Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a 1994 YouTube video of the Mississippi Children's Choir's 1994 rendition of "His Eye Is On The Sparrow".
This post also includes one hundred selected comments from that video's discussion thread. I selected these comments as examples of the use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in that discussion thread. I've also added my explanation for some of those terms or sayings.
I'm particularly interested in the use of the word "sang" as a present tense verb meaning "to sing soulfully exceptionally well" (as in the sentence "He can sang.") and "sing" meaning "to sing exceptionally well" (as in the sentence "He betta sing.)"
I'm also interested in examples of comments which may demonstrate the purposeful use of certain AAVE grammar, words, phrases, and spelling as a means of publicly announcing and/or celebrating the commenter's African American or Black identity. I also believe that commenters who likely are African Americans may have code switched to African American Vernacular English (instead of Standard American English) because they are in a comfortable setting and are enjoying themselves.
I coined the term "putting on the Black" to refer to these (and other) writing styles. Among the linguistical identifiers of putting on the black are the purposeful use of African American Vernacular English grammar, the purposeful use of African American spelling (such as "Lawd" for "Lord", "gloray" for "glory", and "chile" for "child"), and the purposeful use of contemporary African American spelling such as "dis" for "this" and "dat" for that.
Note that I believe that examples of comparable online writing styles can be found in discussion threads that have majority commenters from other Black populations (for instance the use of "Chune!" and "Tune!" in Dancehall and some other Caribbean music discussion threads.)
I'm also interested in documenting the referents besides his name that commenters used for the soloist. Those referents include "boy", "boi", "little man", "man", "brother", "brotha", "baby", "chile", "dude", "lil dude", and "buddy".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/linguistic-alert-another-verncular.html for a pancocojams post on the African American vernacular meaning of the word "sang".
Also click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/03/puttin-on-black-online-black-talk-code.html for a pancocojams post on "putting on the Black".
And click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/12/cut-step-and-other-black-pentecostal.html for a pancocojams post on examples of Black Pentecostal church terms such as "going in", "shout", and "happy" that may be found in those comments
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The content of this post is provided for religious, inspirational, cultural, llinguistical, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the choir director and members of for their musical legacy. Special thanks to Byran Wilson for his solo. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Also, thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Mississippi Children's Choir - His Eye is on the Sparrow
Tari FerrariUploaded on Sep 4, 2007
-snip-
Information about the soloist Byran Andrew Wilson and examples of his recordings as an adult are available online. Here's a brief excerpt from a biographical page about Byran Wilson:
"Singer, songwriter, and Christian preacher Byran Andrew Wilson grew up in Danville, Illinois surrounded by music and religion. He was the grandson of Tommie Davis, who played gospel with the great B.B. King, and his mother had been a singer with an R&B band, but it was gospel he heard most, in all sorts of sectarian variations, as the family attended the various Baptist, Apostolic, and other churches the area offered. Wilson absorbed it all, and was a stirring traditional gospel singer by the time he was a teen, when he began recording a series of traditional gospel albums for Malaco Records, recordings that eventually earned him Dove and Stellar awards for the Bryan's Songs album in 1996".http://www.billboard.com/artist/6120892/bryan-andrew-wilson/biography
-snip-
Here's a brief excerpt from another biographical page about Byran Wilson:
"His next-door neighbor Carol Parker often over heard him singing and thought that he was good. She sent a tape of him singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” to Jerry Mannery at Malaco Records. He liked it and featured Wilson’s rendition on a Mississippi Children’s Choir project with the same arrangement that Sheila had taught him. Wilson’s high notes and vocal gymnastics sealed the song’s fate and essentially sold the CD, A New Creation. The album reached #39 on Billboard’s gospel chart and has since sold over 100,000 units. Soon gospel announcers had nicknamed Wilson the “Boy Sparrow.”
Wilson had never been paid royalties on his prior hit recordings at Malaco Records" http://www.bryanwilson.com/bio.htm
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM VIDEO'S DISCUSSION
As of September 13, 2015 at 8:15 AM EST the music video that is embedded above had 1,380,296 viewer hits and 1,322 total comments.
