Ten All-Time Favorite Songs
Last week, I posted a list of ten all-time favorite albums and invited you to contribute yours. As I promised commenter #23, Matt Baker, here’s your chance to list your all-time favorite Southern Gospel songs.
For the purposes of this list, it is fine if the originate elsewhere (hymns or CCM imports), if they’ve been recorded by a major Southern Gospel artist.
For whatever it’s worth, here is my list:
- It is Well with My Soul
- Calvary Answers for Me (Perrys)
- We Shall See Jesus (Cathedrals)
- The King is Coming
- I Stand Redeemed (Legacy Five)
- Sinner Saved By Grace (Cathedrals)
- Till the Storm Passes By (Gerald Wolfe)
- Home Free (Roger Bennett)
- How Great Thou Art (Kim Collingsworth)
- Because He Lives
Comment by Brandon Coomer (June 4, 2008, 9:32 am)
I may be cheating a bit, but my top 5 are pretty solid. #3 & #4 may switch places from time to time, but not the others.
1. Between Me And The Storm (Gold City)
2. Welcome To Heaven (Singing Americans)
3. Somebody Touched Me (Cathedrals)
4. In My Robe Of White (Gold City)
5. I Think I’ll Read It Again (Gold City)
Honorable mentions in no particular order:
• There Rose A Lamb (Gold City)
• Home (Singing Americans, others)
• O Holy Night (Gerald Wolfe, others)
• We Shall See Jesus (Cathedrals)
• What A Meeting (Cathedrals, others)
• When The Lamb Becomes The Light (Gold City)
• Preach The Word (Gold City)
• I’ve Just Started Living (Cathedrals)
• Look For Me (Goodmans, others)
• The Only Real Peace (Hemphills, others)
Comment by Tanner Stahl (June 4, 2008, 11:36 am)
my top 10 list is this:
1. Marriage Supper of the Lamb -The Hoppers
2. Oh That Promise Sweet -The Perrys
3. He’s a Personal Saviour -GVB (Franklin, English, Lowry, Gaither)
4. Yes I Am -The Hoppers
5. Good To Be Free -KPNR
6. What We Needed -Kingdom Heirs
7. Where No One Stands Alone -GVB
8. I Wanna Know How It Feels -KPNR
9. Shoutin’ Time -The Hoppers
10. Light From Heaven -The Collingsworth Family
Comment by Paul (June 4, 2008, 12:25 pm)
When Mama Prayed - Kingsmen
Place Where the Hungry Are Fed - Kingsmen
The Journey - Hinsons
Because He Lives - Blackwood Brothers
Champion of Love - Cathedrals
Midnight Cry - Gold City
Love Lifted Me - Kingsmen
Strangers of Galilee - Blackwood Brothers
He Bought My Soul - Blackwood Brothers
He Hideth My Soul - Blackwood Brothers
Comment by Amy Rogers (June 4, 2008, 12:40 pm)
I mentally started working on this then, too … Let’s see if I can remember what I came up with. They won’t be exactly in order.
1. When I Move - Cathedrals, 25th Anniversary
2. In His Grip - L5
3. Whispers in the Night - L5
4. Directions to Heaven - Kirk Talley
5. He Will Deliver You - Kirk Talley
6. Far More - GV
7. Who Else Do You Need - GV
8. He Gave Me the Well - GV
9. When He Calls Me I’ll Fly Away - Statesmen, featuring Hovie
10.Over the Next Hill - Perry’s (_maybe_)
Comment by Quaid (June 4, 2008, 1:38 pm)
Top 3 or 4 songs are certain, but not the order of them:
We Shall See Jesus
I Bowed On My Knees (Singing Americans cut)
Midnight Cry (original arrangement)
Judgement (Live arrangement, not studio cut)
next…………..I thought I was ready to post this, but I’ll have to really think more about it.
Comment by Dean Adkins (June 4, 2008, 1:42 pm)
These lists seem to solidify what others have said — people are influenced by the songs and/artists that drew them to the genre. In scanning the responses, I would guess that most responders became fans in the 90’s, or later. I see just a few songs from earlier decades. When (or if) some of the more mature readers post, it’s likely that the lists will differ. Reminds me of what I told a guy once, some people think that gospel music (aka southern gospel) began in 1990.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (June 4, 2008, 1:44 pm)
In defense of my list, half (5) of the songs either pre-date you or were written when you were young.
