Alabama’s Performance in 2015
American band Alabama performed “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” live in 2015. It is one of the songs included in their performance of a series of Christian gospel hymns. Aside from the song, they also performed other notable and popular gospel hymns like “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, “The Old Rugged Cross”, Because He Lives”, and “I’ll Fly Away“ to name a few. In addition, they sang their chart-topping and greatest classic hit “Angels Among Us“.
In their performance of “Just A Closer Walk With Thee“, lead singer Randy Owen sings the song from the heart. His distinct voice, playing with the low and high notes, made the performance even more worthy to watch and listen to. But more than that, the message of the hymn remains pure as the band creates a melody full of meaning and grace.
Watch Alabama take on a classic gospel hymn, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” in a heartfelt performance:
Song Background
“Just a Closer Walk With Thee” is a song that will surely make you get down on your knees and reflect on life. It is a traditional gospel hymn that roots from an account in the Bible. In addition, the hymn dates back to southern African-American churches of the 19th century. While the precise author of the song is not known, sources show some evidence that it was written back even before the Civil War.
Some personal African-American histories recall “slaves singing the song as they worked in the fields a song about walking by the Lord’s side.” (Wikipedia)
Most frequently played a hymn in funerals, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” is a well-loved traditional song. The title and lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, 12:9, and James 4:8.
2 Corinthians 5:7 states,
“We walk by faith, not by sight.”
On the other hand, James 4:8 goes,
“Come near to God, and He will come near to you.”
This gospel hymn has been popularly covered by a number of artists. Most notable covers include the recordings of Patsy Cline and Jimmie Rodgers in 1960, Ella Fitzgerald in 1967, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash in 1969. Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn also performed the song in 1971 and 1972, respectively.
In addition, modern versions of this song have also been recorded. These include Willie Nelson’s in 1996, Anne Murray’s in 1999, and Charley Pride’s and Randy Travis’ in 2006.
Here’s a part of the song that will surely touch you…
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, if you please,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
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Alabama, Gospel Hymn, just a closer walk with thee