The one hundred selected comments that are presented in this pancocojams post are given in relative chronological order based on their posting date. However, these comments may not be in consecutive order.
I've assigned numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only. I've also added brief explanations for some of these terms.
2008
1. iCary
"You better Get it!! Even this is sooooo old, (lol) I still love!!!"
**
2. latoriasweetface
"dis lil boi sang this song...
-snip-
"boi" = a contemporary (Hip-Hop) way of spelling "boy"
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3. illzdiamond
"I grew up with Bryan or B in our hometown "Da'Ville", he has always had a set of pipes on him..lol man he was like in middle school when he put this out..Nice to see he is doing his in school and doing his thing..lol he isnt little no more yall he is like 25 now lol"
-snip-
set of pipes = singing voice
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4. atarus roberson
"Byran Wilson is a straight up beast!! I remember hearing tjis song wen i wus younger n i wus juus lik wow this boy can blow... Wen i hear him sing this song i jus b wantin 2 holla n slap him kus his voice is jus crazy even though this wus 94' n he wus ony 12 yrs. old tha song still gets 2 me! P.S. his runs r sick!!"
-snip-
sick = very good
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5. Daishaun Gall
"yall should hear him now his range is still as crazy and them runs too...and the brother can preach too"
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6. Marianne Felts
"This is y favorite choir... Old school Mississippi Mass Children's Choir.... He better sing..."
-snip-
old school= something from the past (usually complimentary)
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7. Danny Mulligan
"Sweet Jesus this boy can sing! Those high notes were out of this world! The gospel piano runs were awesome too"
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8. cutie305princess
"SING IT BOY!!!"
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9. Stefan Matei
God put some heavenly talent in you boy!!!!!! Praise the LORD!!!
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10. john doe
"That boy is bad..
-snip-
"bad" = very good
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11. Shelania Johnson
"I remember this. That little boy was off the chain. I am shocked someone had this."
-snip-
"off the chain" (also "off the hook") = very good
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12. Ernest Williams
"LIL MAN DID HIS THING"
2009
13. K Watkins
"This little young man can sing, sing, sing, Thank you, you are a blessing to many!!!!!!!!!!"
-snip-
The repeated word "sing" means "really sing well".
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14. nchsn93
"dat boy can sing he can blow weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee go head dawg"
-snip-
"blow" = sing
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15. Brandon Lewis
"DANG! this boy got sum serious vocals!!!!!!
he sounds alittle nazily but he kan relly SANG DEFINATELY A FAVORTIE"
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16. lashirnette
"Chil'ens dont saaaang like dis no mo - ya dig? what happened 2 that old anointment???"
-snip-
"Chil'ens = a Black downhome (Southern) way of spelling and saying "children"
annointment = the act of and the results of being touched by the Holy Spirit
dis no more = this no more
"sang" = "to sing soulfully exceptionally well"
In the context of this comment, "ya dig" is a retired way of saying "Do you understand?"
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17. William Stockdale
"Sing that song Bryan!"
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18. Ernest Williams
"LIL MAN DID HIS THING"
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19. chucktownboi843
"Oh my God that lil dude ain playin"
-snip-
"ain['t] playin = is serious about what he's doing
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20. Charissa moye
"you better sing, boy!!!! he's a monster now!!!!"
-snip-
A "monster" and "beast" are complimentary terms for someone who excels in (is powerful in) what he or she does. A monster (beast) kills it (murders it).
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21. freakymandj3
"dude killed this song i applaud him and the choir. he has a marvelous voice. i like the part at 5:30-6:08"
-snip-
"killed" (also murdered, slayed) means to do something exceptionally well
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22. RubyJuly09
"Sang boy!!! I Love to hear this song by him!!!"
2010
23. javiboom1029
"he killed dat song i dont even know what to comment after watching this. he a beast"
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24. R3tR0Kiid336
"GOD has touched that brother with an amazing talent. It gives me goosebumps"
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25. Markesha Malone
"You better sing that song boy!"