Furthermore, seven or eight of the ten were recorded and popularized before I was born.
Comment by abk (June 4, 2008, 1:54 pm)
My list changes frequently, but these are songs that remain stuck in my head on a frequent basis…
How Great Thou Art
Where No One Stands Alone
He’s A Personal Savior
Get Away Jordan (Statesmen)
I’m Standing On the Solid Rock (Florida Boys)
Till the Storm Passes By
Sweeter As the Days Go By (Statesmen)
Palms of Victory (Florida Boys)
I Never Shall Forget the Day (Speers)
I’ve Got A Newborn Feeling
Songs without an artist listed are songs that I could listen to multiple versions of.
Comment by Kyle (June 4, 2008, 1:58 pm)
It Is Well With My Soul
For What Earthly Reason (Cathedrals)
Wish You Were Here (Kingsmen)
Midnight Cry (Gold City)
There Rose A Lamb (Gold City)
Jesus Is Coming Soon (The Oak Ridge Boys)
I Bowed On My Knees (GVB version)
My Son (The Oak Ridge Boys)
Somebody Touched Me (Cathedrals)
We Shall See Jesus (Cathedrals)
In no particular order….
Comment by Amy Rogers (June 4, 2008, 2:01 pm)
I was raised on the Cathedrals and the Happy Goodmans, for the most part (a lot of Jimmy Swaggart, too, but don’t tell anybody …) There really should be some Goodman songs on my list. How did I forget “Greatest Love Story”???
Comment by Wes (June 4, 2008, 3:45 pm)
Well here’s my list. The top 4 are stable, the others can change on a whim.
Midnight Cry - Gold City
We Shall See Jesus - Cathedrals
There Rose A Lamb - Gold City
Jesus Is Coming Soon - Oak Ridge Boys
You Should Have Come Sooner - Imperials
I Wanna - Statesmen
Give Us This Day - Blackwood Brothers
Saints Will Rise - Kingsmen
I Rest My Case At The Cross - Perrys
When He Comes Down - Hoppers
Comment by Wes (June 4, 2008, 3:46 pm)
Sheesh…how could I forget this one: For God So Loved - Brian Free and Assurance. Place it at #4 and the top 5 are stable…lol
Comment by Josh (June 4, 2008, 3:48 pm)
My top ten songs would be the following:
1.No More Night-David Phelps
2.Hello After Goodbye-Legacy Five
3.One More Time Would Do It-Gold City (Brian Free)
4.Until We Fly Away-Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
5.Oh What A Saviour-Ernie Haase and whoever
6.I Stand Redeemed-Legacy Five
7.We Will Sing-Brian Free and Assurance
8.He Saw It All-Booth Brothers
9.Judgment-Kingsmen
10.Champoin Of Love-Cathedrals or Legacy Five
Comment by Casey (June 4, 2008, 5:56 pm)
Good night, I could never just think of 10! I’d always forget some or put them out of order…
Comment by Matt Baker (June 4, 2008, 10:54 pm)
for fear of a massive headache, I will not attack this one tonight. Thanks, though, for your resonse, and anyone singing It Is Well can make that #1. WHAT A SONG!
Comment by Meagan Williams (June 5, 2008, 12:06 am)
Wow, this is so hard! Narrowing it down to only 10 is rough! But here I go, in no particular order…
Look For Me - The Goodman Family
I cannot listen to this song with tears.
Sinner Saved By Grace - The Cathedrals
Jerusalem - The Hoppers
I Believe In a Hill Called Mount Calvary - Gaither Vocal Band
Through It All - Booth Brothers
I know this is an Andrae Crouch favorite, but I just
love the Booth Brothers version of it. It’s a simple
arrangement that communicates the simplicity and
depth of the song’s message.
No More Night - David Phelps
This song has been done so many times, but my
personal favorite version is that of David Phelps’.
He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need - Dottie Rambo
This song is a personal testimony for me and I just
love it.
Sweet Holy Spirit - The Isaacs
I love the Isaacs and I had a rough time choosing
my favorite of theirs. They have some incredible
songs.
