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  • Writer's picturejason

Take 6, "Mary"

Here's the legendary jazz/gospel a cappella group Take 6 performing "Mary," with tenor Mark Kibble taking a turn singing lead, backed by some of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous vocal harmonies you'll ever hear. You're welcome.


Listen to the original studio track here. (Interestingly, the group has since re-recorded their debut album in its entirety; listen to the new version of "Mary" here to compare.) And if you have seven minutes to be further blown away, check out this extended live audio recording, with the group's energy off the charts and Kibble practically growling his way into rock territory.


"Mary" is also known as "Mary Don't You Weep" (among other variant titles), an African American spiritual with a long history of recorded performance—including wildly different renditions by the Kingston Trio, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Prince and many more. From artist to artist, and across generations, its themes of hope, courage, solace and resistance endure. And it's certainly as resonant and relevant now as it has ever been. BONUS: Here's another of my favorite Take 6 performances, "Get Away Jordan," which features Alvin Chea doing double duty on both bass and lead vocals, and showcases the group's astounding bedrock-to-stratosphere range:

And here's a fun video where they break the song down and put it back together again (with a nod to the other, non-river "Jordan" that more likely comes to mind):


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Listen to the Spotify playlist here.

Watch the YouTube playlist here.

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