Reading Time: 3 min read

Smokie Norful, โ€œUm Goodโ€: Music Lifts ๐ŸŽถ ๐Ÿ‹ No. 12 (2023) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown Gospel; cottonbro studio, Itzel Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]In the 12th edition of Music Lifts (2023), weโ€™re uplifted by pastor and gospel singer Smokie Norful performing, โ€œUm Good.โ€

โ€œIf I never see the ruins / Of that city they call ancient Rome / Iโ€™m not worried because I can still say / God, I know that you been good.โ€ Welcome to Music Lifts ๐ŸŽถ ๐Ÿ‹, 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.ย  Featured songs arenโ€™t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better โ€“ be LIFTED to new heights!ย  So, for the 12th edition of Music Lifts ๐ŸŽถ ๐Ÿ‹ (2023), we highlight ๐ŸŽต โ€œUm Goodโ€ as performed by ๐ŸŽ™ Smokie Norful.

Smokie Norful, Life Changing [๐Ÿ“ท: Motown Gospel]โ€œIf I never own a mansion / Way out on the hills / If Iย  never see riches / Lord, Iโ€™ll serve you still.โ€ ๐Ÿ’ฟ Life Changing.ย  That is the title of the 2006 album by pastor and gospel singer, ๐ŸŽ™ Smokie Norful.ย  One of the best, most moving, and most uplifting songs from Life Changing is ๐ŸŽต โ€œUm Goodโ€.ย  What makes โ€œUm Goodโ€ so good is the messaging, the vocals, the spiritedness, and the production.ย  Honestly, everything about โ€œUm Goodโ€ is um good, with God being primary!

balancing a barbell on fingerEssentially, what the ๐Ÿ† Grammy-winner ministers to us is, despite what happens in his life, whether its attainment of material things, or the loss of everything, he will still praise God (โ€œIn the midst of my despair / I can still say, Lord, you been goodโ€). On this utterly sublime ๐ŸŽผ โœ Percy Bady– penned gem,ย  thereโ€™s great balance.ย  This is a gospel record, but the R&B cues and sensibilities made it sound incredibly fresh in the aughts โ€“ and still marvelous in the 2020s for that matter.ย  Smokie sings with incredible authenticity, truly selling this message of never giving up on God despite the circumstances.ย  There are no more high-flying moments than the chorus, where Smokie is backed by a truly anointed choir, while he riffs and ad-libs along the main melody.ย  His faith sounds unshakable!

โ€œYou been good

Good, um good

So as long as I live Iโ€™ll tell the world, God is good

Good, um good

Iโ€™m so glad to say right now

God is good.โ€


๐ŸŽ™ Smokie Norful โ€ข ๐Ÿ’ฟ Life Changing โ€ข ๐Ÿท Motown Gospel โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2006

Smokie Norful, โ€œUm Goodโ€: Music Lifts ๐ŸŽถ ๐Ÿ‹ No. 12 (2023) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Motown Gospel; cottonbro studio, Itzel Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]

 


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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