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26. Celita Jamison
"Oh my goodness.....this is what Mama would call music to make you happy!!"
-snip-
"Happy here can mean "getting happy" (shouting, going in)
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27. toreymack
"I am a youth president! And to have worked with that many children at one time! God bless her!!! They are off the chain!"
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28. 20lelegyrl
"Hold my mule while I shout!!!"
-snip-
"Hold my mule" is a saying that is lifted from a Pentecostal song. "Shout" here means "to feel the Holy Spirit" ("to get happy", to go in")
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29. JeaLissa
"So lemme just say this boy is a beast, blessed beyond reason, you better get it!!"
-snip-
"To get it" here is a both a compliment and encouragement (for the performer to continuing doing what he [or she] is doing well.
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30. MissConeited12
"i always thought this was a girl with a little bass in her voice but this boy really knows how to SANG the lords music...GO HEAD!!!"
-snip-
"Go head" = go ahead (and continue doing what you are doing well)
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31.Timothy Brown
did yall hear that lady at the end sayinq put him back up there8:13-8:18"
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32. eritreangurrl
"OMG, i actually stood up from my chair and gave a standing ovation to that boy. i looked ridiculous clapping in front of my laptop but that just blew me away! Wow, wow wow....the whole choir was amazing too!"
**
33. Ruben Desane
"i love his voice HE IS TALENTED. i watched this over 200 times beautiful voice and choir was on point and the voices together"
**
34. KERRI JACKSON
"OMG I always thought thats was a lil girl singing that! WOW he fooled me! sing it baby"
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36. taytayboss
"He done went to one to many COGIC Conventions or Clark Sisters concerts doing them runs!!!!!! lol YOU BETTA SING!!!!!!!"
-snip-
"COGIC" = Church Of God In Christ, a majority African American Pentecostal denomination
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37. DCBlkbeautie
"That baby can sang!"
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38. Miss Songbird
This brotha sings like he knows what he is singing bout..........Yes !!"
**
39. victor
"this is INCREDIBLE!!! HE IS SOO ANNOINTED !! HEY GLORAY"
-snip-
Gloray = African Amefrican spelling/pronunciation for "glory" [Glory to God]
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40. Preston Davis
"This child is really singing, get it young man!!!!!"
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41. ballaonamission
"damn lil buddy can blow..... where is he now"
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42. Armani Woolridge
"yesss sang dat!!!!!!!!! love it!!!"
-snip-
"dat" = that
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43. DemeMAN08
"MAN u better sing lol...HALLELUJAH...reprsent lol..."
-snip-
"represent" = publicly stand up for or be counted as a representative of your city or your other affiliation.
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44. JColeM7785
...."Amen brotha...and i'm huge critic of anything.tic of anything....but you wowed the hell out of me."
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45. Ronda renee
"WOW, that's all I can say...WOW. True soul"
2011
46. SKIRA08
"They did NOT play with this song!! AMEN!!!"
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47. cealnewman
"They are GREAT!!! Praise God First and the director Ms Dorcus keep up the good work."
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48. jboogie217
"Sing it lil man, you got this"
-snip-
"got this" (owns this) = is proving or has proven that he or she has mastered what he or she is doing
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49. RoyalTee1000
"Dem babies is SANGIN!!!"
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50. Professor LaDerrick Williams
"THESE CHILLUNS IS SANGIN...I GREW UP LISTENING TO THEM....AND WATS UP WIT THE 13 DISLIKES??? REALLY???....."
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51. freiisme1
"Love this. Byron tore this song up"
-snip-
tore this song up = sung exceptionally well
**
52. TheSinger269
"WOW HE TORN THIS SONG UP AND TO BE SO YUNG WOW SMH THAT WAT I AM TALKIN ABOUT RIGHT THERE AMEN FORREAL"
-snip-
"Shake my head" (SMH) is usually a saying and not a gesture that can mean exasperation, irritation, and/or other emptions. In this case, SMH is probably used facetiously to note how amazed the commenter is that the young singer can sings so well.
