Mandisa, Bleed The Same | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 25^th edition of Music Lifts (2024), we’re uplifted by Christian musicians Mandisa, TobyMac, and Kirk Franklin performing, “Bleed The Same.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column highlighting songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs exuding 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 25^th edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2024), we highlight “Bleed The Same” as performed by Christian musicians Mandisa, TobyMac, and Kirk Franklin.

“We all bleed the same / We’re more beautiful when we come together.” Unity is a beautiful thing, and the world needs more of it! The late, great, Grammy-winning Christian singer/songwriter Mandisa (Mandisa Hundley) continues singing on “Bleed The Same”, “We all bleed the same / So, tell me why, tell me why / We’re divided.” That is a good question. The answer, sadly,  is complicated and has been for ages, unfortunately. “Bleed The Same” is the sixth track on her 2017 album, Out Of The Dark. She collaborates with Grammy-winning Christian music superstars TobyMac (Kevin Michael McKeehan) and Kirk Franklin. Hundley, TobyMac, Bryan Fowler, and Christopher Stevens penned the track.  Likewise, Fowler and Stevens produced.

Mandisa delivers dynamic, powerful vocals throughout “Bleed The Same.”  That begins with her vocals in the intro, the eventual chorus. TobyMac performs the first verse, singing easily but sharing thought-provoking lyrics (“Woke up today / Another headline / Another innocent life is taken / In the name of hatred”).  Mandisa takes over in the pre-chorus, leading into the crème de la crème, the chorus.  Extending upon the intro, she asserts, “If we’re gonna fight, let’s fight for each other / If we’re gonna shout, let love be the cry.” Amen! She also sings the second verse, preaching equality. TobyMac performs the related but contrasting bridge section with Mandisa joining in the second half.  As for Kirk Franklin, he ministers at the end of the record, a role he excels in (“So, Father God, I pray / That our families will come together right now… ”). Enthusiastic production supports this powerful trio in this thoughtful contemporary Christian gem.  Rest in peace, Mandisa.

Mandisa // Out Of The Dark // Sparrow // 2017

Mandisa, TobyMac & Kirk Franklin, Bleed The Same: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 25 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sparrow; Monstera Production, Qamar Rehman, RDNE Stock Project, Thomas Ronveaux, Wolrider YURTSEVEN from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors, Quốc Hùng Hầu from Pixabay]