Essential Gospel – Classic Recordings: No. 146

“Never Would Have Made It”
Marvin Sapp
From the Verity CD Thirsty
2007
www.marvinsapp.com

“Never Would Have Made It,” like “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” is a gospel song that appeals to listeners immediately because it is hewn from the dark, seemingly bottomless well of emotional pain and sorrow, and as such strikes a universal chord. Dorsey wrote “Precious Lord” shortly after the loss of his wife and day-old child. In Dr. Sapp’s case, it was written a week after the death of his father, Henry Lewis Sapp, Jr. A minister as well as loving son, Dr. Sapp was responsible for handling his father’s funeral and burial, as well.

Stepping up to his pulpit at the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan the Sunday after his father’s burial, Dr. Sapp noticed that life had fallen right back into the usual routine, unaware of the emotional rawness still gnawing at him. Feeling and hearing the presence of God before him, Sapp eschewed his morning message and instead began singing the words of the song on the spot. “Never Would Have Made It” was created organically, a divine inspiration, right in the pulpit.

From a purely lyrical standpoint, “Never Would Have Made It” works well because the first line of music fires the title salvo like a cannon ball into the soul. The declaration echoes so powerfully and so beseechingly that the listener cannot help but assent. From the opening establishment of motive, the song builds in intensity, as all good gospel songs do, providing singer and listener alike with musical catharsis, and a reminder that we are not on this journey of life alone.

The evening before the live recording of the song, Sapp also lost his spiritual father, Bishop Abney. Thus, the recorded version of the song was not far off emotionally from what the Lighthouse congregation heard that Sunday morning when “Never Would Have Made It” was constructed out of the moment.

The single has since become a monster gospel radio hit, and churches large and small are resounding with versions of the song sung by their own soloists and choirs. I predict “Never Would Have Made It” will become a permanent part of the gospel singer’s repertory, just as “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” did 75 years ago…and for the same reason: both, as Dorsey would say, “prick the heart” of the listener.