**
53. blacklungsjoe
"that child can sang! i am moved. you great lauryn hill, but this kid takes it to a new level."
-snip-
Lauryn Hill is praised for her rendition of "His Eyes In On The Sparrow" in the movie "Sister Act", but this commenter says that Bryan Wilson's rendition is even better than Lauryn Hill's.
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54. emancipation19
"sick sick sick!!!!!! just amazing...chills thru my body...i feel the Holy Spirit"
**
55. Katrina Sykes
"sing chirren!!!"
-snip-
"Chirren" is a downhome (Southern [African American] way of writing/saying "children".
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56. AirmanSoupaman
"Amen to the Choir Diector! and yes the devil is a hater ofcourse, but obviously his 13 soldiers are a little curious about the Lord otherwise they wouldnt have went on this page :) can i get a AMEN?"
-snip-
The devil's 13 soldiers refers to the 13 dislikes that this video had received as of 2011.
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57. Charlett Lewis
"SING IT LIL MAN!!!!!"
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58. SuperVesha
"I could not believe my eyes when i heard that boy sinq!!! I thouqht it was a qirl ... he can`t sinq ... he can sanq!!!! I hope he kept to the singing!!! :)"
-snip-
"sinq" and "sanq" are probably typos for "sing" and "sang". Notice the differentiation between merely singing and "sanging".
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59. MsSmiley2311
"I know what you mean. That was the best I have heard he tore this song up. That kid song the mess out of that song, no one yet have sing that song the way he did. I know he song it a while ago but every day I get up I turn my playlist on and listen to him. He beats out Fantasia and any one else singin this song. This my favorite song and no one else can sing it like him."
**
60. TheSinger269
"WOW HE TORN THIS SONG UP AND TO BE SO YUNG WOW SMH THAT WAT I AM TALKIN ABOUT RIGHT THERE AMEN FORREAL"
2012
61. Damione Blackmon
"HE DID THAT."
-snip-
He [really] did that [well]
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62. crunch903
"Yessss!!!!! That just brought tears to my eyes.......Yes Lord!!!!!!"
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63. Cassie Betts
"So I'm listening to the Jazmine Sullivan station on Pandora & this song comes on. I think, whoever is singing this is KILLIN' IT! So I go to my computer to see who it is... MISSISSIPPI CHILDREN'S CHOIR!?!?!? I'm thinking THAT is NOT a chid singing... THOSE are NOT children singing... See for yourself..."
-snip-
"Pandora" is a brand name for a popular internet music station in which subscribers choose channels (stations) based on music that is similar to particular singers.
**
64. yungcharles21
"he killed it yo"
-snip-
"Yo" has several meanings. In the context of this comment, it may mean "man" or "bro" ("brother" is a short form of "brother man".)
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65. musicluvsme22
"Its takes a real hater n a person who has no ear for music to dislike this .....smh boi you better sing!!!"
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66. Wand Smith
"yesssssssssssssssss lawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwdddddddd....................."
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67. Bysa Crimson
"Praise the Lord!That child can sing."
-snip-
That child can sing." = That child can sing really well./ "That child's singing is really very soulful."
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68. tramanescott1
"I swear this lil dude went HAM on this song.....
-snip-
"Went ham" = went hard as a mother [profanity deleted]; "To go hard" means "doing something to it's fullest". To go ham on a song is to sing powerfully.
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69. HoneyLove210
"I swear that lil boy killed it. amazing voice"
2013
70. RiaDa ConfidentOne
"WOW... u betta sang baby!!!!!"
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71. Usha Thomas
"Amen Amen brother...u really sang fro your heart...d choir is extraordinary...theyre great..."
**
72. Edert Geffrard
"44 dislikes? the devil is a hater"
**
73. DCWYT08
"Home girl directed that choir!!!! Brian tore it up!!!!"
-snip-
"Home girl", technically means "a female from your neighborhood". Home boy and [most often found] "homie" are other forms of that referent. In the context of this comment, "home girl" is probably just be a complimentarly referent for that choir director.
