Wallace Best, a professor of religion at Princeton University compiled a list of the 10 best gospel songs. He says that gospel is the most “American” of American music. It is the roots of R&B and rock and perhaps the most influential genre of music there is.
Coming up with a list of the best gospel songs is a near impossible task, so this list of 10 represent the most significant in terms of music and lyrical quality, originality, innovation, and most important, how they conform to the classic understanding of gospel music, which is “good news.” They not only have the gospel sound, but also the “spirit” of gospel!
For explanations of the songs, check out Dr. Best’s full article on Huffington Post.
His list is as follows:
TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD (1932)
MOVE ON UP A LITTLE HIGHER (1947)
HOW I GOT OVER (1951)
I’M TOO CLOSE (1953)
TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT (1956)
OH, HAPPY DAY (1967)
WHOLY HOLY (1971)
MARY, DON’T YOU WEEP (1972)
I. O. U. ME (1987)
STAND (1996)
Do you agree with his selections? What do you think are some of the best gospel songs?
