The multi-award-winning (including 4 Grammys) group, and Gospel Music Association's hall of fame inductees, began in 1964. Jake Hess of the Statesmen Quartet decided to hand-pick the best singers he could find to put together what he would call a "super group" that would be known as The Imperials: Hess (lead), Armond Morales (bass from the Weatherford Quartet), former Oak Ridge Boys baritone Gary McSpadden, the Speer Family's Sherrill Nielsen (tenor), and Henry Slaughter (the Weatherford Quartet) at piano. Until Hess was forced to retire because of health reasons, the group was usually called Jake Hess and The Imperials.
Over the years, there have been many changes of members (and styles). They hit their peak of popularity in the late '70s and early '80s with Morales, Jim Murray (tenor), David Will (baritone), and Russ Taff.
The current lineup includes: Jason Morales, Perry Jones, Ian Owens and Scott Allen.
Take Me There
The Imperials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on and take me where You are
I can only see so far from this distant shore
So I close my eyes and dream
Cause its there beyond the eastern sky
That You've prepared for me
And with every breath I yearn to be
Chorus:
Love, come on and take me there
Come on and take me where You are
Love, come on and take me there
Come on and take me where you are
So I open my eyes to another day
Faces a world I don't fit in
So all that I can do is wait for You
For You to come again
Like a thief in the night You'll crack the sky
To take me away from there
So I'll look for You everywhere I go
Will You speak to me will You let me know
That the dawn will break and it won't be long
Til You come for me I can still be strong
I can hold on tight til the light break through
I will wait; I will wait for You
Chorus
The song "Take Me There" by The Imperials is a powerful expression of a believer's desire to be reunited with God. The song's central theme is the longing for God's love and the desire to be in His presence. The lyrics talk about the singer's distance from God and how he is waiting for God to take him the place where His love is.
The opening line of the lyrics "Love, come on and take me there" presents a sense of urgency and desperation in the singer's voice. He feels that he is far away from God and unable to reach Him. The line "I can only see so far from this distant shore" expresses his limitation in understanding God's love from where he is now.
However, the singer's faith keeps him going as he dreams of the place that God has prepared for him beyond the eastern sky. The line "And with every breath I yearn to be where faith will turn to sight" expresses his yearning to be in that place where he can see God face to face.
The chorus repeats the opening line, "Love, come on and take me there" twice, which reinforces the singer's desire to be with God. In the second verse, the singer talks about how he doesn't fit into this world, and he's waiting for God to come again. The line "Like a thief in the night You'll crack the sky to take me away from there" refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ, which the singer is eagerly waiting for.
The final verse is about the singer's perseverance as he waits for God to come. He sings about looking for God everywhere he goes and waiting for the moment when he can be taken away by God. The line "I will wait; I will wait for You" is a powerful statement of faith and determination.
Overall, "Take Me There" by The Imperials is a passionate expression of faith and longing for God's love. The song's combination of evocative lyrics and soaring melodies make it a moving testament to the power of faith and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, come on and take me there
Asking for love to lead towards a spiritual realm
Come on and take me where You are
Requesting to be in the presence of a divine being
I can only see so far from this distant shore
Feeling limited and unable to experience the divine being's true nature
So I close my eyes and dream
Using imagination to seek a deeper spiritual understanding
Cause its there beyond the eastern sky
Believing the divine realm is beyond human comprehension
That You've prepared for me
Believing in a divine plan that includes a personal connection
And with every breath I yearn to be
Wishing to be united with the divine being
Where faith will turn to sight
Believing that faith will be transformed into a tangible experience
Chorus: Love, come on and take me there
Reiterating the request for spiritual guidance
Come on and take me where You are
Requesting to be in the divine being's presence again
So I open my eyes to another day
Beginning anew with search for spiritual understanding
Faces a world I don't fit in
Feeling disconnected from worldly affairs
So all that I can do is wait for You
Reliance on divine guidance during times of uncertainty
For You to come again
Believing that the divine being will return
Like a thief in the night You'll crack the sky
Expecting an unexpected divine revelation
To take me away from there
Being united with the divine being fully
So I'll look for you everywhere I go
Being mindful of the divine being in everyday life
Will You speak to me, will You let me know
Seeking a direct spiritual connection
That the dawn will break and it won't be long
Believing that a positive transformation is imminent
Til You come for me I can still be strong
Finding solace in the belief that the divine being will return
I can hold on tight til the light break through
Persevering through hardship and waiting for divine revelation
I will wait; I will wait for You
Patience and trust towards the divine being's plan
Chorus
Continued seeking and reliance on divine guidance
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yvette Reid
on Would You Believe in Me
Thank you Lord Jesus you speak to me in this song.
Stan Massengill
on Seek Ye First
Those are obviously NOT the lyrics.