Mary Mary, Can’t Give Up Now | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 57^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by contemporary gospel duo, Mary Mary performing, “Can’t Give Up Now.”

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 57^th edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2023), we highlight 🎵 “Can’t Give Up Now” as performed by 🎙 Mary Mary.

“I just can’t give up now / I come too far from where I started from.” Yes, yes, yes, 🎙 Mary Mary! 🎵 “Can’t Give Up Now” ranks among the best tracks from the 🏆 Grammy-winning gospel duo’s catalog. Appearing as the fifth track on their 2000, double platinum, debut album, 💿 Thankful, “Can’t Give Up Now” features an urban sound, embracing the R&B of the era. Give 🎙 Erica Campbell’s husband, producer Warryn “Baby Dubb” Campbell, credit for marvelous backdrop. So, who wrote this uplifting record? Originally, 🎵 “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired”, the song that Mary Mary transformed, was written by 🎼 ✍ Curtis Burrell.  This new interpretation adds writing credits by Erica, 🎙 Tina Campbell, and Warryn. 

Among many things that make “Can’t Give Up Now” uplifting are the encouraging lyrics. In the first verse, adversity is acknowledged, but even so, “But victory or defeat, it’s up to me to decide / But how can I expect to win if I never try.” Facts! Similarly, in the second verse, “But when my back is against the wall / And I feel all hope is gone / I’ll just lift my head up to the sky / And say help me to be strong.” It leads to the centerpiece, the chorus, where “Nobody told me the road would be easy / And I don’t believe He’s brought me this far / To leave me 🙌 🙌 🙌.” Some other notes regarding this 2000 gospel classic.  The vocals by both sisters are electrifying ⚡️, from the poised, expressive verses, to the high-flying riffs on the extended chorus 💪.  Also making the extended chorus epic are sublime choral vocals, superbly executed key changes, and, of course, the spirit! The musicianship is lofty, from the gang clapping to the break during the coda (the FINAL chorus). The lift 🏋️ is legit!

🎙 Mary Mary • 💿 Thankful • 🏷 Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 📅 2000

Mary Mary, Can’t Give Up Now: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 57 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony BMG Music Entertainment; Hamid Tajik, Qamar Rehman, vansh mehta, Viridiana Rivera via Pexels]