I'll see you
When it's my turn to come home
Don't know if I'll see you
But I hope so, but I hope so
To be woken from the long sleep
Of this world's night
Don't know if I'll see you
When it's my turn to come home
Don't know if I'll see you
But I hope so, but I hope so
Don't know if I'll see you
Don't know if I'll see you
Helen Baylor's song "Helen's Testimony" is a deeply personal and emotional piece about the loss of a loved one. The song speaks to the pain of losing someone suddenly and the uncertainty of the afterlife. The lyrics "Gone away, gone away forever, not to come back home" express the finality of death and the feeling of helplessness that comes with it. The singer then reflects on spending the night with the departed loved one, wishing for more time and realizing that life can be fragile and fleeting.
The metaphor of the "vessel" that breaks is a powerful image representing the fragility of life and the need to cherish every moment. The lyrics "To be woken from the long sleep of this world's night" refer to the idea of an afterlife and a kind of spiritual awakening after death. The singer expresses hope that they will be reunited with their loved one in the afterlife, but also acknowledges the uncertainty of what comes next.
Overall, "Helen's Testimony" is a poignant and heartfelt tribute to the pain of loss and the hope of an afterlife. The song acknowledges the complexity of grief, showing both the long-lasting pain of losing someone and the comfort of believing that they will be reunited in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Gone away, gone away forever
Someone important to me has left this life and will never return
Not to come back home
I cannot bring them back to this world
I did stay all the night through with you
I was with you through your final moments
Without knowing you, gone
Even though I may not have fully understood you, you are no longer here
Without time for the world to breathe on
You left too soon and the world did not have time to adjust
The changing dust it woke
Your departure caused a disruption and disturbance
Glimpses of all the life you poured out
I saw a small portion of the life and love you shared
Till the vessel broke
You gave all you could until your physical body could no longer go on
Don't know if I'll see you
When it's my turn to come home
I am uncertain if I will see you again after I die
But I hope so, but I hope so
However, I still remain hopeful and wishful for a reunion
Parting now at our own Grey Havens
Our time together in this life has come to an end and we must now depart to our own respective afterlives
The words you left the debris
Your final words and legacy have been left behind as a part of your memory
So be still, knowing that
He'll see you across the sea
Rest assured that you will be seen and remembered by a higher power
To be woken from the long sleep
Of this world's night
To be awakened from the long, dark slumber of this physical world
Don't know if I'll see you
When it's my turn to come home
I reiterate my uncertainty of a reunion in the afterlife
But I hope so, but I hope so
Yet, I still hold onto hope and wishful thinking
Don't know if I'll see you
I acknowledge the uncertainty of our meeting once again
Writer(s): Helen L. Baylor
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.