A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he was raised by his aunt, Gertrude Franklin. He developed a talent for music early, playing the piano at age four and becoming music director of his church at age eleven. After getting kicked out of school in his teenaged years, having a girlfriend become pregnant, and after a friend was shot to death he returned to the church. After leading the DFW Mass Choir at the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention, he organized "The Family", a seventeen-voice choir, in 1992 and began his recording career.
He has integrated hip hop styles with gospel themes in albums such as The Nu Nation Project and God's Property, which achieved success on the Billboard Pop Album, R&B and gospel charts.
Franklin has collaborated with the biggest names in gospel music, including Tonex, Donnie McClurkin, Richard Smallwood, Crystal Lewis, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jaci Valesquez, and Willie Neal Johnson. He also has displayed a willingness to collaborate with artists in the secular realm, including Bono, Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, and R Kelly in the hit single, "Lean on Me."
On October 4, 2005, his new long-awaited album Hero was released, with latest single Looking for You.
Franklin's songs are published by Zomba Music Publishing, a division of BMG Music Publishing.
So Good
Kirk Franklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(I'm telling you thank you)
I'm telling the Lord Thank you
Everytime I shed a tear of joy
(I'm saying I love you)
Saying I love you, hmm
Because I realize, I realize
(You didn't have to do what you did, but you did it anyhow)
(So good)
You been so good
And I thank you Lord
(Oh yeah) oh yeah
You've been so good
When I lift my hand
(I'm telling you thank you)
I'm telling you Thank you
When I shed tears of joy
(I'm saying I love you)
I'm saying I love you Jesus
Because I, I realize
(You didn't have to do what you did but you did it anyhow)
Oh, and I'd like to sing and tell the world that you have been
(So good)
Ooh you been, you been
(Oh yeah)
You been
(So good)
So good
Oh, God has
(God has been)
He has been
(Been so good)
God, yes
(God has been)
He has been so
(He's been so good)
Food on my table
(God has been)
Clothes on my back
(Been so good)
He gave me a roof over my head
(God has been)
And I know, I know, I know, He's been
(He's been so good)
Ooh, God
(God has been)
Oh he has been
(Been so good)
I wanna to let the world know that he has
(God has been)
He's been better to me than I've been to myself, he's
(He's been so good)
he's been so, God
(God has been)
Oh God has been
(Been so good)
Oooh, God has, God has
(God has been)
Yes he has, yes he has
(He's been so good)
(God has been)
He's been so good, yeah yeah
(So good)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, he's been so good
(So good)
I wanna take a little time to let you and you know that he's been so good
(So good)
He gave me roof over my head,
Clothes on my back,
Blessed me with a family
(So good)
And I'm glad about it
I could've been dead and gone sleeping in my grave
But God has been
(So good)
Yes he has
You don't know like I know what he's done for me
He's been so
(So good)
So so so so good
And I'm glad about it, and I'm glad about it
Ooh, oh
(So good)
He's been, God has been so good
(So good)
And I want to thank him, and I want to thank him
Thank you Jesus
You've been better to me than I've been to myself
(So good)
You've been so good, yeah
The lyrics of "So Good" by Kirk Franklin are a heartfelt expression of gratitude towards God for all the blessings in life. The song starts with the glorification of God, where the singer lifts up his hands and thanks the Lord. The singer acknowledges that every time he sheds a tear of joy, he is saying "I love you" to God. The repetition of the verse, "You didn't have to do what you did, but you did it anyhow", emphasizes the singer's realization of God's mercy and kindness. The chorus emphasizes the goodness of God in providing food, shelter, and clothing, and thanking Him for everything He has done.
