ALONE BUT NOT ALONE
With an intro echoing the opening of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues", this engaging track affirms Winans' relationship with God. "As long as I know you, I'm, not alone", he sings on this up-tempo track that blurs the line between smooth jazz and grown folks soul.
MY STORY
An upbeat track that actually deals with a downbeat time in Winans life. Is this a true-life story? "Absolutely", Winans says. "I wrote that with my brother Carvin and all I'll answer is: absolutely, the story is true. The story is unfolding as we speak." The chorus is: "I'm in a mess, I need a way out. Can you help me find the peace of mind I used to have? I'm just a wreck left like a plane crash. There seems to be a piece of my mind everywhere."
YOU JUST DON'T WANNA KNOW
This lush, acoustic-guitar driven ballad is full of meanings. On the one hand, it's about a broken relationship or marriage. On the other hand, it's about man's relationship and responsibility to his fellow man. Citing the Romans 15 Biblical scripture, Winans says, "That says the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. So, after we are so carried about our concerns that we don't want to recognize that we have to help those who are weak in faith, economically… you have to care, you can't just walk away."
I STILL BELIEVE
Opening with some Latin percussion and warm horn lines, this subtle funk groove is an answer to "You Just Don't Wanna Know." Winans says, "The last word in `You Just Don't Wanna Know' is `you just don't wanna know' and the first words in `I Still Believe' is `I believe marriage is made in heaven.' Winans then breezes through a laundry list of things he believes in such as "water falls and sunsets and that dreams really do come true." A smooth, carefree song perfect for cruising down the interstate with the sunroof down.
I SHALL NEVER
A hushed ballad with jazzy piano, features an up and coming soprano from Winans' church, DeShondra Rideout. "I never heard a voice like that," he says. "Her musical intelligence is far beyond her years." In this song they declare their faith and gratitude to God for everything he has done for them.
HE BROUGHT ME JOY
Starting quietly with a warm vocal by Winans, he sings of being at a low point in his life and calling out for help. Then, he crooned lyrics such as "I heard a voice but I saw no one." Of course, it was God speaking to him. The song continues to build as Winans' brother, Ronald, appears on what would be his last recording to testify about God's faithfulness to him through his personal health crisis. A thunderous vocal exchange takes place with the brothers ending the song with a spirited crescendo.
I'M OVER IT NOW
"People only see the smiles unaware of all the trials one must endure," Winans offers on this acoustic-guitar ballad. It revolves around the everyday ups and downs of life and finding the solutions to these problems in God. By the end of the song, Winans has triumphed over his problems and can sing, "I'm all grown up now, I got the victory."
COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN
A balmy mid-tempo tune with a simple and to the point message. "If you made a dumb decision come on in out of the rain," says Winans. "Don't stand out there and get all wet. When I was in the 7th grade, my teacher Mrs. Stewart would always say, `Ya'll aint got sense enough to come in out of the rain.'"
TRY
An engaging mid-tempo, sax-friendly lounge ballad featuring the incomparable Kim Burrell, who has toured with jazz artist Harry Connick Jr. "I wrote `Try' like 20 years ago," Winans says. "I don't listen to jazz. I don't particularly like jazz. I remember that when the Winans recorded `I Needed You' we produced it with George Duke. George said, `Marvin?' I said yes, George. You never studied jazz? I said no. I tried to tell him some folks are just born with jazz in them."
PEACE & LOVE
Winans proves he's an authentic soul man on this mid-tempo brotherhood track written by Tommy Sims. With a vocal delivery as measured, impassioned and technically on point as any by Maze's Frankie Beverly or Marvin Gaye who is echoed in the song (on the vamp, Winans sighs, "Mercy, mercy me, things ain't what they used to be").
SINNER'S PRAYER
This quiet prayer set to music was also written by Tommy Sims. Starting off with just piano, the prayer builds as a Duke Ellington ballad would with soft horns, strings, rhythm and a muffled choir to highlight the passion of the lyrics. At the center of this climatic moment are the sugary vocals of Diamond Tigney, a young girl who attends Winans' Perfecting Church.