The Winans released their debut album, Introducing the Winans, in 1981, which was produced by Crouch and featured the now-classic cuts "The Question Is" and "Restoration." The 1983 follow-up, Long Time Comin', started to break the group to a wider audience, reaching the Top Ten on the gospel album charts; it also produced another staple of their repertoire in the ballad "Long Time Comin' (Holdin' On)." The title track of their third album, Tomorrow (which also made the gospel Top Ten), won the group its first Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group in 1985. In the wake of that success, the Winans moved over to famed producer Quincy Jones' Qwest label. Their label debut, Let My People Go, topped the gospel albums chart in 1986, and featured their first high-profile duet -- with Vanessa Bell Armstrong on "Choose Ye." Meanwhile, the title track won another Grammy, and the group received the first of three consecutive Dove Awards as Best Contemporary Gospel Group. Released in 1987, Decision was another number one hit on the gospel charts, and produced the Winans' first big crossover hit in the Anita Baker duet "Ain't No Need to Worry." The single made the Top 20 on the R&B charts and won a third straight Grammy.
Following this run as one of the most popular gospel groups in America, the Winans slowed their pace a little. Aside from the 1988 concert album Live at Carnegie Hall, the group didn't release any new music until 1990's Return. Return was another big crossover success, going gold and just missing the Top Ten on the R&B album charts. It featured a duet with Stevie Wonder on "Everyday the Same," and the Teddy Riley-produced "It's Time" was a major hit with secular audiences, reaching the R&B Top Five. Riley also worked on "A Friend," which became a fan favorite, and saxman Kenny G appeared on another single, "When You Cry." Released in 1993, All Out upped the ante for high-profile guest appearances, featuring Wayman Tisdale (on the single "Payday"), R. Kelly, Lalah Hathaway, Ricky Van Shelton, and Kenny Loggins. Despite winning a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Album, All Out didn't sell as well with secular audiences as its immediate predecessors. Perhaps as a result, the Winans didn't court crossover success as ardently on its follow-up, 1995's Heart & Soul, which returned them to the Top Five on the gospel album charts. After Heart & Soul, the Winans took a break from performing to concentrate on individual interests and ministries. They did return in 2000 with the holiday album Christmas: Our Gifts to You. In 2002, Rhino Records released the 16-track retrospective The Very Best of the Winans, and the entire Winans family -- not just the group itself -- hit the road in support, marking the first time in a decade that all the family members had performed together.
Straighten My Life Out
The Winans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I thought I had it under total control
Feelings inside
Seem to override what I know
I'll take the blame
And I feel quite ashamed
That I let it go this far
But I'm coming to You
Honest and true
Telling you
Do what you have to for I
Don't want to love wrong
I don't want to see wrong
I don't want to be wrong
So straighten my life out again, do it again, yeah
Straighten my life out again
Now believe me I've learned
And the greatest concerns is
That it never happens again
So here's were it ends
I'm making amends
I lived that way once
I can't live that way again I
Don't want to love wrong
I don't want to see wrong, no, no, no
I don't want to be wrong
So straighten my life out again, do it again
Could you just straighten my life out again
You said you could make the crooked straight
And in the middle of a desert
You could spring a well
So what I'm asking of You
Ain't hard for you to do
Would you just take my life, make it right
Turn this darkness into light
For I just want to love right, oh Lord
I just want to see right, that's all it is
I just want to be right
So straighten my life out again
And do it again, do it again
Would you please straighten my life out
For I, I just wanna love right
Yeah
I wanna be able to see you right
Oh, I wanna be right
So straighten my life out again
Please do it
Please do it for me Jesus
Would you just straighten my life out
Straighten my life
Straighten my life
Straighten my life out
Straighten my life
Straighten my life
Straighten my life out
Straighten my life
Straighten my life
Straighten my life out
The Winans's song Straighten My Life Out is about a person who realizes that they have lost control of their life and need help to set things right again. The lyrics begin with the singer admitting that they believed they had everything under control but internal struggles proved otherwise. They accept their role in the situation and take the responsibility for letting things escalate to this point. The singer is then asking God to help them "straighten their life out" again, expressing their desire to do right, not see wrong, and not be wrong.
The song is an expression of humility, asking for forgiveness and guidance from a higher power to set things right again. The singer acknowledges that they cannot do it alone and are in need of divine intervention. The lyrics show the power of faith in turning one's life around and finding inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
I have to admit
I must confess
That I thought I had it under total control
I believed that I had complete mastery over my life
Feelings inside
Emotions held within
Seem to override what I know
Appear to supersede my understanding
I'll take the blame
I will assume responsibility
And I feel quite ashamed
And I experience significant humiliation
That I let it go this far
That I allowed it to progress to this extent
But I'm coming to You
However, I am approaching You
Honest and true
Sincere and genuine
Telling you
Informing You
Do what you have to for I
Do whatever is necessary for me
Don't want to love wrong
Do not want to experience love that is incorrect or harmful
I don't want to see wrong
I do not want to perceive or witness wrongdoing
I don't want to be wrong
I do not want to behave incorrectly or immorally
So straighten my life out again, do it again, yeah
Thus, please correct my life once more, do it again, yes
Now believe me I've learned
Now trust me, I have gained knowledge
And the greatest concerns is
And the most significant issue is
That it never happens again
That it does not recur
So here's were it ends
Therefore, this is where it ceases
I'm making amends
I am correcting my errors
I lived that way once
I once resided in that manner
I can't live that way again
I cannot continue to exist in that manner
You said you could make the crooked straight
You declared that You had the power to rectify what was flawed
And in the middle of a desert
And even in a barren wasteland
You could spring a well
You could bring forth water
So what I'm asking of You
Therefore, what I am requesting from You
Ain't hard for you to do
Is not difficult for You to accomplish
Would you just take my life, make it right
Would You simply seize control of my existence, correct it
Turn this darkness into light
Transform this gloom into illumination
For I just want to love right, oh Lord
Because I only desire to show proper affection, oh Lord
I just want to see right, that's all it is
I only seek to perceive what is correct, that is all
So straighten my life out again
Therefore, straighten out my life once more
And do it again, do it again
And carry out this action once more, once more
Would you please straighten my life out
Would You mind correcting my life
Please do it
Please accomplish it
Please do it for me Jesus
Please perform this for me, Jesus
Straighten my life
Correct my life
Straighten my life
Correct my life
Straighten my life out
Correct my life
Straighten my life
Correct my life
Straighten my life
Correct my life
Straighten my life out
Correct my life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: MARVIN L. WINANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phyllis Cooper
on Self
I need the lyrics for self by the winans
Sharon Gross
on Redeemed
God bless everyone at Easter. The Winans' said, "Tell everybody that it was not a haphazard event nor a secondary scheme but it was the plan of the Lord to redeem." " They whipped Him ALL night long....TO REDEEM; He said, "No man take my life but I laid it down"...TO REDEEM; "He was BORN of a virgin"...TO REDEEM; "JESUS took off his GLORY in Heaven"...TO REDEEM; then HE died on he CROSS...TO REDEEM (THANK YOU, JESUS); then HE ROSE...TO REDEEM. Listen to this beautiful song by the Winans, "Redeemed." It will surely bless your soul. Eternal Love and Peace