The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has 10 Grammy wins, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations. They won Grammy Awards in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, and 2003 and have collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Don Henley, Ray Charles, Queen Latifah, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller and Gordon Goodwin.
In 1980, Claude McKnight formed an a cappella quartet, The Gentlemen's Estate Quartet, at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, a Seventh-Day Adventist College, where he was a freshman. He auditioned fellow students for the hobby group. The Gentlemen were rehearsing in a campus bathroom (later said to be in Peterson Hall), getting ready for a performance, when Mark Kibble walked by and heard them singing. He joined the harmonizing, adding a fifth part, and ended up singing with them onstage that very night.[1] Mark later invited Mervyn Warren to join the group. The group performed under the moniker "Alliance".
The group performed in local churches and on campus over the next years, with members changing due to college's inevitable comings and goings. In 1985, the lower half of the group (bass, baritone, and second tenor) left upon graduating. At that time, Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, and David Thomas joined.
The group was signed to Warner Brothers in 1987, and quickly changed its name to "Take 6" after a name search revealed that "Alliance" was already being used. Their eponymous debut album, released in 1988, won them two Grammy Awards and resulted in top ten appearances on both the Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts. Take 6's swinging, harmony-rich gospel sound attracted a flurry of attention, and the group went on to record or appear with a number of luminaries, including Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder.
In 1991, after the release of their second album, So Much 2 Say, Mervyn Warren left the group to pursue a career as a producer. Joey Kibble, Mark's younger brother, was invited to round out the vocal lineup. The group added instrumentation to their purely a cappella sound beginning with the record He Is Christmas; Join The Band and Brothers continued their streak of success, and Take 6 amassed a total of seven Grammys and eight Dove awards, as well as topping the Downbeat Magazine's Reader's and Critic's poll for seven years' consecutively.
Take 6's 1998 release, So Cool, brought the group back to its a cappella origins.
In 2006 the group launched Take 6 Records and the 2006 release Feels Good was released on that label.
The group currently lists Nashville, Tennessee as its home.[2] All members grew up Seventh-Day Adventist.[
Down Here I've Done My Best
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
Did that …
Well one of these moments it won’t be long
Good for me and I will be gone
Gone down the Jordan on a willing …
Is gonna shake this frame of mine
But I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
Did that …
I wanna go to heaven and rest
When I get to heaven gonna sing and tell
The . taller bill in the hit of the day
To let my heart and begin to play
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
Did that …
I wanna go to heaven and rest
. to the hit of the day to my heart and begin to play
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
Did that …
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I wanna go to heaven and rest
Down here i have done my best
I have been to the pool
Did that …
I wanna go to heaven and rest
I rest I rest I rest
I rest I rest I rest
I rest I rest I rest
I ain’t gonna make it through
I rest I rest I rest
I rest I rest I rest
I rest I rest I rest
The lyrics to Take 6's song "Down Here I've Done My Best" express the desire to go to heaven and find rest after doing their best during their time on Earth. The singer talks about going through the trials of life on Earth, symbolized by going to the pool, but ultimately wanting to reach the peace and comfort of heaven. The song mentions the inevitability of death and the hope of being reunited with loved ones who have passed away. The final repetition of the line "I rest, I rest, I rest" conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance of mortality.
One interesting fact about this song is that it was written by Cedric Dent, a member of Take 6 who also arranged and produced the track. The song was featured on their 1994 album "Join the Band" and has been performed live by the group on numerous occasions. Another interesting fact is that Take 6 is known for their intricate harmonies and vocal arrangements, often incorporating jazz, gospel, and R&B influences into their music. "Down Here I've Done My Best" is a good example of this, with its smooth harmonies and soulful melody.
In terms of chord progressions, "Down Here I've Done My Best" features a simple progression of G, C, D, and Em, with occasional variations in timing and rhythm. The song also showcases the vocal talents of Take 6, with its complex harmonies and impressive vocal range. Take 6 is a six-member a cappella group that has been active since the 1980s, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success with their unique sound and innovative arrangements.
Overall, "Down Here I've Done My Best" is a poignant reflection on mortality and the hope of finding peace and rest in the afterlife. The song's simple chord progression and powerful vocals make it a standout track on Take 6's discography, and its message is one that resonates with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna go to heaven and rest
The singer desires to go to heaven and find peace because they feel they have done their best on earth.
Down here I have done my best
The singer believes they have tried their best in life on earth.
I have been to the pool
It is unclear what this line means without more context or explanation.
Did that ...
It is unclear what this line means without more context or explanation.
Well one of these moments it won’t be long
The artist believes they will not live much longer on earth.
Good for me and I will be gone
When they die, the singer will be gone from this earth.
Gone down the Jordan on a willing …
This line is unclear without more context or explanation.
Is gonna shake this frame of mine
The artist believes their physical body will be shaken or destroyed.
When I get to heaven gonna sing and tell
When the artist gets to heaven, they will want to sing and share their stories.
The...taller bill in the hit of the day
This line is unclear without more context or explanation.
To let my heart and begin to play
The singer wants to be able to let their heart be free and start anew in heaven.
I rest I rest I rest, I ain’t gonna make it through
The artist is tired and feels they cannot move on from this earthly life without going to heaven to find peace.
Contributed by Alexander C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.