Beyoncé & Walter Williams, Sr., He Still Loves Me | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 1^st edition of Music Lifts (2024), we’re uplifted by Beyoncé and Walter Williams, Sr. performing, “HE Still Loves Me.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column that seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 1^st edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2024), we highlight “He Still Loves Me” as performed by Beyoncé and Walter Williams, Sr..

“Seems like I always fall short of being worthy / ‘Cause I ain’t good enough, but He still loves me.” None of us are worthy, but He – aka God – loves us despite of our flaws, sins, and unworthiness.  That’s the takeaway of the truly elite gospel-soundtrack record, “He Still Loves Me”. “He Still Loves Me” hails from The Fighting Temptations, a 2003 film starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyoncé, and a star-studded cast of actors and musicians. On the featured song from the original motion picture soundtrack, Beyoncé is assisted by Walter Williams Sr. (of The O’Jays) primarily, with subtler contributions from Angie Stone, Eddie Levert (also of The O’Jays), and the star-studded choir.  More than 20 years old, “He Still Loves Me” is a marvelous inspirational record.

Following his intro, Walter Williams Sr. is the primary voice heard in the first verse and first chorus. “Took me a while, but I’m finally here / So I just wanna testify, make it crystal clear,” he sings in the first verse, adding, “I’ve been beat down / ‘Til He turned my life around.” In the second, Beyoncé takes the reins, focusing on the adversities of life: “I went to bed on top of the world / Today, the world’s on top of me.” With life being arduous, ultimately, the chorus highlights the goodness and mercifulness of God.  Continued to be mentioned on this slick, Jimmy Jam / Terry Lewis / James “Big Jim” Wright– produced record is the unworthiness.  “I’m not perfect / Yes I do wrong / I’m trying my best / But it ain’t good enough,” the choir sings, powerfully. The choir later adds, “If you ain’t worthy, just raise your hands / And let me know that you are understand,” with Stone capping off with, “That we are all so blessed / To be loved, loved.”  So much more can be said of “He Still Loves Me” – what a record.  Ultimately, it’s a moving record that speaks of the endless love of God despite the fact we are not worthy of such.

🎙 Various Artists • 💿 The Fighting Temptations (Music From the Motion Picture) • 🏷 Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 📅 2003

Beyoncé & Walter Williams, Sr., He Still Loves Me: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 1 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony BMG Music Entertainment; Hamid Tajik, Qamar Rehman, vansh mehta, Viridiana Rivera via Pexels]