In 1968, he formed his own group, Willie Banks and The Southernaires. They were signed to the Peacock-Songbird label. Shortly after signing, the group released Heaven Must Be A Beautiful Place. Willie left the Peacock label and formed Willie Banks and The Messengers in 1972. The HSE Record label out of Nashville, Tennessee signed them. With the label, the group released four albums entitled God's Goodness, For The Wrong I've Done, Mother Why, and Still In Charge. In 1979, they received a Grammy nomination for Traditional Male Group of The Year. All of the aforementioned albums were mainstays on the Billboard Magazine Top Forty Spiritual Charts.
Willie looked forward to the day that he could take time off and spend time with his family in Raymond. But those plans dramatically changed when on July 6, 1981, 19 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia, the van that carried Willie and his group left the road and plunged fifty feet down an embankment. This tragic accident took the life of one of his musicians, and nearly took Willie's. After having been thrown from the van, he laid in the high bushes for what seemed like days, praying for someone to find him. He couldn't call out for help because he was drifting in and out of consciousness. The only thing that he could do was pray to the Lord for assistance. Willie made a vow that if his life was spared, he would sing God's praises as long as his tongue would move.
In 1988, Willie and The Messengers signed with Malaco Records and released their first album shortly thereafter. Their debut album received extensive airplay throughout the country. The blessings did not stop there, for in 1990, Malaco released their second album, which immediately picked up where the other left off.
Willie Banks died on February 1, 1993. The Messengers continue to sing. "
- http://www.malaco.com/Catalog/Gospel/Willie-Banks/list.php
God
Willie Banks and The Messengers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When silence fills the home
When the lights that you once loved
Leave you aching and alone
He is with us in the distance
Between two shattered hearts
When you're standing in the same room
He is with us always
In our joy and in our pain
In the lonely midnight keep looking up
Love has come, God with us
Love has come, God with us
He is with us when the evening falls
And all the laughter fades
When the emptiness comes creeping back, creeping back
And just steals your joy away
He is with us always
In our joy and in our pain
In the lonely midnight keep looking up
Love has come, God with us
Love has come, God with us
Come on hold on now
Won't you just stay strong
No matter how it feels, He is with us
And what you're facing now
Know you're not alone
Let this be your hope, He is Emmanuel
He is with us always
In our joy and in our pain
In the lonely midnight keep looking up
Love has come, God with us
Love has come, God with us
The lyrics to "God with us" by Willie Banks and The Messengers speak about the constant presence and love of God, especially in the most difficult moments of our lives. The first two verses describe feelings of silence, loneliness, and distance, but the chorus emphasizes that God is always with us, both in joyful and painful moments. The last verse encourages the listener to be strong and face the challenges ahead with hope and the knowledge that they are not alone, because God is with us, always.
The song is a testament to the power of faith, hope, and resilience in difficult times. It reminds us that even when we feel lost or isolated, we are never truly alone, and that God's love and support are always available to us. The lyrics also suggest that the most important thing we can do in tough times is to hold onto hope and keep looking up, trusting that God is with us and will guide us through whatever challenges we face.
Overall, "God with us" is a deeply moving and uplifting song that speaks to the heart of the human experience. It reminds us that no matter what happens, we are never truly alone, and that God's love and support are always available to us.
Line by Line Meaning
He is with us in the season
God is present with us during different periods of life, whether happy or sad
When silence fills the home
Even in the quiet moments when we feel alone and unsupported, God is by our side
When the lights that you once loved
When the things or people we once cherished in life leave us feeling empty
Leave you aching and alone
When we are left feeling pain and loneliness due to life's circumstances
He is with us in the distance
God is present with us despite physical or emotional distance between us and others
Between two shattered hearts
Even when two hearts are broken and cannot find a way to connect, God remains with us
When you're standing in the same room
Even in close proximity to others, there can still be emotional distance which God is aware of
But half a world apart
Two people can be physically together, but emotionally far away from each other and from God
He is with us always
God remains ever-present in every moment of our lives
In our joy and in our pain
God's presence remains constant, whether we are happy or sad
In the lonely midnight keep looking up
Even in the darkest nights, we should seek comfort and direction from God
Love has come, God with us
The love of God is present and active in our lives at all times
He is with us when the evening falls
God is present even when the light fades and darkness sets in
And all the laughter fades
When the joy fades and happiness is replaced by sadness, God is still present
When the emptiness comes creeping back, creeping back
When the void in our hearts starts to return, God remains with us to bring comfort and hope
And just steals your joy away
Life's circumstances can take away our happiness, but God's love and presence remain
Come on hold on now
In times of trouble, we should hold on to our faith in God and not give up
Won't you just stay strong
It is important to remain strong in our faith and trust in God even during hard times
No matter how it feels, He is with us
Even if we don't feel God's presence, we should remember that He never leaves us
And what you're facing now
No matter the challenges we are currently enduring, God remains with us
Know you're not alone
We should remember that God is always with us and that we are never alone
Let this be your hope, He is Emmanuel
God's presence in our lives should give us hope, as He is always with us like the name Emmanuel indicates
Love has come, God with us
God's love and presence are always with us
Love has come, God with us
God is always present in our lives with His love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Darren Mulligan, Heidi Mulligan, Alex Mc Vey, Caleb Clingan, Matthew Montgomery
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alfreda Talley
on Show Me the Way
Dear Lord above show me the way by willie bank and the massgresa
Terryjsckson
on You've Been Good To Me
Your verygood