The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Jesus, Lover of My Soul | COVERS

In the ninth edition of COVERS (2025), The Edwin Hawkins Singers delivers a compelling rendition of the hymn “Jesus, Lover of Soul.”

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers.  It is open to established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the ninth edition of COVERS (2025), The Edwin Hawkins Singers delivers a compelling rendition of the beloved hymn “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” originally performed by The Edwin Hawkins Singers.

“Jesus, lover of my soul / Let me to Thy bosom fly.” Those lyrics hail from an old, beloved hymn by Charles Wesley. The late, great Edwin Hawkins and The Edwin Hawkins Singers make “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” sound brand-new and completely original. The sound might contrast with the original penned by Wesley, but the powerful nature of the hymn is unchanged in the hands of The Edwin Hawkins Singers. “Jesus” is the second track from Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord released in 1968.

From the jump, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” is high-energy, set in the bright key of D-flat major.  D-flat is an awesome key for gospel music, by the way.  Piano, drums and the tambourine are key instruments within the musical accompaniment. The piano playing is incredibly bluesy. During the verses, The Edwin Hawkins Singers show off a mix of show choir and classical choral sensibility. They masterfully deliver Wesley’s reverent and thoughtful lyrics. In the first verse, they continue singing, “While the nearer waters roll / While the tempest still is high.” In the second verse, they tout “Plenteous grace from Thee is found / Grace to cover all my sin / Let the healing streams abound / Make and keep me pure within.” Amen!  The chorus is where the choir is its most dynamic:

“My Savior, hide, Savior, hide

Till the storm of life is past

Safe into the heaven’s guide

And receive my soul at last

And receive my soul at last.”

As epic as the chorus is, the bridge may be the section to beat. Vamping, the choir sings in four parts.  It begins with the basses, setting the foundation with “Jesus is the lover of my soul.”  From there, the tenors, then altos, and finally, the sopranos assert powerfully, in harmony,  “He’s a lover, of my soul.”  At the end of the brief outro, the final chord, performed on the word “soul” is stunning.  Rather than end on a standard D-flat major chord, the choir surprises us with a super cool ‘jazz’ chord.  Years after its release, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” in the hands of The Edwin Hawkins Singers sounds fresh!

The Edwin Hawkins Singers // Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord // Sony Music Entertainment // 1968

The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Jesus, Lover of My Soul: Covers No. 9 (2025) [: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment; Alan Cordero, Wolf Art from Pexels; AcatXIo, Enrique, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]