You Can't Beat God's Giving (lyrics & examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases five renditions of the Gospel classic "You Can't Beat God's Giving". This song's lyrics and information about this song' composer Doris Akers are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT DORIS AKERS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Akers
"Doris Mae Akers (May 21, 1923 - July 26, 1995) was an American Gospel music composer, arranger and singer. Known for her work with the Sky Pilot Choir, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001.[1]...

She learned to play the piano by ear at age six wrote her first song, "Keep The Fire Burning In Me" when she was ten years old...

In 1945, at the age of 22, Akers moved to Los Angeles. She was recruited by Sallie Martin in 1946 as a pianist and vocalist for The Sallie Martin Singers. (They would later have a recording contract with Capitol Records.) Sallie Martin was famous for touring nationally with Professor Thomas Dorsey to sell gospel sheet music and this collaboration early in her career gave Doris insight into the business end of the music industry...

While in Los Angeles, she became director of the Sky Pilot Choir, an integrated choir, which was also featured on recordings, television shows, and radio broadcasts across the country. Her fresh, modern arrangements of traditional Negro spirituals drew large crowds from far and near and increased attendance at the church dramatically. They released three albums, "The Sky Pilot Choir", "The Sky Pilot Choir Vol. 2" (with the Sutton Sisters), and "Doris Akers Sings with The Sky Pilot Choir". Their organist on many occasions was a young Billy Preston. She ended her collaboration with the Sky Pilot Choir in 1965, but they reunited again in 1974 to record their fourth effort, "Doris Akers and the Original Members of the Sky Pilot Choir"...

She was affectionately known as "Miss Gospel Music" because she was admired and respected by everyone in the music industry over the years, she had mastered every aspect of gospel music including vocals, keyboards, choir directing, arranging, composing and publishing, she had worked with many of the pioneers of the Golden Age of Gospel Music, she had authored many standard gospel compositions, and she moved freely and successfully in all spheres of gospel music. She had mastered her art completely as a solo artist, composer and producer. Many of her compositions such as "Lead Me and Guide Me", "I Cannot Fail The Lord", "You Can't Beat God Giving", and "Sweet, Sweet Spirit", sold millions for other gospel artists and evangelists."

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FEATURED EXAMPLES & LYRICS
(These examples are presented in chronological order based on their posting date, with the oldest dated examples posted first.)

Example #1: Sky Pilot Choir - You Can't Beat God Giving



Linda Mercado, Uploaded on May 14, 2009

Sky Pilot Choir singing another great song written by Doris.

[LYRICS: YOU CAN'T BEAT GOD'S GIVING
Composer: Doris Akers, 1957]

You can't beat God giving,
No matter how hard you try
And just as sure as you are living
And the Lord is in heaven on high
The more you give the more He gives to you
But keep on giving because its really true that
You can't beat God giving,
No matter how you try

Should we receive and never give
The Saviour died that we might live
His life on Calvary He gladly gave
Our sinful souls to save

He gives me health, He keeps me strong
He guides me when I would go wrong
He gives me everything that I need
My every hunger feeds

He gave me peace, He made me whole
And when in sin, He saved my soul
And what I give could never be compared
With the blessings that I share
-snip-
In this sound file, the Sky Pilots' sing the first verse, the last verse, and then end with the first verse.

Here's a comment from this sound file's viewer comment thread that was written in response to a comment that this song was composed by the Caravans:
Linda Mercado, 2009
"Hi and thanks for your comment :-) But actually, Ms Akers DID IN FACT write this song in 1957 and it was published by Manna Music. She was a very, very gifted composer and went on to write over 500 songs, many of which are still in the hymnals of many denominations. She never really got the recognition she deserved, and that's why I made my channel in honor of her. Please look around and get to know more about this anointed composer, pianist, singer, and choir director!! God bless you!"

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Example #2: Doris Akers & Gospel Legends - You Can't Beat God Giving



PrazHymn83, Uploaded on Mar 22, 2010

The Gospel Legends minister with Doris Akers' "You Can't Beat God Giving"

The pianist is the late, great Rev. Donald Vails and the organist is the late, great Billy Preston

You also see Dr. Margaret Douroux, Richard Smallwood, Billy Preston, Jesse Dixon, Al Hobbs, Danniebelle Hall, The Barrett Sisters, The Caravans, Debbie Austin, Richard "Mr. Clean" White, Bishop Walter Hawkins, Jennifer Holiday and many, many more!!

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Example #3: "You Can't Beat God Giving" - The Caravans feat, Albertina Walker & Eddie Williams



Emmanuel Jones, Uploaded on Jun 23, 2011

The Caravans
You Can't Beat God Giving, MARY DON'T YOU WEEP (ALBUM)
Albertina Walker & Eddie Williams, Lead
Recorded October 9th,1958
-snip-
Here's the words to the verse that The Caravans sing in addition to the "chorus" of this song:
Verse:
He sends the sun and He sends the rain
He sends the harvest golden grain
He comes to see me every now and then
Because He’s my best friend

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Example #4: Gene Martin-You Can't Beat God Giving (Video)



boofitts,·Uploaded on Jul 8, 2011

Legendary gospel artist with heavenly voice sings classic.
Gene Martin was featured soloist with A.A. Allen Miracle Revivals
during the 60's and 70's,

Bro. Martin is accompanied by Miracle Valley (Arizona) choir at Miracle Valley Church. David Davis on organ, Richard Page on piano.

Gene Martin is still preaching and singing with his Action Revivals, based in Atlanta Ga.

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Example #5: God's GIving-The Soul Stirrers



tinascaravans, Published on Jan 26, 2013

Gospel classics are songs that are special, they've been around for a long time. We all know them word for word, love them; they have a special meaning in our lives, and they will never be forgotten...

[Information about Doris Akers from her Wikipedia page]

The group-The Soul Stirrers was formed by Roy Crain, in Trinity, Texas. Among the members of that group was R. H. Harris, Jesse J, Farley, and T.L. Brewster. Harris who soon became the groups musical leader, brought several changes to the Soul Stirrers that affected gospel quartet singing generally. Over the years some notable's have passed through the Soul Stirrers; Sam Cooke, Lou Rawls, Johnny Taylor, Paul Foster, and Julius Cheeks. The legacy of the Soul Stirrers continues to echo through the parallel worlds of gospel and soul music, and their urgent, expressive recordings never sound outdated. The Soul Stirrers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.

From their 1967 album The Soul Stirrers: The Golden Gospel, God's Giving aka You Can't Beat God's Giving.

Disclaimer: Photographs and music copyright are owned by their originators. No infringement intended.

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Thanks to Doris Akers, the composer of this Gospel song for her musical legacy. Thanks to all the Gospel vocalists who are featured in these videos for their musical legacies. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos, and those who I quoted in this post.

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