Shirley Caesar & Michelle Williams, Steal Away to Jesus | Music Lifts

In the 21st edition of Music Lifts (2025), we’re uplifted by Michelle Williams and Shirley Caesar performing “Steal Away to Jesus.”

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 21^st edition of Music Lifts (2025), we highlight “Steal Away to Jesus” as performed by Shirley Caesar and Michelle Williams.

“Steal away (Steal away) / Steal away home (I haven’t got long) / I haven’t got long (To say here) / To stay here.” In 2001, legendary gospel musician Shirley Caesar and Grammy-winning Destiny’s Child standout, Michelle Williams, joined forces for a marvelous rendition of “Steal Away to Jesus”.  These two anointed ladies spice up this traditional African American spiritual. “Steal Away” is the second track on Caesar’s 2001 album, Hymns, and the ninth track from Williams’ debut gospel album, Heart to Yours. “Steal Away” features a beautiful arrangement and production by Caesar, Bubba Smith, and Michael E. Mathis. With instrumentation and sounds including keys, organ, bass, guitar, drums, horns, and choir, it is sweet, spiritual music to the ears!

Caesar and the choir are the first voices heard, singing the chorus, excerpted earlier. Williams enters the mix during the second iteration of the chorus with a marvelous run showcasing her distinct voice. During the Destiny’s Child years, Williams had a unique voice that contrasted with Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Caesar sings the first verse, performing the call, with the choir responding: “My Lord, my Lord, he calls me (Calls me) / He calls me by the thunder (Thunder) / The trumpet sounds way down in my sanctified soul / I haven’t got long to stay here.” Amen! Williams sings the second verse, contrasting Caesar with her smoother pipes: “Green trees are bending (Are bending) / Sinners stand a-trembling (A-trembling) / The trumpet sounds within my soul / I haven’t got long to stay here.” Hallelujah! Williams kills it with her ad-libs during the chorus following the first two verses.  She and Caesar split duties in the third and final verse, following up with a bridge that is unique to this contemporary rendition (“It’s gonna be over after a while / We won’t have to cry no more”).  Approaching 25 years after releasing “Steal Away to Jesus”, this collaboration between Caesar and Williams remains epic.  The musical lift is substantial !

Shirley Caesar // Hymns // Word Entertainment // 2002

Michelle Williams & Shirley Caesar, Steal Away to Jesus: Music Lifts No. 21 (2025) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Word Entertainment; BD Jewel, Dave H, Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Joshua Brown, Vansh Mehta from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]