| "Get Right With God" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Lucinda Williams | ||||
| from the album Essence | ||||
| Released | 2001 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:16 | |||
| Label | Lost Highway | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lucinda Williams | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Lucinda Williams singles chronology | ||||
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"Get Right With God" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released in 2001 as the second single from her sixth album, Essence (2001).
The song earned Williams the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 2002. [1]
A review of the song from AllMusic stated: "Lucinda Williams, an expert conjurer of Southern imagery, sees the light with the shuffling backwoods, revivalist stomp of 'Get Right With God'. Williams proclaims her need for a good soul cleansing, 'Cause I want to get right with God/Yes, you know you got to get right with God'. The last verse hints that this seemingly all-consuming search for redemption may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, Williams simply mining the colorful history and rich cultural imagery of the American South as she queries, 'I asked God about his plan/To save us all from Satan's slaughter/If I give up one of my lambs/Will you take me as one of your daughters?" [2]
Singer-songwriter Joy Lynn White provided harmony backing vocals on the track.
Spin referred to "Get Right With God" as an "odd mock-gospel worksong", [3] while Salon wrote "By contrast, "Get Right With God" burns as hot as "Essence," though the hellfire here is spiritual rather than sexual. Even Williams attempts to distance herself as she instructs the musicians to "Get da-own!" (in a caricature of a cracker accent), yet the intensity of the plain-spoken, guitar-driven prayer transcends parody. Sin and salvation aren't conceptual abstracts but palpably physical, and one is as likely to burn from the former as yearn for the latter." [4]
Country music website The Boot ranked the song No. 10 on their list of the best Lucinda Williams songs, describing it as a "deceptively low-key, country-flecked number", writing that it "seems like a rather self-explanatory song. The protagonist is willing to make sacrifices to 'get right with God' and go to heaven. The underlying message, however, is that this faith is less about deep-seated belief and more about surface action — which means the song can be read as a subtle criticism of modern religion." [5] NPR wrote that the song "inspired one of her most astounding vocal performances", and observed "Gospel music is a central, if under-discussed, inspiration for Williams. Here she makes the connection clear in a driving account of faith's relationship to audacity and risk." [6]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Grammy Award | Best Female Rock Vocal Performance | "Get Right With God" | Lucinda Williams | Won | [1] |
Lucinda Gayl Williams is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums, Ramblin' on My Mind (1979) and Happy Woman Blues (1980), in a traditional country and blues style that received critical praise but little public or radio attention. In 1988, she released her third album, Lucinda Williams, to widespread critical acclaim. Regarded as "an Americana classic", the album also features "Passionate Kisses", a song later recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter for her 1992 album Come On Come On, which garnered Williams her first Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994. Known for working slowly, Williams released her fourth album, Sweet Old World, four years later in 1992. Sweet Old World was met with further critical acclaim, and was voted the 11th best album of 1992 in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of prominent music critics. Robert Christgau, the poll's creator, ranked it 6th on his own year-end list, later writing that the album, as well as Lucinda Williams, were "gorgeous, flawless, brilliant".
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, released on June 30, 1998, by Mercury Records. The album was recorded and co-produced by Williams in Nashville, Tennessee and Canoga Park, California, and features guest appearances by Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris.
SWV is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) George, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here ", "I'm So into You", and "You're the One". The group disbanded in 1998 to pursue solo projects and reunited in 2005. SWV has sold more than 25 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.
Connie Smith is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity has been noted between her vocal style and the stylings of country vocalist Patsy Cline. Other performers have cited Smith as influence on their own singing styles, which has been reflected in quotes and interviews over the years.
"Anytime You Need a Friend" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, for her third studio album, Music Box (1993). It was released on May 24, 1994, through Columbia Records, as the fifth and final single from the album. The song is influenced by pop, R&B and gospel genres. While the album focused heavily on pop oriented and radio friendly material, "Anytime You Need a Friend" deviated from the formula, finishing as the only gospel-infused song on Music Box. Lyrically, the song's protagonist tells her love interest that anytime he may need a friend, she will be there unconditionally for him. Throughout the song's bridge and climax, critics noted the lyrics altering from those of a friend, to those of a lover.
"Ghetto Gospel" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur, which was released as the lead single from his 2004 posthumous album Loyal to the Game. The song was produced by American rapper Eminem and features a sample of Elton John's 1971 song "Indian Sunset".
Essence is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, released on June 5, 2001, by Lost Highway Records. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 28, selling approximately 44,500 copies in its first week. By 2008, it had sold 336,000 copies in the U.S.
"I'm Gonna Be Alright" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her second studio album, J.Lo (2001). It was written by Lopez, Lorraine Cheryl Cook, Ronald LaPread and producers Cory Rooney and Troy Oliver. "I'm Gonna Be Alright" was remixed by Poke & Tone of Trackmasters for Lopez's first remix album, J to tha L-O! The Remixes (2002). It was released on April 1, 2002, by Epic Records as the album's second single. The remix features rapper Nas and achieved moderate success on the music charts worldwide, and peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Lopez's sixth U.S. top ten single.
"God Bless the Child" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Shania Twain. It was released on October 26, 1996 as the eighth and final single from her sophomore studio album The Woman in Me (1995). The album version was solely written by Twain and the single version was co-written by Mutt Lange. The album version is more a poem than a song, completely done a cappella. A country version and an alternate version without the banjo were later released for airplay. "God Bless the Child" is one of Twain's few songs to have a major gospel music influence.
"Passionate Kisses" is a song written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released in 1989 as the fourth single from her third album, Lucinda Williams (1988).
"If We Had Your Eyes" is a song recorded by American singer Michelle Williams. It was written by Harmony Samuels, Courtney Harrell, and Al Sherrod Lambert for her fourth studio album, Journey to Freedom (2014), with production helmed by Samuels. The song was digitally released worldwide as the album's lead single on June 24, 2013. The official remix of "If We Had Your Eyes" featuring Fantasia Barrino was released on November 5, 2013.
"Essence" is a song by Nigerian singer Wizkid, featuring fellow Nigerian singer Tems. It was released on 30 October 2020, as the fourth single from Wizkid's fourth studio album, Made in Lagos. "Essence" was produced by P2J and Legendury Beatz. The "sensual" song sees the duo express their desire for each other. A music video was released on 9 April 2021, shot in Accra, Ghana. "Essence" is the first Nigerian song in history to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. The song received a nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Global Music Performance.
"Can't Let Go" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Randy Weeks, made famous by Lucinda Williams in 1998–1999. Williams released "Can't Let Go" as a single from her album Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, and the song entered the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart in December 1998, peaking at number 14 in March 1999, staying on the chart for 13 weeks. Williams earned a Grammy nomination for the song in the category Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Weeks released his own version of the song in 2000, on his album Madeline.
"Righteously" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released in 2003 as the first single from her seventh album, World Without Tears (2003).
"Essence" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released in 2001 as the first single from her sixth album, Essence (2001).
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