James Cleveland, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” | Sunday Refresh 🙏

In the 18^th edition of Sunday Refresh (2022), we’re uplifted by James Cleveland performing, “Jesus Lover of my Soul.”

The King of Gospel Music, 🎙 James Cleveland, was known for his unique arrangements of hymns and transformations of pop songs. With no shortage of gems in his catalog, among my favorites from 💿 The King of Gospel Music is 🎵 “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”.  This marks an instance where Cleveland takes an old, beloved hymn by 🎼✍ Charles Wesley and transforms it into his own.  Lifeway published an intriguing article on the background of the hymn and Wesley, where one of the biggest takeaways regarding the hymn is how powerful it is.

The lyrics of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” are a gargantuan part of what makes it tailor-made for a Sunday refresh.

“Jesus, lover of my soul,

let me to thy bosom fly,

while the nearer waters roll,

while the tempest still is high…”

That said, some of the musical choices made by ‘King’ James are refreshing and rejuvenating themselves.  Examining the hymn in my African Methodist Episcopal hymnal, I found it be slightly irregular (the phrasing) given its six-four time signature. Worth noting, there is another variant with a different tune. Anyways, Cleveland black ‘gospelizes’ this classic, matching the colorful, traditional sound we’ve associated with him historically. If you’re well versed in Cleveland’s music, you know what to expect.  That’s common with any familiar artist regardless of genre.

That said, Cleveland digs deeper into the possibilities of music theory and is more liberal with the black gospel palette.  Set in the key of E-flat major, the second half of the verses opt for a modal interchange, shifting to E-flat minor, and at times, playing with E-flat Dorian (the C natural as opposed to C-flat).  For more reference to where this happens lyrically, here’s the rest of the first verse, which Cleveland and 🎙 Voices of Cornerstone treat as the recurring chorus:

“Hide me, O my Savior, hide,

Till the storm of life is past.

Safe into the haven guide,

O receive my soul at last!”

The harmonies captured by the choir are much more innovative for gospel music at the time this record arrived, incorporating harmonies from jazz.  Throw in one of the funkiest bass lines and drum grooves you’ll hear in gospel music and “Jesus, Lover of my Soul” gets a radical transformation.  Another cool addition by Rev? The vamp on the lyrics, “Receive me lord,” which again, plays around with this minor/modal key. “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” in the hands of James Cleveland is a must-hear, period.

🎙 James Cleveland • 💿 The King of Gospel Music • 🏷 Malaco • 📅 2021

James Cleveland, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”: Sunday Refresh 🙏 No. 18 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gerhard G., JL G, Malaco, The Musical Hype, Pixabay]