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.[
Oh! He Is Christmas
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the melody's been sung
Christmastime has come
Have we remembere to thank the Lord?
Presents wrapped up tight
And the evergreens are white
Christmastime has come
Lut us thank Him for a love so real, so perfect
(He gives His love unconditionally)
Oh what a love
Looks beyound my fauts, my burdens
Got to praise His name (forever...)
[Chorus:]
I can feel there's a difference on this day
Not just because It's a holiday
Sent us the Son
To all the world, Oh! He is Christmas
To all the world, Oh! He is Christmas
Left Your throne on high
All You ask is that we try
Christmastime has come
Have we remembered to thank You, Lord?
Have we thanked You for a love so real, so perfect
(He gives His love unconditionally)
Oh what a love
Looks beyound my fauts, my burdens
Got to praise His name (forever...)
[Chorus:]
The song "Oh! He Is Christmas" by Take 6 is a celebration of Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. The lyrics reflect on the joy and excitement of the holiday season, but also invite listeners to take a moment to express gratitude to God for his love and blessings. The first two verses ask a rhetorical question, "have we remembered to thank the Lord?" suggesting that in our busy routines and holiday preparations, we may lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. The bridge of the song emphasizes the unconditional and perfect love of God, urging listeners to praise his name forever. The chorus expresses a feeling of difference and significance on this day, not just because it's a holiday, but because God sent his son Jesus to the world, making him the true meaning of Christmas.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the tree's bee strung
The Christmas tree has been decorated with lights and ornaments.
And the melody's been sung
Christmas carols have been sung in celebration of the holiday.
Christmastime has come
The festive holiday season has arrived.
Have we remembere to thank the Lord?
Have we taken the time to express gratitude to God?
Presents wrapped up tight
Gifts have been wrapped and readied for distribution to loved ones.
And the evergreens are white
Snow has covered the trees and transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland.
Lut us thank Him for a love so real, so perfect
Let us express thanks for God's unconditional and flawless love.
(He gives His love unconditionally)
God gives his love without limitations or expectations.
Oh what a love
God's love is incredible and beyond human comprehension.
Looks beyound my fauts, my burdens
God's love transcends our imperfections and struggles.
Got to praise His name (forever...)
We must continue to give glory to God for his everlasting love.
[Chorus:] I can feel there's a difference on this day
The holiday holds a special and discernible significance.
Not just because It's a holiday
The day's importance is not limited to the celebration of a holiday.
Sent us the Son
God sent his son, Jesus Christ, as a gift to humanity.
To all the world, Oh! He is Christmas
Jesus Christ is the embodiment and essence of Christmas.
Left Your throne on high
God humbly gave up his position in heaven to come to Earth.
All You ask is that we try
God simply requests that we make an attempt to follow his path.
Have we remembered to thank You, Lord?
Have we offered gratitude to God for his blessings?
Have we thanked You for a love so real, so perfect
Have we expressed appreciation for God's love which is beyond compare?
[Chorus:] To all the world, Oh! He is Christmas
Jesus Christ represents the joy and love of the holiday season to people everywhere.
Contributed by Harper N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.