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 You Only Knew
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's tired of always hiding
Afraid that she'll be looked upon with shame
Instead she goes on hurting
She knows it isn't working
How much longer does she have to bear the pain
[Channel:]
Somewhere Someone really cares
And the same Someone is always waiting to hear from you
Would you believe that Someone loved you so much
He sacrificed His life and all for you
Oh my, my If you only knew
[Chorus:]
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you hade a clue yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
He's a man who thinks he's something
Love to him means nothing
As captain of his ship he stands alone
But inside there's something missing
It seems his ship is sinking
How much longer can he make it on his own
[Channel]
[Chorus:]
[Bridge:]
Would you go and thell somebody else
What he's live with Him in paradise
[Vamp:]
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you hade a clue yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm waiting to hear from you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I pour out all heaven for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I gave up my Son for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Someone cares for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yes I do, if you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And if you only knew
The song “If You Only Knew” by Take 6 is a gospel-inspired ballad that speaks to the heart of those who are facing an inner struggle between their own pain and their fear of judgment. The opening lyrics recognize the struggle of a person who is hiding their pain, not wanting to be shamed for their emotional burden. The following verse speaks to a character who is a “captain of his ship,” identified as someone who puts on an external façade, but inside is lacking something vital. The chorus repeats the line, “If you only knew,” emphasizing the idea that if only the characters could see what the songwriter sees, they would find a way out of their pain.
The message of hope and redemption is reinforced through the bridge and vamp, with the songwriter urging the listener to share their burdens with a higher power, to go and tell others about the love that awaits them if they only knew. The final line repeats the chorus and emphasizes the point once more that if only the characters knew the love that was available to them, they could overcome their struggles and find peace.
Overall, the song expresses the pain and isolation that people sometimes feel when struggling with inner demons, and highlights the hope and love that can be found through a connection with a higher power. It encourages the listener to be open to the possibility of change, and to seek out the support and strength that can come from a relationship with a caring presence.
Line by Line Meaning
She wants to break the silence
She wants to speak up and not remain quiet anymore
She's tired of always hiding
She is exhausted from keeping her true feelings hidden
Afraid that she'll be looked upon with shame
She fears being judged and criticized by others
Instead she goes on hurting
Rather than express her pain, she continues to suffer internally
She knows it isn't working
She realizes that her current approach is not bringing her the desired outcome
How much longer does she have to bear the pain
She wonders how much longer she can endure the suffering
What If I told you
Consider this scenario
Somewhere Someone really cares
There is someone who truly cares about you
And the same Someone is always waiting to hear from you
This person is willing to listen and support you at any moment
Would you believe that Someone loved you so much
Can you imagine that this person loves you immensely
He sacrificed His life and all for you
This person was willing to give up everything for you
Oh my, my If you only knew
If only you knew the extent of this person's love and support
If you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If only you realized the truth
If you hade a clue yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
If only you had some understanding
He's a man who thinks he's something
He is a man with an inflated ego
Love to him means nothing
He does not value love
As captain of his ship he stands alone
He is the leader of his own life, but feels isolated
But inside there's something missing
He feels a sense of emptiness within
It seems his ship is sinking
He feels like his life is falling apart
How much longer can he make it on his own
He wonders how much longer he can continue without any help or support
Would you go and thell somebody else
Would you share this message and help someone else
What he's live with Him in paradise
The potential of living an eternal life with God
I'm waiting to hear from you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This person is eagerly waiting for a response from you
I pour out all heaven for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This person is willing to do everything possible to help you
I gave up my Son for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This person was willing to sacrifice their own son for your benefit
Someone cares for you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Someone truly cares about you
Yes I do, if you only knew yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The person expressing these words genuinely cares about you
And if you only knew
If only you realized the truth
Contributed by Joseph L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LaChele
I enjoyed this album through and through. Start to finish. They are so gifted. I'm such a fan. My favorites were Evermore, So Cool and Sonshine.
Mic Flo
Yes me too
OMG I’M OVER 40
I love this song!
SentOne
Awesomeness of take 6..Thank God for your Lives.
JC Raisel
Awesome! ☺️
nathan kwao
nice harmony