For many years now, the British Nigerian artist named Sade Adu, has been one of my personal favorites. She’s known for a stripped away, minimalist approach to her jazz-tinged pop. This type of arrangement perfectly highlights her tender vocals.
While Sade has remained quiet about her beliefs, the love and corresponding relationships she so often sings about is as undeniable to the Christian faith, as it is to her. Consider these partial lyrics to “It’s Only Love That Gets You Through” — ‘You forgive those who have trespassed against you, And you know tenderness comes from pain, It’s amazing how you love, And love is kind and love can give, And love needs no gain,’ as compared to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 — ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’
It’s altogether fitting that her “Lovers Rock” album, released in 2000, would contain such a song as ”It's Only Love That Gets You Through.”
