Lamar Campbell

Lamar was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, w… Read Full Bio ↴Lamar Campbell

Lamar was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was active in the church and musically gifted from an early age. Playing piano in his home church from the age of eight, he became the music director of a church when he was only age fifteen.

Though he was steeped in both gospel and secular music in his youth, it was in gospel that he found his greatest love and passion. He has spent the better part of the last two decades as the music minister of several Indianapolis churches, including Light of the World Christian Church. Lamar is currently serving as a Choral Director and Praise and Worship leader at Windsor Village United Methodist Church of Houston, Texas.

After graduating from high school, Lamar pursued studies in several different areas in search of a vocation, including mechanical drafting, computer technology, and accounting before feeling a call to music ministry as his God-appointed career. He studied music at the Jordan Music College at Butler University in Indianapolis before founding his first group in the late ‘80s, known then simply as Lamar Campbell & Praise. That ensemble released a major-label album two years later that performed moderately well nationally, yielding a major hit titled, “This Debt of Love I Owe,”and made the act a significant name in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas.

Lamar, however, chose to disband that group after three years in 1992, when he felt attention had shifted toward himself and Praise as ‘personalities,’ and too far away from God and ministry-centered focus, leading Lamar to form Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise in 1995.

Years later, as he continues to strive for an even greater degree of excellence, Lamar admits that From the Heart occupies a special and sacred place in his heart.

“Everything seems to have come together in such a perfect way on this album,” Lamar concludes. “Awards, hit records, and accolades are all great, but you can’t let them become the defining elements of your ministry. I can really say that for the first time in my life, I truly believe that God is going to do what He says He’s going to do with this offering, without me looking over His shoulder. And that’s a wonderful place to be.”

Discography

From the Heart: Alliant Music Group (2005)
Ready: Tyscot (1995)
Spirit of Praise: EMI Gospel (1998)
I Need Your Spirit: EMI Gospel (1999)
When I Think About You: EMI Gospel (2000)
The Praise Collection: EMI Gospel (2002)
Confessions of a Worshipper EMI Gospel (2003)

Closer To You
Lamar Campbell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh Lord, I felt Your presence
When I opened my eyes this morning,
I remembered how we started the day together,
Somehow we drifted apart.
I need to feel Your presence all through the day,
Sometimes I get weak and I want to stray.

So I start all over again,

Please Lord give me another chance,
Today I want to be closer to You,
Than I've ever been before.

Oh, Lord it's my desire
Just to please You in all that I do,
Lord I want to walk just like You,
I want to talk just like You,
I want to live holy just like You tell me to.
There are times I must admit
I fall a little short of Your word,
That's when I come running and crying,
Lord help me just to make it through.

So I start all over again,
Please Lord give me another chance;
Today I want to be closer to You,
Than I've ever been before.

I want to be closer to You.

Today, I want to be closer to You,
Than I've ever been before.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lamar Campbell & Spirit Of Praise's song "Closer" depict a strong yearning for a closer relationship with God. The singer expresses his desire to feel God's presence throughout the day and to follow in His footsteps. The lyricist acknowledges that sometimes he falls short of living up to God's holy standards and seeks His help to make it through. The song reveals a heartfelt plea for a deeper connection with God and a commitment to live a righteous life.

The song's repetitive chorus emphasizes the singer's desire to be closer to God, highlighting the centrality of this theme to the song's message. The lyrics also hint at a past closeness between the singer and God, which has somehow been lost. This loss is possibly the result of the singer "drifting apart" from God, and the song is a call to return to that intimate relationship.

In summary, "Closer" is a passionate call to connect with God on a deeper level, expressed through emotive lyrics and a soulful melody.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh Lord, I felt Your presence
I felt Your divine essence around me

When I opened my eyes this morning,
When I woke up, I realized that You were there

I remembered how we started the day together,
I remembered the moments we shared at the beginning of the day

Somehow we drifted apart.
But later we became separated

I need to feel Your presence all through the day,
I require Your divine presence to last throughout my day

Sometimes I get weak and I want to stray.
Occasionally I become feeble and I'm inclined to deviate

So I start all over again,
So I begin anew

Please Lord give me another chance,
Please give me one more opportunity

Today I want to be closer to You,
Today I want to get closer to You

Than I've ever been before.
More than I've ever been before