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.[
If We Ever
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We sure do need Him now
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
We need Him every day and every hour
We sure do need Him now
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him in the morning
We need Him in the night
We need Him in the noonday
When the sun is shining bright
If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him when we´re happy
We need Him when we´re sad
We need Him when we´re burdened
Just to make our hearts feel glad
(O glory) We need Him, we need Him
We really, really, really need Him
In the morning, in the night
We need Him in the noonday
When the sun is shining (shining bright)
(Oh) We need Him, we need Him
We really need Him
When we´re happy, when we´re sad
We need Him when we´re burdened
Just to make our hearts fell... glad
(O glory/ You know that...)
If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him every day and every hour
(Minute by minute by minute)
We need Him every day and every hour
(Every day and, and every hour)
The lyrics of Take 6's "If We Ever" speak about the need for the Lord in our lives. The song begins by stating that we need the Lord now more than ever before. This urgent need for guidance and help is emphasized throughout the song, with the lyrics repeating that we need the Lord every day and every hour. The song highlights that no matter what time of day or what state of emotion we are in, we need the Lord. The chorus also emphasizes that we no longer just want the Lord but we need Him now more than ever.
The second verse of the song highlights specific times when we need the Lord in our lives. The lyrics mention the morning, the night, and the middle of the day, when the sun is shining brightly. It speaks to the idea that there is never a bad time to have the Lord in our lives, and that it is important to turn to Him in every situation. The third verse highlights that we need the Lord when we are happy, sad, or burdened, emphasizing that no matter our emotional state, we need His guidance and support.
Overall, the lyrics of "If We Ever" stress the importance of relying on the Lord and recognizing the necessity of His presence in our lives. The song beautifully conveys this message through its powerful lyrics and soulful harmonies.
Line by Line Meaning
If we ever needed the Lord before
We must acknowledge that we require the Lord's help and mercy now as much as we may have in the past.
We sure do need Him now
It is unequivocal that we need the Lord's guidance and support at this very moment.
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Our need for the Lord is urgent and we recognize that now more than ever.
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
We address the Lord and reiterate our plea - we truly need him at this time.
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We express a feeling of overwhelming joy and awe towards the Lord, recognizing that we need him just as much (if not more) now than ever before.
We need Him every day and every hour
It's not just an immediate need - we need the Lord's help and guidance consistently, without fail.
We need Him in the morning
We require the Lord's guidance and support first thing in the morning to start a new day on the right foot.
We need Him in the night
We require the Lord's guidance and support to be at peace before going to sleep at night.
We need Him in the noonday
We require the Lord's guidance and support in the middle of the day, when we may be feeling particularly overwhelmed.
When the sun is shining bright
Our need for the Lord is not conditional on anything external - we need him no matter what our physical surroundings are like.
We need Him when we´re happy
We even need the Lord's guidance and support when things in our lives are going well and we are happy.
We need Him when we´re sad
Perhaps most obviously, we also require the Lord's guidance and support when we are sad or upset and in need of comfort.
We need Him when we´re burdened
When we are weighed down with worry, stress, or difficulty, we also require the Lord's guidance and support.
Just to make our hearts feel glad
With the Lord's help, we can find joy even amidst hardship and sorrow.
(O glory) We need Him, we need Him
We repeat our joyous exclamation of our need for the Lord, emphasizing its urgency.
We really, really, really need Him
Our need for the Lord is not just poetic or symbolic - it is real and pressing.
Minute by minute by minute
Our need for the Lord's guidance and support is constant, although perhaps the degree of urgency may vary.
(Every day and, and every hour)
We restate that our need for the Lord is recurring and undeniable, no matter the time or place.
We need Him every day and every hour
We repeat and reinforce that our need for the Lord's guidance and support is ongoing and essential.
Contributed by Tyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@darylbenjaminem9
If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
Oh, we sure do need Him now
Oh, Lord, we sure do need Him now
(Oh, glory) If we ever needed the Lord before
We sure do need Him now
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him in the morning
We need Him in the night
We need Him in the noonday
When the sun is shining bright
We need Him when we're happy
We need Him when we're sad
We need Him when we're burdened
Just to make our hearts feel glad
We need Him, we need Him
We really, really, really need Him
In the morning, in the night
We need Him in the noonday
When the sun is shining (shining bright)
(Oh) We need Him, we need Him
We really need Him
When we're happy, when we're sad
We need Him when we're burdened
Just to make our hearts fell... glad
We need Him every day and every hour
We need Him every day and every hour
(Minute by minute by minute)
We need Him every day and every hour
(Every day and, and every hour)
@drewmcgregor5585
My Mother passed away in 1990 and my sister boyfriend told me to listen to this cause i was so down and as god is my witness i listen to this song all the way from Newyork to Atlanta and when I got there i felt like a load had been lifted i felt better thank you take 6 Iam sorry it took so long to respond but Iam listening to you again tonight because i just lost someone dear to my heart that passed away.
@nicogreco6665
Take 6, the lord and all of us with love in our hearts were always here waiting…..🙏💖
I’m soo sorry for your loss…
I’ve lost too many friends growing up and this album always got me through the toughest times. I was lucky enough to be born into a musical family and heard this At around 7 or 8 yrs old. The fact that every single sound here comes from the human body ie: voices and finger snaps is something angelic in itself.
The lords rays are shining on us, act in light..🙏
@TjEdwardz
Omg I remember growing up hearing this! We need MORE MEN GROUPS LIKE THIS IN 2022
@leontynehudson1748
Yes 🙌🏾 you are RIGHT! We need more I can’t get enough of them!♥️
@billhaynes400
Unless you're not breathing, this song and album will put a smile on your face. What a gift from a loving God these folks are!
@prentissbelton4042
Aman
@erikbrown7678
These incredible men are my personal friends and I'm so honored to be able to enjoy their friendship and this incredible message of encouragement presented so perfectly.
@fwilliams5644
I love this song in 2023- we need him every second
@tiffanynairne9114
Take 6 is such an inspiration; this song, this album, this musical group, is serving God every time it's played. Preach it.
@leandrofilier8587
More then 30 years have passed and I still need to hear them singing. Greetings from Brazil