Continuing on the same vein of last week’s Music Rewind (which is where I share a past blog post on Twitter and Facebook), I want to talk about another group that was very popular during the same time. Now, before I introduce the artist and song, I want to let my readers know that this wasn’t an easy pick. Like BeBe Winans said in a past interview, this song made me nervous because a) it could be viewed to be too secular (as its contemporary gospel but with lots of R&B mixed in)[1] or b) the Christian message behind it might be viewed as too much by some. If you are thinking like that, I want you to clear your mind now and sit back and enjoy the song. If you like it because of the message, that is cool. If you like because you like the R&B vibe to it, that is cool too.
I don’t know where or when I got into gospel music. Growing up, I was raised in a Christian family who went to church every Sunday, read their bible, and practiced Christian values regularly. At church, we would sing old-fashioned or contemporary hymns, depending on the topic of the sermon. Later on when I was in high school, the church congregation started to sing songs by the likes of Relent K, P.O.D, and other Christian Rock artists. I tried to get into that kind of music but I failed. Yes, the message is the most important aspect for them. But for me, it was the musical flavor. And that’s why I liked the gospel more then Christian Rock because it was with soul, used a wider vocal range, vocal ad libs were prominent, and the songs just excited me.
BeBe & CeCe Winans are one of the most prominent names in Gospel back in the 80s and 90s. Born into a family of Gospel musicians, the two siblings made their debut in 1982 as part of The PTL Singers, releasing one album under the PTL Records label. Wanting to branch out and start their own musical careers, the dup left The PTL Singers and signed onto the label Sparrow Records soon after. With the help of producer Keith Thomas, who has produced a lot of songs like Amy Grant’s “Baby Baby”, the two released their self-titled album in 1987 with huge success. Thanks to the album becoming a hot seller, BeBe & CeCe Winans become the first African-Americans to be featured regularly on CCM radio stations.
The follow-up album “Heaven” was even more successful as it was the first gospel album to reached Number 1 on the Billboard charts. The pair released more albums over the years until 1994 when the siblings both decided to focus more on their separate solo careers. However, they got back together in 2009 to release “Still”, a Grammy award-winning album.
“Lost Without You” is a mellow R&B song that came from the 1989 album “Heaven”. The song features drum kits, the harmonic fat sounds of the blues guitar, and a touch of the synthesizer’s twang. From the crystal sounds to the cool jive bit after the line “Now, some say I’m crazy am I’m acting insane”, the synthesizer frequently changes roles during the song to create the ambient sound. This is further amplified by BeBe’s sooth baritone tone and CeCe’s water-like strong vocals.
What else is strong is the message behind the lyrics. In an interview, CeCe said that this song was one of favorites because it represents her personal story.[1] You can sense those feelings of something so power and comes from the heart and soul within every beat. The best songs out there are the ones that are influenced by the artists’ emotions and stories.
If you like Luther Vandross, Shanice, or Vanessa Williams, then “I’m Lost Without You” would be a perfect fit in your music library.
