"I sing God's music because it makes me feel free," Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, "It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues."
Jackson grew up in the "Black Pearl" section of the Carrollton neighbourhood of uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, and began singing in a Baptist church. In 1927 she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she sang with The Johnson Brothers, one of the earliest professional gospel groups.
The Johnson Brothers broke up in the mid-1930s, and Jackson began her solo career, recording for Decca in 1937. The result, "God's Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares", was only a moderate success, but Jackson became a popular concert draw. She didn't record again untill 1946, when she signed with Apollo Records, releasing several singles that are now highly regarded, though sales were sluggish at the time. "Move On up a Little Higher" (1948) became a huge success, however, and stores could not stock enough of it to meet demand. Jackson rocketed to fame in the U.S. and soon afterwards in Europe. "I Can Put My Trust in Jesus" won a prize from the French Academy, and "Silent Night" was one of the best-selling singles in the history of Norway. She began a radio series on CBS and signed to Columbia Records in 1954. With her mainstream success came an inevitable backlash from gospel purists who felt she had watered down her sound for popular accessibility.
Jackson's career in the late 1950s and early 1960s continued to rise when she recorded with Percy Faith, and performed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. She also sang at the funeral of her friend Martin Luther King, Jr. The late 1960s saw a downturn in her popular success. She ended her career with a concert in Germany in 1971; when she returned, she made one of her final television appearances on The Flip Wilson Show.
Jackson died in Chicago on 27th January 1972 of heart failure and diabetes at the age of sixty. She was buried in Providence Memorial Park in Metairie, Louisiana. She was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1978.
Take My Hand
Mahalia Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on through the light
Take my hand, precious Lord
And lead me home
Precious Lord, lead me near
When my life is almost gone
At the river I will stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand, precious Lord
And lead me home
Mahalia Jackson's version of "Take My Hand Precious Lord" is a powerful and emotional rendition of the classic hymn. The song is a plea for comfort and guidance from God through life's trials and tribulations. The first verse begins with a request for God to take the singer's hand and lead them through difficult times. The singer admits to feeling tired, weak, and worn, but asks to be guided through the storm and darkness towards the light. It's a heartfelt expression of faith in God's love and power to provide comfort and direction.
The second verse of the song continues with the same sentiment. The singer asks for God to be near them in moments of weariness and weakness, and to guide them through the final moments of life. At the river, which is often interpreted as the river of death, the singer asks for God to hold their hand and guide their feet. It is a tender and moving expression of faith in the face of mortality.
Overall, "Take My Hand Precious Lord" is a testament to the power of faith and the belief that God is always there to guide and comfort us in life's most difficult moments. Mahalia Jackson's stirring performance of this classic hymn continues to move and inspire listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Precious Lord, take my hand
Calling out to the Lord for guidance and support in a difficult time. Relinquishing control to a higher power.
Lead me on, let me stand
Asking to be led forward and given the strength to stand firm in the face of adversity.
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Expressing exhaustion and weariness from life's struggles. Acknowledging the need for assistance and help.
Through the storm, through the night
Asking for support during difficult times, whether it be physical or emotional.
Lead me on through the light
Asking to be guided through life's difficult times and brought back into a place of peace and contentment.
Take my hand, precious Lord
Inviting the Lord to take control and lead the way.
And lead me home
Wanting to return to a place of safety, comfort, and security.
When my way grows dreary
Acknowledging that life is not always easy and there will be difficult times.
Precious Lord, lead me near
Asking for closeness and a stronger connection to God during difficult times.
When my life is almost gone
Putting faith in God to guide them through the end of their life.
At the river I will stand
Standing at the threshold of death and being ready to cross over into the afterlife.
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Ask the Lord to hold their hand through the final stage of their life journey.
And lead me home
Having faith in the Lord to lead them to their eternal home.
Lyrics ยฉ Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas A. Dorsey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hikersdiarysg4136
่ฆชๆไธป๏ผ็ฝๆๆ-------Precious Lord, Take My Hand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OR2XKPHMCE
(1) ่ฆช ๆ ไธป๏ผ็ฝ ๆ ๆ๏ผ
qin ai zhu qian wo shou
Precious Lord, take my hand.
ๅปบ ็ซ ๆ๏ผ้ ๆ ่ตฐ๏ผ
jian li wo ling wo zou
Lead me on, let me stand.
ๆ ็ฒ ๅฆ๏ผๆ ่ป ๅผฑ๏ผๆ ่ฆ ๆ๏ผ
wo pi juan wo ruan ruo wo ku chou
I'm tired, Iโm weak, Iโm worn;
็ถ ้ขจ ๆด๏ผ้ ้ป ๅค๏ผ
jing feng bao guo hei ye
Through the storm, through the night,
ๆฑ ้ ๆ๏ผ้ฒ ๅ ๆ๏ผ
qiu ling wo jin guang ming
Lead me on to the light.
่ฆช ๆ ไธป๏ผ็ฝ ๆ ๆ๏ผๅฐ ๅคฉ ๅบญใ
qin ai zhu qian wo shou dao tian ting
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
ใ###############
(2) ๆ ้ ่ทฏ๏ผ้ ๆท ๆถผ๏ผ
wo dao lu sui qi liang
When my way grows drear,
ไธป่จ่ฟ๏ผๆ ฐๆๅท๏ผ
Precious Lord, linger near,
ๆๅจไธๅฟซๆๅฎ็พๅฅฝไป๏ผ
When my light is almost gone.
่ฝๆๆฑ๏ผ่ฝๆ็ฆฑ๏ผ
Hear my cry, hear my call.
ๆๆๆ๏ผ้ฒ่ทๅ๏ผ
Hold my hand, lest I fall.
่ฆชๆไธป๏ผ็ฝๆๆ๏ผๅธธๅผๅฐใ
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
###################
(3) ็ฝๆฅ้๏ผๆฅ้ ญ่ฝ๏ผ
When the darkness appears
้ปๆๅค่จๅฐๆ๏ผ
And the night draws near.
ไธป่ถ็ฉๅฆๆจๆๅ ็ งๆ๏ผ
And the day is past and gone.
ๆ็ซ็ซ็ๅฝๆฒณ๏ผ
At the river I stand.
ๆๆๆ๏ผๅธถ้ ๆ๏ผ
Guide my feet, hold my hand.
่ฆชๆไธป๏ผ็ฝๆๆ๏ผๅฐๅคฉๅฎถใ
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.
#####################
@kmr101
Martin Luther King apparently said as he was dying โprecious Lord take my handโ, sister Mahalia sang this at his funeral. God blessed them both.
@morganalvarez5925
Amen Amen ๐
@BladedBear
The film "Mississippi Burning" was made more powerful by the fact that this song was the intro.
@leslieyancey5084
I was trying to remember where Iโd heard this song, then read your comment and remembered it from a documentary about Dr King. Such a beautiful song, and beautiful voice to honor his memory!
@gypzs9
Miss Jacksonโs voice is so clear, pure, real and very personal. Miss her greatly.
@huviechapma5949
My mother has Alzheimerโs disease and this song CALMS her down!!! She even sings the song, of course she cries, mom is 93 years old. I love this song as well.
@shuntabowers2913
(Music)
@Barrelsmoke
My mother in law had Alzhimers and never forgot her Lord or these lovely hymns. She is home now!
@debw.1395
God bless.
@azillliasmith2734
Blessing to your dear mother โค๏ธ๐ธ๐ท