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.[
I Believe
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just when I think I can get a breath of fresh air I'm gasping for more
I can remember way back in my childhood days when my mama used to say to me
"God sees the little sparrow fall and I know He's got His eye on me"
I believe what she told me
I believe what she said is true (I believe it! )
I believe what she told me
She said, "God will take care of you" (I believe it)
And put Him first in everything you do
And He will make a way out of no way
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
That's the reason why, why, why He would say that
"You gotta believe in Me"
I kept thinking I could make it on my own and only call when I'm in need (call on You Lord)
It took some trials to break my stubborn mind, but I'm gonna follow where you lead
You never said the way would be easy, or that there would never be any night
You said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light"
I believe what He told me
I believe what He said is true (I believe it)
I believe what He told me
He said: I will take care of you" (I believe it)
Believe that He tells you
And put Him first in everything you do
He will make a way out of no way
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
That's why, why, why He would say that
"You gotta believe in Me"
I believe what you told me
No doubt in my mind
No greater love
I'll ever find
I'll tell everybody, everywhere I go
I believe what He said, and I'm gonna follow His way
He will make a way out of no way
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
That's the reason why, why He woud say
He'll give eternal life if you believe (but ya gotta believe)
He will make a way out of no way
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
That's the reason why, why He would say
He'll give eternal life! But ya better believe! (He's gonna give it! Believe it! )
The lyrics to the Take 6's song "I Believe" talks about the power of belief and faith in God to resolve problems and overcome difficult situations. The first verse describes how life's problems can overwhelm us, but by believing in God's protection, we can find peace and comfort. The song's chorus reinforces the importance of believing in God and placing Him first in everything we do as it will eventually lead us to a brighter future. The second verse explains how the singer initially tried to handle life on his own but ultimately found that following God's guidance and teachings was the right way forward. The song concludes by saying that believing in God is crucial as it brings eternal life.
Line by Line Meaning
Everytime the wind blows, it blows problems at my door
Whenever there's a challenge or a difficulty in my life, it seems to come one after the other and never stops.
Just when I think I can get a breath of fresh air I'm gasping for more
Even when I feel like I've overcome one obstacle, there's always another waiting for me, and I can't seem to catch a break.
I can remember way back in my childhood days when my mama used to say to me
When I was a child, my mother used to teach me valuable lessons and share her wisdom with me.
"God sees the little sparrow fall and I know He's got His eye on me"
My mother used to reassure me that even if God cares for tiny birds, then He must surely care for me too and always watch over me.
I believe what she told me
I truly trust the words my mother shared with me about God's care for me.
I believe what she said is true (I believe it! )
I have faith and conviction that every word she spoke were the truth and always will be true.
I believe what she told me
I continue to keep that faith and trust in the promises my mother made about God's protection over me.
She said, "God will take care of you" (I believe it)
My mother assured me of how God would always look after me and take care of all my worries and fears, and I trust her words completely.
Just believe what He tells you
We should trust God's promises and have unwavering faith in what he says.
And put Him first in everything you do
Prioritize and make God the center of all your actions, thoughts, and deeds.
And He will make a way out of no way
Even when it seems impossible or hopeless, God has the power to make a path and help us overcome any obstacles.
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
God can turn your sad, lonely moments into brighter, joyful times filled with love and happiness.
That's the reason why, why, why He would say that
God reminds us of how He can transform our lives and help us in our time of need.
"You gotta believe in Me"
We need to have trust in God and believe in His love, grace, and omnipotence.
I kept thinking I could make it on my own and only call when I'm in need (call on You Lord)
I thought I was strong and self-sufficient, but I realized that I need to call on God and ask for His help whenever I need it.
It took some trials to break my stubborn mind, but I'm gonna follow where you lead
Going through some hardships made me realize the error of my ways, and I decided to follow God's guidance instead of my stubbornness.
You never said the way would be easy, or that there would never be any night
God never promised that our journey would be easy or that life would only have happy times. He warned us that it would be difficult at times.
You said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light"
God declared that his teachings are simple, and His way is much easier to bear than to live life without Him.
I believe what He told me
I trust what God has shared with me about His word and teachings.
I believe what He said is true (I believe it)
I have faith that everything that God has ever said is true and will always be.
I believe what He told me
I keep that belief and conviction in my heart, knowing that God's promises are true.
He said: I will take care of you" (I believe it)
God assures us that He will take care of us and be there for us whenever we need Him, and I trust Him 100%.
Believe that He tells you
One should have absolute faith and trust in what God speaks to us through His word and actions.
And put Him first in everything you do
We should always make God our highest priority in all our affairs and actions.
He will make a way out of no way
God will help us overcome seemingly impossible challenges or challenges for which we see no way out.
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
God can turn our darkest moments into brighter, joyful times filled with love and happiness.
That's why, why, why He would say that
It's because of His deep love for us that God promises to help us and transform our lives for the better.
"He'll give eternal life if you believe (but ya gotta believe)"
God, out of His love for us, gives us eternal life if we put our faith and trust in Him, but we must believe to receive it.
He will make a way out of no way
Once again, God will help us overcome any tough or impossible situations.
Exchange your lonely nights for brighter days
We can go from feeling sad or lonely to experiencing love and happiness if we trust in God.
That's the reason why, why He would say
God provides us with hope and love so that we can find our way through the darkness in our lives.
He'll give eternal life! But ya better believe! (He's gonna give it! Believe it! )
God doesn't promise to give it to us unless we believe that He will come through, but if we do believe in Him, then He promises to give us eternal life.
Contributed by Anna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.