Tye has been making bold declarations and bringing forth change within his music for years with Tye Tribbett & Greater Anointing (“G.A.”), his family and ministry. Together they toured and performed with some of the biggest artists in the secular world including Whitney Houston, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Luther Vandross, Elton John, Justin Timberlake and Jill Scott to name a few. It was during a consecration period in between their first two albums Life (2004) and Victory Live! (2006), where Tye & G.A. made the decision to focus solely on gospel.
The success of Life was bolstered to the Billboard Top 10 Gospel Album chart with the infectious singles “No Way” and “Everything.” Victory Live! entered the Billboard Top Gospel Album chart at #1, generated the #1 Gospel Radio single, “Victory,” and earned Tribbett two Stellar Award wins and three Grammy nominations — Best Gospel Performance (“Victory”); Best Gospel Song (“Victory”); and Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. With his third installment Stand Out (2008) entering the Billboard Gospel chart at #1, Tye further propelled the goodness of God with his musical message.
It was within the last year, however, that Tye learned much more about God’s goodness and grace while dealing with the issue of infidelity in his marriage. Tye moved through a dark period that led to thoughts of suicide. It was here when he acknowledged he moved far away from his foundation. Ironically it was sixty day sabbatical from his musical ministry that realigned Tye to focus on his personal ministry with God and his family first. Tye recalls, “I turned away from God and as soon as I turned back around He was ready to receive me, and I learned God does not hold grudges at all.”
On the fiftieth day, Tye received a revelation in Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” The revelation and acceptance opened Tye’s eyes and behold, God set forth the next phase of change. “The Lord restored [my marriage] for the gospels’ sake, not the gossip’s sake.” The process also consisted of transition with Greater Anointing. “There is a season for everything and no matter how great a season is, the next one is always coming. There was nothing wrong with G.A., it was just time for another season,” proclaims Tye. “I had to release everybody to be who they were called to be.” Tye was clear that the Lord restored his marriage to a new position and with obedience and renewed sensibility, his music would also be restored.
With Fresh Tye is clear, the direction of the music and the ministry changed. “It’s opening a door you never opened before and walking through. It’s unfamiliar and new.” While Tye wrote and produced a majority of the album, he also solicited assistance from a small handful of talented individuals along the way for the very first time. “Fresh,” the first single and title track is a personal testimony. The uptempo celebratory dance jam produced by Pablo Vaillatoro of the Group One Crew sets forth a revived form of worship. Sonically, the pulsating rhythm of techno beats serve as the under-current to Tye’s almost auto-tune laden voice as he sings “you can’t even imagine what God has so fresh.” As Tye further proclaims, “it’s a cry out to God for the frustration of the normal, same ‘ole thing, yet celebrating the newness of life.”
Also from the Group One Crew, Manwell Reyes contributed as a writer and producer with the retro “All For You.” Surrendering to the process of being produced versus being the producer, the track excited Tye with its syncopated drum patterns, because it reaches beyond gospel. “I feel like I can go places I have never gone before- beyond the church walls to expand the brand with other inspirational outlets.”
Tye wrote and produced the first song that came during his lowest point in the wilderness, the aptly titled “Good.” The track gives a youthful approach to praise and worship, with its drum pulses and guitar strums as he simply acknowledges, “I love vertical songs and the God we serve is good.” Another personal song to Tye is the old soul, down home bluesy, “Keep Me.” Inspired by his daughter catching two teenagers kissing on television, Tye provided gentle instruction on content for an age-appropriate audience to his young butterfly. Immediately, John 17 entered into Tye’s spirit, acknowledging “Jesus wants us to pray not to be kept out of this world because His power is shown by how he keeps us while we are in the fire. I can’t keep my daughter, but God can.”
Anointed worship musician Israel Houghton contributes to Fresh with “Champion” and “Most High God (Lude).” For Tye the awesome collaboration expresses the sentiment dearest to him, citing “I love songs that brag about how strong and mighty our God is. I can’t wait to perform that song live.” The anthemic “Champion” takes its big piano as “Most High God (Lude)” simplifies is sounds for his vocal praise.
Both “Your Blood (The Communion Song)” and “Take Over” highlight Men of Standard members Isaac Carree and Lowell Pye respectively. “Your Blood” is a big sounding choir song, while “Take Over” is a song of sanctification. While each song amply reflects surrender to God, the humility present and accounted for is in sheer reverence for God’s greatness and grace.
In the uiet stillness within, “You Alone” simply sounds like a prayer. Inspired by Contemporary Christian Music and the total devotion to the fullness of God, Tye acknowledges, “I want to grow my audience to a more mature worship experience and atmosphere.” Adding “the words ask you to listen to my heart and not just the music because this is something you can pray when speaking of the Lord or speaking to Him” as the simplicity of the chords invoke the worship atmosphere. Subsequently “Holding On” sounds like the letter to God after the prayer. “This song stretches me and opens the door with its inspiration. When life gets hard, everybody needs something to hold on to.”
