Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell were born in Inglewood,
California. The Campbell (formerly Atkins) sisters grew up as part of a large family of nine children in Inglewood, California. Their parents are Thomasina (An evangelist and choir director at the Evangelistic Church of God in Christ) and Eddie (a youth minister). Because of their proximity in age, the two singers grew up closer to one another than to any of their seven siblings. The sisters quickly entered the world of church choirs, traveling gospel shows, and some television productions. All nine Atkins children were on the Bobby Jones Gospel show on BET.
The sisters had their sights set on making music a career and enrolled at El Camino College to study voice. There they ran up against the divide between academic music studies and the popular musical world. "We had to study classical and sing arias, which was fine," Erica told the Times, "but the teachers would tell us if we sang anything else it would damage our instrument." The sisters tours with the 1995 Michael Matthews traveling gospel show Mama I'm Sorry and Sneaky. Each sister subsequently toured as a backup singer for a variety of R&B acts including Brandy.
A meeting with producer Warryn Campbell led to their song publishing deal with the giant EMI music conglomerate and a series of songs that landed on the soundtracks. They wrote "Dance" and performed it with Robin S. for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle; "Let Go, Let God" for The Prince of Egypt Inspirational, one of three soundtrack albums for the film; and songs of theirs were recorded by Yolanda Adams and 702. At the same time, Mary Mary as a musical entity took shape.
The sisters' profile in the gospel industry was raised when their songs "Time To Change" and "Yeah" were recorded by Yolanda Adams on the Mountain High... Valley Low CD. The duo was subsequently signed to Columbia Records/C2 Records and decided to perform under the name Mary Mary, honoring Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. They were first gospel act to record for the industry giant Columbia Records since Tramaine Hawkins in the mid-1990s. Their first single, "Shackles (Praise You)" became a crossover hit, being popular with gospel, R&B, and pop audiences. It was a Top 10 R&B and Top 40 pop hit, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the first gospel song in five years to crack the R&B top ten and gained wide exposure on the MTV video cable channel. The album was a huge success because it offered a younger, hipper version of gospel that audiences could relate to.
Their first album, Thankful (Mary Mary Album) in May 2000, which would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, and a second single, "I Sings". Peaking at #1 on the Gospel album chart and at #59 of the overall Top 200 chart, Thankful was certified Platinum for sales of 1 million copies in the USA. Both singles were also hits in the UK and Europe, and to this day remain popular with Christian youths in the US, Latin America, and Europe.
With their second album Incredible, the duo was able to maintain their success. The record, soon after its release, went to #1 on the Gospel chart, and was able to enter the Top 20 of the Top 200 album chart. Incredible was later certified Gold for 500,000 copies sold in the United States. The album's singles In The Morning and I Try became relatively large hits within the contemporary gospel nation.
After taking time off to have children, their third album Mary Mary appeared. It became the duo's first album to enter the Top 10 on Billboard and was later on certified Gold for sales of 500,000 copies. The first single "Heaven" containing a sample from seventies soul trio the Honey Cone's "Want Ads". Heaven made history and broke chart records as it had an unprecedented 9 week run as the #1 record on Billboard's Gospel Radio chart. The second single, "Yesterday", also became a hit, especially on the Adult R&B charts where it peaked at #10. On the R&B/Hip Hop chart, the song became their second biggest hit since "Shackles" in 2000, reaching the #53 spot so far.
On October 10, 2006`, the recording group released their most recent album inspired by Christmas songs and is called A Mary Mary Christmas.
Yesterday
Mary Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've had so many ups and downs
Don't know how much more I can take
See, I decided that I cried my last tear yesterday
Either I'm going to trust you or I may as well walk away
'Cause stressing don't make it better
Don't make it better, no way
Yesterday, oh, yesterday, I decided to put my trust in you
Oh, oh, yesterday, yesterday, I realized that you would bring me through
There ain't nothing too hard for my god, no
Any problems that I have
He's greater than them all, so
I decided that I cried my last tear yesterday
The song Yesterday by Mary Mary speaks to the feeling of being completely overwhelmed and wanting to give up. The opening lyrics express the exhaustion from heartache and headache that one can experience and the feeling of being up and down, never finding a steady ground. The singer acknowledges that they may not be able to bear any more hardship and must make a decision: to trust or to walk away. The chorus of the song becomes an affirmation that the singer has decided to put faith and trust in their God to bring them through whatever trials they may face. The song acknowledges that life will always have challenges, but with God, nothing is too hard to overcome.
Line by Line Meaning
I had enough heartache and enough headache
I have faced a lot of emotional pain and stress in my life
I've had so many ups and downs
I have experienced many highs and lows in my life
Don't know how much more I can take
I am unsure if I can handle any more hardships
See, I decided that I cried my last tear yesterday
I have made the decision to stop dwelling on my past and move forward with hope
Either I'm going to trust you or I may as well walk away
I must either fully trust in God or abandon my faith altogether
'Cause stressing don't make it better
Worrying and stressing about my problems will not improve the situation
Don't make it better, no way
Stress cannot fix my problems
See, I decided that I cried my last tear yesterday
I have chosen to put my faith in God and not let my problems bring me down
Yesterday, oh, yesterday, I decided to put my trust in you
In the past, I made the decision to rely on God and trust in His plan for my life
Oh, oh, yesterday, yesterday, I realized that you would bring me through
I had an epiphany that God will guide me through any struggles I may face
There ain't nothing too hard for my god, no
God can overcome any challenge, no matter how difficult
Any problems that I have
No matter what struggles I encounter
He's greater than them all, so
God is more powerful than any obstacle or difficulty
I decided that I cried my last tear yesterday
I am committed to having faith in God and trusting in His strength to see me through hard times
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERICA ATKINS-CAMPBELL, ERICA MONIQUE ATKINS-CAMPBELL, TRECINA ATKINS-CAMPBELL, WARRYN CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bishops Grace & Mercy
This song made me realize I was a victim of abuse. He may have not hit me physically, but he killed every alive feeling I ever had in my body. No type of abuse is okay. # God brought me through it and He removed that demon from my life# Standup for yourself
aleah sellars
God is good
Mynda Joe
I survived two abusive marriages. By the grace of God, I am safe, strong, and happy. This songs gets me every time.
April Akins
This song has so much meaning . My past has not been the best but I know my future is bright
Kim Evans
Lady donβt you know βyour latter days are better than your former dayβ and noticing that you posted your comment 3 years ago, I hope youβre in that future that youβre so much better now!!π
Alberta Acklin
Alberta. ACKILN
Stephanie Johnson
Amen
Alyssa
Amen hope everything is going better for you now
Cookie Woo
π·
Vanna J
I like Erica's voice but when Tina opens her mouth, I get this tingly feeling all over. Her part in this song does something unexplainable to me! Yasss Tina! I'd love for her to go solo.