Now More Than Ever - GVB/Russ Taff & The Isaacs
The Gaither Vocal Band does a fantastic job with this
one, but I also love Russ Taff’s recording of it with
the Isaacs doing backup for him. It’s stunning.
Grace Will Always Be Greater Than Sin - The Hoppers
This is a new one of the Hoppers’. It’s off of their
current CD, The Ride. It is an amazing song that
communicates a timeless message. It has quickly
become a favorite of mine.
Comment by Amy Rogers (June 5, 2008, 8:48 am)
I also forgot Palmetto State’s “Rainbow Avenue,” one of my all-time favorite songs. I think I’ll replace my #6 & #10 with that song and Rusty’s “Greatest Love Story.”
However, I started to play my iPod in the car when I left work yesterday and realized I could easily make a list like this:
1. Amazing Grace - All Star Quartets
2. Amazing Grace - BF&A
3. Amazing Grace - Chet Atkins
4. Amazing Grace - Gold City
5. Amazing Grace - Greater Vision
6. Amazing Grace - Homecoming Friends
7. Amazing Grace - Legacy Five
8. Amazing Grace - Roger Bennett
9. Amazing Grace - Statler Brothers
10. Amazing Grace - Steve “Rabbit” Easter
11. There’s No Other Word For Grace But Amazing - BF&A
Comment by J. Johnson (June 5, 2008, 10:28 am)
In no particular order:
Stand by Me - Florida Boys
Where Noone Stands Alone - Statesmen
I Just Want to Talk to You Lord - Greater Vision
The Longer I Serve Him - Greater Vision (w/Ed O’Neal)
Yesterday’s Preacher - Legacy Five
Once Upon A Cross - Mark Trammell Trio
If I Can Help Somebody - Glen Payne
Home Free - Legacy Five
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
It Is Well With My Soul
Comment by Quaid (June 5, 2008, 10:38 am)
Megan,
Russ Taff cut “More Than Ever”? My, my, you learn somethin new everyday. I haven’t heard it, but it’d be very hard for anything to top David’s rendition on “I Do Beleive”.
Which cut of “Sweet Holy Spirit”? The newest on off of “Heroes”, or the 1990’s recording on their “20th Anniversary” release? (Eddie Crook Company record lable. For anyone interested, that {great} project is still available on ECC’s website)
I love the song, and like both versions. Yet there’s just something special I can’t put into words about the old one.
Joe Isaacs is amognst the best songwriters ever, if not the best.
Comment by Quaid (June 5, 2008, 10:40 am)
Ok, I’ve learned 2 new things today. The only recording I was aware of for “If I Can Help Somebody” was by JD Sumner.
Comment by J. Johnson (June 5, 2008, 3:06 pm)
The Glen Payne version of “If I Can Help Somebody” was on a Gaither Homecoming CD - I’ll look to see which one. It is one of the most touching songs I’ve ever heard Glen Payne sing.
Comment by Amy Rogers (June 5, 2008, 4:06 pm)
I’ve heard him do it on the “With Strings” album, I think - at least, it was on one of those older ones. That’s the only version I was aware of.
Comment by J. Johnson (June 6, 2008, 7:58 am)
The Glen Payne version I have is on the Gaither “Harmony in the Heartland.”
Comment by Quaid (June 6, 2008, 9:37 pm)
JD’s recording of the song is on the New Haven Records Gospel Legacy Series compilation for the Stamps Quartet, “Treasury of Memories”. I don’t know what project it was originally on, since the linear notes in the compilation CD doesn’t give that information.
Comment by Quaid (June 9, 2008, 4:03 pm)
I’ll give it a try now. This isn’t in any particular order.
I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy (Singing Americans)
Judgement (Kingsmen)
More Than Ever (Gaither Vocal Band)
That’s Him (Hoppers)
I Stand Redeemed (Popularized by Legacy Five. But the best version I’ve heard is by a soloist out of Pennslyvania named Jeff Martin)
Down On My Knees (Numerous Ohioans are singing this song now. Unfortunatley, no one of national status has yet recorded it.)
Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference (tossup- GVB or Dan Keeton Quartet
We Shall See Jesus (Cathedrals)
The Call (Mike Bowling)
Midnight Cry (Gold City)