Rev. James Cleveland - "Lord, Help Me To Hold Out" (YouTube sound file, information, & lyrics)

Walter Robinson, April 21, 2011

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision - Nov. 29, 2022

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of Rev. James Cleveland's 1973 song "Lord, Help Me To Hold Out".

Lyrics for this song are also included in this post along with information about Rev. James Cleveland.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/caribbean-church-choir-procession-video.html for the Jamaican song "Hold On Out" which has a very similar theme.

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/06/videos-of-keep-your-hand-on-plow-hold.html for Part I of a four part series on Gospel songs with the words "hold on". Links to other posts in that series can be found in that post.

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

Thanks to Rev. James Cleveland, the composer of this song for his musical legacy and thanks to the vocalists and musicians who are featured in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of these examples.

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INFORMATION ABOUT REVEREND JAMES CLEVELAND
Source #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cleveland
"The Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland (December 5, 1931 – February 9, 1991) was a gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the King of Gospel music, Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, modern soul, pop, and jazz in arrangements for mass choirs. Throughout his career, Cleveland appeared on hundreds of recordings, won 4 Grammy Awards, and received a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Cleveland began singing as a boy soprano at Pilgrim Baptist Church where Thomas A. Dorsey was minister of music and Roberta Martin was pianist for the choir. He strained his vocal cords as a teenager while part of a local gospel group, leaving the distinctive gravelly voice that was his hallmark in his later years. The change in his voice led him to focus on his skills as a pianist and later as a composer and arranger. For his pioneering accomplishments and contributions, he is regarded by many to be one of the greatest gospel singers that ever lived.[1]"...

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Source #2
From https://hymnary.org/text/lord_help_me_to_hold_out
"James Cleveland

b. Chicago, 5 Dec. 1932; d. Los Angeles, 9 Feb. 1991; American gospel singer, composer and pianist; he issued more than 50 albums, was awarded six gold records and two Grammy awards and established the Gospel Music Workshop of America in August 1968. From 1971 until his death he served as pastor of the Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, Los Angeles."

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "LORD, HELP ME TO HOLD OUT"
From https://hymnary.org/text/lord_help_me_to_hold_out
"First Line: Lord, help me to hold out

Title: Lord, Help Me to Hold Out

Author: James Cleveland

Language: English

Copyright: © 1974, Planemar Music Co.

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LYRICS: LORD HELP ME TO HOLD OUT
(Rev. James Cleveland)

Chorus:
Lord, help me to hold out (3X)
Until my change come
I beleive we ought to say that one more time
Lord help me to hold out , please Lord wont you help me
I begging you Lord pleaset Jesus Help Me to to Hold out
Until my Until My change come,

Verse 2:
My way may not easy
You did not say that it would be
But when it gets dark
I can't see my way
You told me to put my trust in Thee
That's why I'm asking you
Lord Jesus Lord Jesus Help meto Hold out I am just
about to make it over I need a little help help the
Devil tryn to stop me
GO TO CHORUS

Verse 1:
Lord I need you to help me to hold out
though the mountain tops to high
I need you to help me to hold out
Give me the patience I need to hold out
Thank you Jesus---Until

choir
until my change come

Refrain:

Lord help me to hold out (8X)
I believe I can hold out (sopranos,altos) (4-6X)
Hold out (tenors)
Lord Jesus Help Me to hold out , beleive i can make
master Lord help me , been cryn in the mid night hour
if i can only hear from heaven, Lord
All
Until my change come (3X)

Source: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/james-cleveland-lyrics/lord-help-me-to-hold-out-lyrics.html

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