Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin, Bless Me | Music Lifts

In the 24^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin performing, “Bless 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 24^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we highlight “Bless Me” as performed by Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin.

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“One, two, three / Bless me!” Say that, say that, Kirk Franklin.  It is safe to say, The highly decorated gospel extraordinaire kicks off “Bless Me” with a bang on the intro.  “Bless Me,” which appears on the 2022 album, Kingdom Book One, finds Franklin collaborating with one of contemporary gospel’s hottest collectives, Maverick City Music. Franklin, who has a superb pen, composed and produced this uplifting joint which petitions God for blessings and favor, while also characterizing Him (The Great I Am) as “Our victory.” As always, with a Kirk Franklin song, there is a great message – one that endures and is transcendent.

Franklin, of course, when it comes to the performance, plays the role of choir director, pastor, and hype man. He’s almost like the energy guy – the sixth man on the basketball team who can light a spark!  He gets his biggest role on the chorus, where he’s, well “a bucket” ! He leads the charge with lines like, “Persecuted, not abandoned” and “Because Jehovah’s by my side,” to which The Mav City Gospel Choir respond, “We got everything we need.” Of course, the choir does the heavy lifting, singing the infectious melody on the verses spiritually and soulfully.  “Bless me, bless me, bless me, God, Indeed / Death has been defeated, He is our victory,” the collective asserts in the first verse, adding, “God, not just for me / But so everybody around me can have everything we need.” Yes, yes, yes !  In the second verse, the favor comes in, intact with a modulation (key change).  More could be said about “Bless Me” but honestly, this song of praise speaks for itself.  If you need a serious lift, this song right here is sure to make you stronger !

Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin • Kingdom Book One • Maverick City Music / Tribl / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration • 2022

Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin, “Bless Me”: Music Lifts No. 24 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Maverick City Music / Tribl / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration; cottonbro studio, Itzel  Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]