On the 4th edition of Sunday Refresh (2022), weโre uplifted by The Clark Sisters performing, โPure Gold.โ
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elcome to Sunday Refresh ๐, a column that seeks to highlight inspirational songs to uplift the spirit.ย These tracks that appear on Sunday Refresh ๐ may or may not be faith-based or religious; the goal is for them to make you feel better โ refreshed.ย So, for the 4th edition of Sunday Refresh ๐ (2022), we highlight ๐ต โPure Goldโ as performed by ๐ The Clark Sisters.โThe rock of salvation / A sure foundation / steadfast unmovable / Strong as Mt. Zion / fit for the Masterโs plan / We know all things work together.โ Amen, hallelujah ๐ ๐! So, were you aware that ๐ Grammy-nominated rapper ๐ Snoop Dogg released a compilation of religious songs? If not, this occurred in the year of our Lord, 2018, when ๐ฟ Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love arrived.ย Notably, Bible of Love features a classic by iconic gospel collective ๐ The Clark Sisters, ๐ต โPure Gold.โ For some context, The Clark Sisters were known for their high-flying vocal harmonies and anointed pipes.ย The Clark Sisters was founded by their mother, the legendary ๐ Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, an innovator in harmony in gospel choirs.
โThough weโre tried in the fire, we come / Out as pure gold / Lord make us whole.โ โPure Goldโ may appear on Snoopโs gospel compendium, but it originally appeared on The Clark Sistersโ 1985 album, ๐ฟ Is My Living in Vain? โPure Goldโ certainly represents the innovative spirit the iconic group and Dr. Clark brought to contemporary gospel music (gotta love the songwriting, harmonic scheme, and form).ย That said, what most stands out is how the record affects you while listening โ how it touches the spirit! The sisters, led by ๐ Karen Clark Sheard, speak of being molded into pure gold.ย The Christian walk is one that isnโt rosy but has its fair share of hills and bumps in the road.ย After going through โthe ringerโ in some cases, if we are faithful believe, and stay the course, weโll come out better, stronger, and like pure gold thanks to God.
โWeโre casted then melted
Like brass, tin, and iron
We become like a stone
Weโre carved, scraped, and shaven
Like rock, wood, and metal
We become like a stone.โ
This 80s gospel classic still hits hard in 2022.ย The spiritual refresh is real!
๐ Snoop Dogg โข ๐ฟ Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love โข ๐ท RCA โข ๐
2018
The Clark Sisters, โPure Goldโ: Sunday Refresh ๐ No. 4 (2022) [๐ท: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, RCA, Zac Durant on Unsplash]