All sixteen tracks on the candid Fresh album are simple, “I want everyone to be refreshed because there is a cleansing that takes place in worship. Whatever I was known for, I’m adding to it with this CD. I want my heart to be heard and then you will understand.” Purposeful in the acknowledgement of his testimony, Tye Tribbett’s self-professed “compassion package” is based on growing through the storms of life with full transparency acknowledging God can change someone. Tye is pursuing an acting career and becoming more involved with organizations that target bouncing back and moving forward. “I have a greater compassion coming out of a storm because this love I experience from God, and for my wife and His people, is so big because He first loved us. Know that a relationship with God is possible.” And that is fresh.
G.A. Hymn
Tye Tribbett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who is there in the time of need?
And when I get weak who gives me His strength?
Who else but God, who else but God
Who has power beyond what eyes can see?
Who orders the wind blow and rivers flow?
So great and mighty, yet still cares for me
Now who is He who keeps my mind at ease?
And who gives me praise for heaviness?, and
For ashes, who gives beauty?
Who else but God, who else but God
Now who is He who always makes a way?
Who's the one who never fails?
And in my trouble, who's my present help?
Who else but God, who else but God
[Chorus:]
No one else can do the things You do
You are holy
That's why I will always worship You
You are holy
Who is He who gives health to my flesh?
Who allows my eyes to see?
And who'll be there when everyone else leaves?
Who else but God, who else but God
Now who's the one who died on Calvary?
And on day three rose again
And by His blood I've been redeemed
Who else but God, who else but God
[Chorus:]
Who deserves the glory that is due?
And who should I give all my praise?
And when I give thanks…
Where should it go to?
Who else but God, who else but God
Oh God (Who has blessed me, (God) inspite of my ways? (God) Who has given me His favor?)
Oh God (Who loves me even more than myself?)
Who else but God, who else but God
In this song, Tye Tribbett is asking a series of rhetorical questions to emphasize that the only one who can do all of these amazing things for him is God. He asks who is there when he needs someone to answer his calls, who has the power to control the elements of nature, who can give him strength when he feels weak, and who keeps his mind at ease. The answer to all of these questions is God. He then asks who else can give him health and sight, who will always be there for him, and who died on the cross for his redemption. The lyrics showcase Tribbett's belief that it is only God who is worthy of worship and praise, as he is the only one who can do all these things.
Line by Line Meaning
Who is He who answers when I call?
Who else but God is there to answer my calls for help?
Who is there in the time of need?
Who else but God is there to help me in my time of need?
And when I get weak who gives me His strength?
Who else but God can give me the strength to carry on when I am weak?
Who else but God, who else but God
There is no one else but God who can do these things for me
Who has power beyond what eyes can see?
Who else but God has the power to do things beyond what our eyes can see?
Who orders the wind blow and rivers flow?
Who else but God has the power to control the wind and the rivers?
So great and mighty, yet still cares for me
Despite being so great and mighty, God still cares for me
Who else but God, who else but God
There is no one else but God who has this kind of power and care for us
Now who is He who keeps my mind at ease?
Who else but God has the power to calm our minds and give us peace?
And who gives me praise for heaviness?, and
Who else but God can turn our heavy burdens into something worth praising Him for?
For ashes, who gives beauty?
Who else but God can take the ashes of our lives and turn them into something beautiful?
Now who is He who always makes a way?
Who else but God can make a way when there seems to be no way?
Who's the one who never fails?
Who else but God can be relied upon to never fail us?
And in my trouble, who's my present help?
Who else but God can be there to help us in our times of trouble?
No one else can do the things You do
There is no one else who can do what God does for us
You are holy
God is holy and worthy of our worship and praise
That's why I will always worship You
Because God is holy, we should always worship and praise Him
Who is He who gives health to my flesh?
Who else but God has the power to give us good health?
Who allows my eyes to see?
Who else but God has the power to allow us to see the world around us?
And who'll be there when everyone else leaves?
Who else but God will never leave us even when others do?
Now who's the one who died on Calvary?
Who else but God's Son, Jesus Christ, died for our sins on the cross?
And on day three rose again
Who else but God's Son, Jesus Christ, rose from the dead on the third day?
And by His blood I've been redeemed
Through the sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus Christ, I have been saved and made whole
Who deserves the glory that is due?
Who else but God deserves all the glory that is due to Him?
And who should I give all my praise?
Who else but God should we give all our praise to?
And when I give thanks...
When we give thanks
Where should it go to?
Our thanks should go to God
Oh God (Who has blessed me, (God) inspite of my ways? (God) Who has given me His favor?)
God has blessed us and given us His favor even though we don't deserve it
Oh God (Who loves me even more than myself?)
God loves us even more than we love ourselves
Who else but God, who else but God
There is no one else but God who has these qualities and can do these things for us
Contributed by Chloe D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.