Vickie Winans, Oh What Love | Music Lifts

In the 50^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by Vickie Winans performing, “Oh What Love.”

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 50^th edition of Music Lifts  (2023), we highlight “Oh What Love” as performed by Vickie Winans.

“Oh, what love, He has for me / That He would give His life?” The one and only, Jesus, that’s who, Vickie Winans. Back in the day, my mother would play Winans’ Live In Detroit (1997) and Live In Detroit II (1999) nonstop.  To this day, both of these albums are ingrained because I’ve heard and been uplifted by them over and over – they never grow old.  One of the great songs from Live In Detroit II is “Oh What Love”, which speaks to God’s (Jesus’) ultimate sacrifice of his life.  As Winans sings the lyrics, she is incredibly authentic – with a cry in her voice as she sings about Christ’s crucifixion.

“They beat my Jesus

They beat him all night long

Until He saw every little bone

And when He took His very last breath,

He hung His Head and died for you and I.”

Those are powerful, powerful lyrics.  The point is, a regular man, very much a human, wouldn’t sacrifice his life for someone else, let alone everybody.  Winans highlights this selfless nature, supported by a spirited choir on the bridge/vamp section.  “Jesus went to Calvary / To save a wretch like you and me / That’s love, that’s love.” So true, so true! Perhaps the most inspiring part of this section, that precedes one final, loving chorus is when Vickie and choir assert, “That’s not how the story ends / Three days later, He rose again / That’s love, that’s love.” Indeed, “Oh What Love”.

Vickie Winans • Live In Detroit II • Light • 1999

Vickie Winans, Oh What Love: Music Lifts No. 50 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Light; cottonbro studio, Itzel Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]