She was born in Miami, to a religiously devout mother and musically inclined father. As was common in the area, Williams was exposed to African American blues and jazz, alongside Caribbean calypso. Poverty caused Williams to leave school at fourteen, working with her mother at a laundry. She was singing at church and on street corners, inspired by a wide range of musicians including Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Smith Jubilee Singers. She stuck with gospel, however, in spite of pressure to switch to popular blues tunes or the opera.
Williams was invited to join the Ward Singers when they heard her singing during a visit to her sister in Philadelphia in 1946. Williams did so in 1947, staying with them for eleven years. Her first recording with the group was "How Far Am I from Canaan" (1948), followed by the breakthrough "Surely God Is Able", which launched Williams and the rest of the group into superstardom. Their concerts were mobbed by frenzied fans.
Dissatisfied with the low pay she was receiving while starring for the group, Williams left the Ward Singers in 1958, followed by most of the rest of the group, to form the Stars of Faith. The Stars of Faith was unable, however, to reproduce the success the Ward Singers had enjoyed, as Williams retreated from the spotlight to give other members of the group more opportunity to star.
The group's career recovered, however, in 1961, when it appeared in Black Nativity, an off-Broadway production, and toured across North America and Europe. In 1965, Williams began a solo career but soon returned to Miami for her mother's funeral. While there, she felt reinspired to continue her career and began touring college campuses across the country. Her perhaps best-known hit is from this period -- "Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go". In 1991, she performed as a gospel singer in the film Fried Green Tomatoes, though her scene is available only in the director's cut. The movie was dedicated to her. She was honored as a MacArthur Fellow in 1993 and died in 1994.
[edit] External links
* http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4784252
Put Your Hand In The Hand
Marion Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
My momma taught me how to pray
Before I reached the age of seven
When I'm down on my knees
That's when I'm closest to heaven
Daddy lived his life, two kids and a wife
Well you do what you must do
But he showed me enough of what it takes
To get me through, oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee, Oh yeh!
The lyrics of Marion Williams's song "Put Your Hand In The Hand" invite the listener to put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ to find inner peace, hope, and joy. The song suggests that by putting your hand in His hand, you can experience His power and miracles, as He stilled the water and calmed the sea. The lyrics also urge the listener to look at themselves and others in a different light, possibly through Jesus' eyes or with a new perspective.
The first stanza focuses on Jesus' miracles and the invitation to put your hand in His hand. The second stanza is more personal, hinting at the importance of praying and relying on faith during tough times. The last two stanzas reiterate the invitation to trust Jesus and encourage the listener to join in this act of faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water
Trust in the power of the man who was able to calm turbulent waters
Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea
Have faith in the man who was able to calm the raging sea
Take a look at yourself, and you can look at others differently
Reflect on your own flaws and experiences, which can lead you to be more understanding towards others
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee
Have faith in Jesus Christ, who was born and lived in the region of Galilee
My momma taught me how to pray before I reached the age of seven
My mother taught me the power of prayer at a young age
When I'm down on my knees, that's when I'm closest to heaven
Prayer brings me closer to God and heaven
Daddy lived his life, two kids and a wife, well you do what you must do
My father worked hard to provide for his family, doing what was necessary
But he showed me enough of what it takes to get me through, oh yeh!
My father's example taught me how to persevere and succeed
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee, Oh yeh!
Have faith in Jesus Christ, whose guidance can lead you to success and peace
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GENE MAC LELLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SHAWN WILLIAMS
on Holy Ghost Don't Leave Me
CAN'T FIND HOLY GHOST DON'T LEAVE ME ONLINE ANYWHERE