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.[
On Your Side
Take 6 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ahh
Ohh
Yeah
Ohh
Ohh
Oooohh
Just when you think you′ve made it
Your whole world falls apart
I know
And so call friends
Go on and leave
You hold onto your pride
But you're crying deep inside
And so you lift your hands
Up to the sky
And sqy oh Lord please tell me why?
Why must it always be this way?
Is there someone who can save?
That′s I'm on your side
Anything you need it all
Give me a call
My love will last forever
I'm on I′m on your side
I will never desert you or hurt you
I′ll always be the one who's on your side
Let me lead the way from your shoulder
I wanna be the friend you need
I′ll protect you from any harm oh yeah
And when the winds are blowing colder
Before you swept away
I will wrap you in my arms day and night
Never be afraid yes we can we can find the way
Keep the faith and believe in me
I'll go in time you will see
That′s I'm on your side
Hey anything you need at all
Oh yeah you need a call
My love will last forever oohhh
I′m on your side
I will never desert you on never or hurt you
I'll always be the one who's on your side
(Always and forever)
My love will always be through fire and rain
And all the pain
Whatever tommorrow will bring ohhh
I′m I′m on on your side your side
Anything you need it all
You need a call my love will last forever
I'll be your friend I′m on your side
I will never never desert you no never or hurt you
Oh yeah
And I'll always be the one who′s on your side
(Always and forever)
I'm on your side your side yeahh
When you need it all
You need a call my love will last forever
It′s always been for you
I'm on your side your side
Oohh
Desert you or hurt you
I'll always be the one who′s on your side
The lyrics to "On Your Side" are about being a loyal and dependable friend during tough times. The song acknowledges that life can be unpredictable and difficult, and sometimes people will disappoint you, but the singer promises that they will always have your back. The lyrics contrast the feeling of isolation and betrayal when people abandon you with the comforting presence of a true friend who will never desert you or hurt you.
The message of the song is one of hope and support, encouraging listeners to trust in the singer's enduring love and friendship. The repetition of the phrase "I'm on your side" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's unwavering commitment to their friend. The lyrics suggest that even in the darkest moments, there is someone who cares and is willing to provide comfort and support.
Overall, "On Your Side" celebrates the power of friendship and the importance of having someone to rely on during life's difficult moments. The song is a reminder that a friend's love can be a source of strength and positivity during challenging times.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes life will deceive you
Life can sometimes trick you and make you believe that everything is going well when it's really not.
Just when you think you've made it
At the moment when you feel like you've achieved your goals and are successful.
Your whole world falls apart
Your life can suddenly collapse and become difficult to handle.
I know
The singer understands the pain and struggle that can come from experiencing hardships in life.
And so call friends
Friends that you thought would be there for you often abandon you in your time of need.
Go on and leave
These fair-weather friends are quick to turn their back on you and move on to other things.
You hold onto your pride
Even though you are struggling, you try to keep a brave face and maintain your dignity and self-respect.
But you're crying deep inside
Despite maintaining a proud demeanor, you are actually feeling sad and emotional on the inside.
And so you lift your hands
In a moment of despair and vulnerability, you reach out to a higher power for help.
Up to the sky
Looking upward to the heavens as a symbol of hope and faith.
And say oh Lord please tell me why?
Asking the divine for answers to why life has been so difficult.
Why must it always be this way?
Questioning why life seems to always be filled with pain and hardship.
Is there someone who can save?
Seeking help and support from anyone or anything that can offer relief.
That's I'm on your side
The singer is offering their support and loyalty to the listener, promising to be by their side through thick and thin.
Anything you need it all
The singer is open and willing to help in any way possible.
Give me a call
The listener can contact the singer for assistance at any time.
My love will last forever
The singer's support and care for the listener is unwavering and enduring.
I will never desert you or hurt you
The singer is promising to be a reliable, dependable friend who will never abandon or harm the listener.
Let me lead the way from your shoulder
The singer is offering to guide and support the listener, helping them to navigate through their struggles.
I wanna be the friend you need
The singer desires to be a true, loyal friend that the listener can rely upon and trust.
I'll protect you from any harm oh yeah
The singer will shield the listener from any danger or distress.
And when the winds are blowing colder
During tough times when things seem bleak and lonely.
Before you swept away
Before you are overcome and defeated by your challenges.
I will wrap you in my arms day and night
The singer will comfort and support the listener constantly, no matter the time of day or night.
Never be afraid yes we can we can find the way
The singer is encouraging the listener to have courage and reminding them that together, they can overcome anything.
Keep the faith and believe in me
The singer is reminding the listener that they must have faith and trust in the singer's support and guidance.
I'll go in time you will see
The singer is promising that with time, they will prove to the listener that their support is genuine and reliable.
My love will always be through fire and rain
The singer promises to support the listener during the best and worst of times.
And all the pain
The singer knows that the listener is experiencing difficult and painful times.
Whatever tomorrow will bring ohhh
The singer is offering their support and care no matter what the future may hold for the listener.
It's always been for you
The singer's support for the listener has always been genuine and unwavering.
Writer(s): Glenn Phillip Jones, Ross Vanelli
Contributed by Hudson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.