The oldest of six siblings, Adams was raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Sterling High School in Houston in 1979. After graduating from University of California Berkeley, she began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time model in Houston, Texas. Eventually she gave up teaching to perform full-time as a lead singer.
Musical career;
Beginnings;
Adams attracted the attention of Thomas Whitfield and Sound of Gospel Records as a lead singer in the Southeast Inspirational Choir. She signed a recording contract with Sound of Gospel which yielded her first album Just As I Am in 1987.[4] In 1990, she signed to Ben Tankard's independent label Tribute Records and released Through The Storm.
Two years later, Adams followed with Save the World, which included her first signature song "The Battle Is The Lord's". Her next release was 1995's More Than A Melody, which featured production work from Ben Tankard, O'Landa Draper, and BeBe Winans. The single "Gotta Have Love," from that album featuring Tony Terry on background vocals, gained mainstream notoriety and was her first single and music video. Yolanda... Live In Washington, released the following year, featured versions of material from her first two albums. The footage from this recording was released as a collection of two videos on VHS initially, and later as a single set on DVD.
Songs from the Heart was her final release for Verity Records and included "Only Believe" which was popular songs on contemporary radio. The album also included "Still I Rise," a dedication to Rosa Parks which was inspired by the Maya Angelou poem of the same name.
"Fragile Heart", was dedicated to the memory of Yolanda's long time road manager who died in 1998. Adams' first significant attention outside the urban contemporary gospel arena came with the release of Mountain High... Valley Low in 1999 on Elektra Records. Several mainstream artists and producers helped in the production of this album including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men), James "Big Jim" Wright (Mariah Carey, Nicole C. Mullen), Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Brandy), and Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans). The album went Platinum in 2000 and won her a Grammy Award. Notable singles from the album include Yeah", "Fragile Heart", and "Open My Heart".
In 2000, Adams released a Christmas album, and in 2001 she released a live album (The Experience). The Experience netted Adams a second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Believe, which included the hit "Never Give Up" was released in 2001. She would later go on to perform this song at "The Salute to Gospel Music" at the White House during President George W. Bush's administration. Believe was certified Gold in 2002. The Divas Of Gospel, with Albertina Walker (queen of gospel), was also released in 2001.
Yolanda recorded a song for the 2003 film, Honey titled "I Believe" that played during the last scene in the final dance.
Adams was also a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
Back after break;
After nearly four years without releasing an album, Adams returned in 2005 with Day By Day. Although charting higher than Mountain High...Valley Low on the Billboard 100, and Billboard R&B Albums Chart, It didn't get a RIAA certification. The album featured the singles "Be Blessed," "Someone Watching Over You," "This Too Shall Pass", and "Victory" which was prominently featured in the movie The Gospel. After ending her long association with Atlantic Records, They released a greatest hits collection entitled The Best of Me in May 2007. Adams signed with Columbia Records in 2007. Columbia released What a Wonderful Time, her second holiday collection in October 2007. "Hold On" was released as the lead single.
2008-Present;
In 2007 after releasing her holiday album with Columbia, She stated in different interviews that she was currently in the planning stages for a new album. Her official website states that it will be a duets project including possible collaborations with Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Natalie Cole, Trin-i-Tee 5:7, and Mary Mary. In a interview with Commercial Appeal. Adams stated that Chaka Khan, and Shirley Caesar might be on the new project also. In March 2009, she was interview by a FOX station in Houston, where she stated that her women's clothing line and new album is still in progress. The new album is currently untitled, and will be out in the last quarter of the year. She stated that the new album will be full of dance tracks. Adams' may do a secular album in the future.
Adams' song "Hold On" is included in a compilation in support of Barack Obama's campaign entitled 'Yes We Can: Voices of a Grass Roots Movement'.
Adams performed the National Anthem at the 2009 BCS National Championship game between the #1 University of Florida and #2 University of Oklahoma in Dolphin Stadium (Miami, Florida).
Personal life;
In 1997, Yolanda Adams married former NFL player Tim Crawford. The couple divorced in August 2004. They had one daughter, Taylor Ayanna, in 2001. Yolanda served as a spokesperson for the FILA Corporation's Operation Rebound, a program that addressed the concern of inner city schoolchildren. On October 15, 2008, Yolanda Adams' mother Carolyn Jean Adams died.
Do You Hear What I Hear
Yolanda Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
(Do You Hear What I Hear)
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
(Do hear What i hear)
A song, a song
High above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
(Do You Know What I Know)
In your palace wall mighty king
Do you know what I know
(Do You Know What I Know)
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
(Listen to what I say)
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
(Listen to what I Say)
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
Yolanda Adams’s song “Do You Hear What I Hear” is a heartfelt Christmas song that takes the listener on a journey through nature, as each character asks the next if they see or hear what they do. The song starts with a beautiful scene of nature, as the night wind asks the little lamb if they can see the star that is dancing in the sky, with a tail as big as a kite. Here, the star symbolizes the birth of Jesus, and the majestic way it shines in the sky represents the joy and hope that his birth brings.
The little lamb then asks the shepherd boy if he can hear the song that is ringing through the sky. The song represents the message of hope that accompanies the birth of Jesus, and the fact that it can be heard all over the world is a symbol of the universality of the message. The shepherd boy in turn asks the mighty king if he knows about the child who shivers in the cold, and suggests that they bring him silver and gold.
The song ends with the king urging the people to pray for peace, and assuring them that the child sleeping in the night will bring them goodness and light. Overall, “Do You Hear What I Hear” is a beautiful song that celebrates the hope, joy, and peace that the birth of Jesus brings, and encourages people to come together in joy and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Said the night wind to the little lamb
The wind spoke to the lamb during the night
Do you see what I see
The wind asked the lamb if it saw what the wind was seeing
Way up in the sky little lamb
The wind was referring to something high in the sky while talking to the lamb
A star, a star
The wind was pointing out a star
Dancing in the night
The wind was describing the star's movement
With a tail as big as a kite
The wind was describing the star's tail's size
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
The lamb spoke to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
The lamb asked the shepherd if he heard what the lamb heard
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
The lamb was referring to a sound it was hearing in the sky while talking to the shepherd boy
A song, a song
The lamb was describing the sound it was hearing as a song
High above the trees
The lamb was describing the origin of the sound as being high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
The lamb was describing the sound's volume
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
The shepherd boy spoke to the king
Do you know what I know
The shepherd boy asked the king if he knew what the shepherd boy knew
In your palace wall mighty king
The shepherd boy was referencing the king's palace walls while talking to the king
A child, a child
The shepherd boy was referring to a child
Shivers in the cold
The shepherd boy was referring to the child being cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
The shepherd boy was suggesting they give the child silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere
The king spoke to his people
Listen to what I say
The king asked his people to listen to him
Pray for peace people everywhere
The king was asking his people to pray for peace
The child, the child
The king was referring to the child mentioned earlier
Sleeping in the night
The king was describing the child sleeping at night
He will bring us goodness and light
The king was prophesying that the child would bring goodness and light
Writer(s): Noel Regney, Machuff, Gloria Shayne, John Jacobson
Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.