The repeated use of "so good" in the song emphasizes the message of the song that God has been extremely good despite human limitations. The song also highlights the importance of faith in one's life and the need to express gratitude to God for all of His blessings. In conclusion, the song "So Good" is a powerful expression of faith that emphasizes the importance of gratitude for all the good things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I lift, I lift my hands
I'm expressing my gratitude to God by lifting my hands
I'm telling the Lord Thank you
I'm thanking the Lord for all he has done for me
Everytime I shed a tear of joy
I'm expressing my love for God and his blessings in my life
Saying I love you, hmm
I'm expressing my love for God and his goodness to me
Because I realize, I realize
I understand that God didn't have to bless me, but he did it anyway
Oh, you been, you been, you been
God has been amazing, incredible, and wonderful to me
You been so good
God has blessed me and been good to me in so many ways
And I thank you Lord
I express my gratitude to God for all that he has done for me
You've been so good
God has been amazingly good to me
Food on my table
God has provided me with food to eat
Clothes on my back
God has provided me with clothes to wear
He gave me a roof over my head
God has provided me with shelter to live in
And I know, I know, I know, He's been
I'm absolutely certain that God has been good to me
I wanna to let the world know that he has been
I want to share my testimony of God's goodness with the world
He's been better to me than I've been to myself, he's
God has been more good to me than I have been to myself
he's been so, God
God has been amazing
I wanna take a little time to let you and you know that he's been so good
I want to tell everyone how good God has been to me
Blessed me with a family
God has given me a loving and supportive family
And I'm glad about it
I'm happy and thankful for all of God's blessings
I could've been dead and gone sleeping in my grave
God spared my life and has kept me alive
You don't know like I know what he's done for me
Only I truly understand all the ways God has blessed me
So so so so good
God has been incredibly good to me
And I want to thank him, and I want to thank him
I want to show my gratitude to God for his blessings
Thank you Jesus
I thank Jesus for all he has done for me
You've been better to me than I've been to myself
God has blessed me more than I deserve
You've been so good
God has been amazingly good to me
Contributed by Ethan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Julieanne Jules
"So Good"
[Verse 1]
When I lift, I lift my hands
(I'm telling you thank you)
I'm telling the Lord Thank you
Everytime I shed a tear of joy
(I'm saying I love you)
Saying I love you, hmm
Because I realize, I realize
(You didn't have to do what you did, but you did it anyhow)
Oh, you been, you been, you been
(So good)
You been so good
And I thank you Lord
(Oh yeah) oh yeah
You've been so good
[Verse 2]
When I lift my hand
(I'm telling you thank you)
I'm telling you Thank you
When I shed tears of joy
(I'm saying I love you)
I'm saying I love you Jesus
Because I, I realize
(You didn't have to do what you did but you did it anyhow)
Oh, and I'd like to sing and tell the world that you have been
(So good)
Ooh you been, you been
(Oh yeah)
You been
(So good)
So good
[Bridge]
Oh, God has
(God has been)
He has been
(Been so good)
God, yes
(God has been)
He has been so
(He's been so good)
Food on my table
(God has been)
Clothes on my back
(Been so good)
He gave me a roof over my head
(God has been)
And I know, I know, I know, He's been
(He's been so good)
Ooh, God
(God has been)
Oh he has been
(Been so good)
I wanna to let the world know that he has
(God has been)
He's been better to me than I've been to myself, he's
(He's been so good)
he's been so, God
(God has been)
Oh God has been
(Been so good)
Oooh, God has, God has
(God has been)
Yes he has, yes he has
(He's been so good)
(God has been)
He's been so good, yeah yeah
(So good)
[Vamp]
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, he's been so good
(So good)
I wanna take a little time to let you and you know that he's been so good
(So good)
He gave me roof over my head,
Clothes on my back,
Blessed me with a family
(So good)
And I'm glad about it
I could've been dead and gone sleeping in my grave
But God has been
(So good)
Yes he has
You don't know like I know what he's done for me
He's been so
(So good)
So so so so good
And I'm glad about it, and I'm glad about it
Ooh, oh
(So good)
He's been, God has been so good
(So good)
And I want to thank him, and I want to thank him
Thank you Jesus
You've been better to me than I've been to myself
(So good)
You've been so good, yeah
Big C
This song is so powerful. We need to stop asking God for stuff and be thankful because he's BEEN SO GOOD!
Simply A Sweetheart
Amen!!! This song touches a part of my heart Everytime I hear it because I'm so so so grateful for what God has and is doing for me in my life I really am .. words cannot express enough gratefulness to God from me. But I know he knows and that makes me happy although I still have to break chains of bondage in my life and start talking to God more and reading the word of God 🌹🌹😁👍🏾
Jody my Jody
He's been better to me than I've been to myself!!! Been more than good he's amazing!!
sumerluv404
Still my go-to song when I feel myself getting off track. God has been so good to me, so much better than I deserve. Puts things back in perspective (Because I realize . . . )
Rosezenia Cummings
Who still listening in 2018!!!! One of my favs hands down! Thank you Jesus! You didn't have to do what you did but you did anyhow!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Mr Positive Human JKH2
This song is so good for my soul, mind, and body. God Bless.
Lala B-Rad RoyTr
Yeeesssss!!!!! It's 5am and I'm here at work giving thanks to the Lord and having Praise and Worship by my own self!!! So grateful!!!! I love you Jesus!!!!
Val so Cali
Amen!! this song saturates my spirit every time I hear it. I could have been dead and gone sleeping in my grave. God is soooo good. “ You don’t know like I know what he’s done for me” He is more than life.
C. R. Tyler
I CAN JUST KEEP THIS ON REPEAT AND HONOR AND REVERENCE GOD FOR BEING SO GOOD - JUST REST IN PRESENCE!!!! YOU DON'T KNOW LIKE I KNOW WHAT HE'S DONE FOR ME!!!! THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING SO GOOD!!!!!!
Simply A
Still listening in Dec 2019 GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME! I COILD NEVER RE PAY HIM ENOUGH BUT TO LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY HE CREATED ME TO BE💖💖💕💘❤💙💗