Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases the Gospel song "God Is" as recorded in 1979 by Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir.
The lyrics to this song are also included in this post.
The content of this post are presented for religious and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Dr. Robert Fryson for composing the Gospel song "God Is". Thanks also to Rev. James Cleveland for arranging this song and thanks to the featured vocalists and JayEm86 for publishing this sound file on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: "God Is" (1979)- Rev. James Cleveland
JayEm86, Uploaded on May 23, 2008
Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir.
-snip-
One commenter wrote that the male soloist for this song was Byron Edward Gore, but another commenter indicated that Nathaniel Morris was the soloist for the second verse of this song. Two other commenter identified Dora Pickett as the female soloist for this recording.
Here's a comment written by rwatershom5 about Dr. Robert Fryson, the composer of this song:
"This song was written by Dr. Robert Fryson and first recorded by the Voices Supreme of Washington, DC, the group [included] Robert Fryson, Anthony, Marvin and Henry M. Davis. their home base church in Washington, DC was Mt. Sinai Baptist Church under the late Pastor David Durham".
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LYRICS: GOD IS
(composer: Robert Fryson ; arranger James Cleveland)
Verse 1:
God is my protection.
God is my all in all.
God is my light in darkness.
God is, He, He is my all in all.
Verse 2:
God is my joy in time of sorrow.
God, God is my all in all.
God is my today and tomorrow.
God, My God is, my all in all.
Lead:
God is (repeating)
Chorus:
God is the joy and
the strength of my life,
He moves all pain, misery, and strife.
He promised to keep me,
never to leave me.
He's never ever come short of His word.
I've got to fast and pray,
stay in His narrow way,
I've got to keep my life clean everyday;
I want to go with Him when He comes back,
I've come to far and I'll never turn back.
God is (5x),
God is my all in all.
Lyrics source: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/james-cleveland-lyrics/god-is-lyrics.html; These lyrics were submitted by kaan
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Had the honor of working with Rev Nathaniel Morris on some stage productions of others and his own. I'd always be blessed when he sang. I will always remember what he taught me as a soloist.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that memory with us Unknown.
DeleteBest wishes!
Thanks for the life that he lived. The words God is my joy and My All In All. We will always remember the words and the one who sung the song. Rest in peace my brother. Because God is you're all and all.
ReplyDeleteI'm just reading this comment which I assume refers to Rev. James Cleveland who passed away on February 9, 1991.
DeleteThanks for your comment Unknown August 19, 2018.
could you tell me who played piano on the song " God Is " I have the album but it gives no details and I have searched for 2 hours on the net and nothing and then I came across this blog, maybe the closet thing to an answer... If you know it off hand, thanks
ReplyDeleteUnknown March 21, 2019, I assume your question "Who played piano for the song "God Is" refers to Rev. James Cleveland's 1979 album entitled "It's A New Day".
DeleteThe Southern California Community Choir is the choir that is featured in this album. As several internet articles indicate, The Southern California Community Choir was founded by pianist & singer Reverend James Cleveland. Rev. Cleveland may have been the pianist for that song and other songs on that album.
There are only a few videos of Rev. James Cleveland on YouTube. In one video entitled "Where Is Your Faith In God" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wl4ogb0ZbQ Rev. Cleveland is shown singing the lead while playing the piano. However, in some other videos he is singing and another person is playing the piano.
Consequently, I'm not sure whether Rev. Cleveland or some other pianist accompanied the choir for the song "God Is" in that 1979 album. Hopefully someone who knows the answer to this question will share it here.