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74. jocel kendall
"Ooooooooo I Needed A Shoe To Throw! That Boy Better Sing! Gave Me
Chills!"
-snip-
"Throwing a shoe" is a lightly humorous way of saying that that rendition made the commenter go in ("shout", "got happy", "got the Holy Ghost", "went in"). When that happens, out of excitement, the the person may do things like throw a shoe.
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75. Ladonna Lyons
"I feel so good right now that boy can sang"
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76. Crucially Luv
"Lawd the way this boy scatted"
-snip-
"Scatting" = "a type of jazz singing characterized by improvised vocal sounds instead of words". [freedictionary.com]
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77. childofolive
"MY GAWD!!!!!!!"
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78. Sheena Dunn
"Im mad! he didnt even move..... where this man at now?! SANG!!!"
-snip-
"I'm mad" is probably meant facetiously.
**
79. MrJkhalil81
"Sang ON CHILLLLDREN!"
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80. Thankyou3403
"chile. chile chile. my my my"
**
81. fletcher373
"The voice of an angel. Little Black boys and girls aren't called angels enough. God bless them."
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82. justFairy
"Boy u betttaa goooooneee .Hallelujahh"
-snip-
"Boy, you better go on".
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83. Desmond Smalls
"She conducted the heck out of him"
-snip-
This is praise for the choir director (conductor).
**
84. MsParker2ULuv
"Oooh lawd. Yess Jesus! Brought me to tears. Amen!"
**
85. Erin Marie
"WoW !!!!! Thank you lord smh It's amazing how everyone is hearing this on pandora at the same time !!!!!! Must be a blessing"
**
86. Jasmine Smith
"Yesss this came on my pandora I had to see what child was singing like this !!!! Wooo lawd ! that child has vocals !"
2014
87. stavalyon turner
"Best gospel song performed til this day still gives me chills and I was young when i heard it bless it be the name! the spirit was all over him during this filming!"
**
88. Times Up
"If this is the children choir in Mississippi, I hate to see how the adult choir gets down. That performance was priceless. Couldn't help but to shed a tear while this 12 yr old boy name Bryan Wilson...turn it up!!!! God Bless you young man and the choir. They were just as live."
-snip-
"Mississippi Mass Choir" is the name of the adult choir.
**
89. healindasoul
"Whoever dislikes this, all I can say is the devil is a liar."
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90. Lynnetta Jones
"Gone boy"
-snip-
“Gone boy” is almost certainly “Go on, boy!”
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91. wojmm
"This baby sang the mess out this song!! Bless him Lord......I pray his anointing is growing with him!! Amen!"
-snip-
"Sang the mess out of this song" = sang it exceptionally well
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92. K Collins
"Bryan you about to make me shout right here at the office... Thank you God !!"
-snip-
"Shout" here probably means "to get happy/"fell the Holy Ghost"/"do the Holy dznce" and not "to yell".
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93. jay thomas
"I just love this so much.... this boy was singing like he was grown"
2015
94. Lorraine Williamson
"HALLELUJAH SING BABY WOW"
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95.jaida kemp
"you better sing boy"
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96. Heather Jordan
"Sing you precious baby, sing!... Thank You JESUS!!!"
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97. Fox1nDen
"2007? I wonder what this young gifted man is doing now. This blesses me every time I listen. It is not just his vocal talent, it is the conversation between the singer and the piano, two musicians keeping up with each other, bringing out the best. The choir is impeccable. Must have had good leadership to let this incredible voice stand alone."
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Reply
98. jessicalm145
"this video is much older than that. i think it was 94. he was 10 in this video. he's 33 now. look him up. Bryan Andrew Wilson"
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99. Laura Jackson
"I don't think the choir director gets enough credit. She has those kids in check! I loved this rendition as a child and I love it now!"
-snip-
"She has those kids in check" = She has total control over the choir's singing.
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100. debbiedelight7
"Saaaaaang! Little man"
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