The band had its genesis when long-time Statesmen Quartet member Jake Hess retired from that band on December 7, 1963.[1] Hess wanted to start a new group recognized as "king" of the Southern gospel field and thought the "Imperials" would be a good moniker. After getting the go-ahead from Marion Snider for permission to use the name (Snider had previously operated an Imperial Quartet named after its sponsor Imperial Sugar), he gathered together pianist Henry Slaughter from the Weatherford Quartet,ex-Oak Ridge Boys baritone Gary McSpadden, the Weatherford Quartet's bass singer Armond Morales and Speer Family tenor Sherrill (Shawn) Neilsen to join him.[2] Signing with Benson Records subsidiary Skylite, the group had a busy first year releasing 4 albums in 1964.
Take Me There
Imperials Lyrics
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Come on and take me where You are
I can only see so far from this distant shore
So I close my eyes and dream
Cause its there beyond the eastern sky
That You've prepared for me
And with every breath I yearn to be
Chorus:
Love, come on and take me there
Come on and take me where You are
Love, come on and take me there
Come on and take me where you are
So I open my eyes to another day
Faces a world I don't fit in
So all that I can do is wait for You
For You to come again
Like a thief in the night You'll crack the sky
To take me away from there
So I'll look for You everywhere I go
Will You speak to me will You let me know
That the dawn will break and it won't be long
Til You come for me I can still be strong
I can hold on tight til the light break through
I will wait; I will wait for You
Chorus
Words & music by Juluis Drummin, Ty Lacy & Bill Cantos
The song "Take Me There" by the Imperials is a beautiful expression of the longing to be with God. The lyrics speak of the desire to be taken by love to where God is. The singer acknowledges that they can only see so far from a distant shore, but that beyond the eastern sky, God has prepared a place for them. The chorus calls out to love to come and take them to where God is. This is a powerful statement of faith and trust in God's love.
The verses speak of the challenges of living in the world and not fitting in. The singer waits for God to come again, like a thief in the night, to take them away. The bridge expresses the hope and perseverance of waiting for God's return. The singer looks for God everywhere they go and asks for a sign that the dawn will break soon. Even in waiting, they will hold on tight and be strong until the light breaks through.
Overall, "Take Me There" is a beautiful expression of the desire to be with God, even in the midst of the challenges of life. The song encourages us to trust in God's love and to wait patiently for His return.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, come on and take me there
The singer is asking for Love to take them to a certain place.
Come on and take me where You are
The singer wants to be where Love is.
I can only see so far from this distant shore
The singer's view is limited from where they are currently standing.
So I close my eyes and dream
The singer's imagination allows them to dream about being in a better place.
Cause its there beyond the eastern sky
The place the singer longs to be is beyond where the sun rises.
That You've prepared for me
The place the singer wants to be has already been made ready for them.
And with every breath I yearn to be
The singer longs to be in that place with every breath they take.
Where faith will turn to sight
The singer believes that when they reach that place, their faith will transform into something tangible.
Chorus: Love, come on and take me there
Repeating the initial request for Love to take the singer to a certain place.
Come on and take me where You are
Repeating the desire to be where Love is.
So I open my eyes to another day
The singer wakes up to another day.
Faces a world I don't fit in
The singer feels like they don't belong in the current world they are living in.
So all that I can do is wait for You
The singer is patiently waiting for Love to arrive and take them away.
For You to come again
The singer is waiting for Love's return.
Like a thief in the night You'll crack the sky
The image of Love's arrival is described as sudden and unexpected.
To take me away from there
Love will take the singer to the place they have been dreaming of.
So I'll look for You everywhere I go
The singer is always keeping an eye out for signs of Love's return.
Will You speak to me will You let me know
The singer hopes for some kind of communication with Love to know when they are coming back.
That the dawn will break and it won't be long
The singer believes that Love's arrival is imminent.
Til You come for me I can still be strong
The singer draws strength from the hope of Love's return.
I can hold on tight til the light break through
The singer will persevere and wait for Love's arrival no matter how long it takes.
I will wait; I will wait for You
The singer will wait patiently for Love's return.
Chorus
Repeating the request for Love to take the singer to a certain place.
Words & music by Juluis Drummin, Ty Lacy & Bill Cantos
The credits for the song's lyrics and music.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: MASON BETHA, MICHAEL S FOSTER, BERRY GORDY JR, ALPHONSO MIZELL, MARK ALLEN MOTHERSBAUGH, MADELINE NELSON, FREDDIE PERREN, DEKE RICHARDS, TEDDY RILEY, TAMARA SAVAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind