You ever wake up with a song on your lips? Today I woke up thinking of a song I haven’t heard in absolute ages. Seriously, when is the last time you heard Heaven by BeBe and CeCe Winans?
It’s been a minute, right?
When this album came out in 1988, BeBe and CeCe were taking gospel music to unprecedented heights in the secular world. This video used to be on BET all the time! I distinctly remember those Video Soul days, Donnie Simpson rockin’ the Cosby sweater and gazing at me with those bedroom eyes (I swear, Donnie was one of my first crushes). Heaven had more than one big hit in my memory — Lost Without You was beautiful, and so was Meantime. Aww, I love those Eighties synthesizers. They make me feel like a nine year old again.
I’ve always loved BeBe’s and CeCe’s voices — powerful, warm, mellow. I’m not a particularly religious bella, but there’s something about good gospel music that reaches this little heathen in her soul. It can’t be too preachy, it has to have rhythm, and it has to feel real. I loved what BeBe and CeCe Winans did for the genre — they proved that a song can have a message without shoving it down your throat. Addictive Love is just a good jam. Then the lyrics hit you, and you realize the depth of their faith. It’s an approach that works for me. Love BeBe and CeCe! They haven’t recorded together in a while, but Wikipedia claims a reunion album will drop this year!
Psst — for vintage Winans, check out this performance of Up Where We Belong on the Jim Bakker show back in the day. CeCe looks like she just stepped off the set of The Facts of Life.
I love BeBe and CeCe and all the rest of the Winans! You should check out BeBe and CeCe’s song with Whitney Houston, “Hold up the Light”. Classic. There was a live performance of it on youtube.
Love this song. I think I had the same jacket CeCe is wearing in the video. ha
I just loved BeBe&CeCe when i was growing up ,and still do to this day.One of my favorites was the one with Mavis Staples.
Girl!!! I love some Bebe and Cece and the rest of the Winans too…the brothers had a few fantastic albums when I was a teenager…”Tomorrow” was the gospel smooth-jam. Jaime, “Hold up the light” was my inspiration song! Me and my girls used to shout the songs from the mountain top…not literally of course but whooooo! I knew every word in every song. I have them in my Ipod all now! I think I am going to take a listen today and find my peace before I start cussing folks out today.
Nice post Bella…bringing back some sweet memories.
You must have seen that Gospel CD commercial before you went to sleep
This is a nice post to get one through the day. Yeah, BeBe and CeCe really did help usher in nouveau Gospel. They really can sing. Thanks for the clips too. You’re right, on the second clip, CeCe does look like she could have played Tootie’s Mama:) P.s. Is it me, or doesn’t BeBe look so different these days? he actually looks a little younger, too. definitely different though, from how he used to look.
Love me some Winans! But its funny, was I the only one that thought these were romantic love songs? When I was little I thought this and I thought they were married. I made a comment about them being a couple oneday and my mother corrected me and told me they were singing about Godly love. Straightened me out, but I still loved the songs!
this is a wonderful song !!! They have some awesome voices
Wow, one of your first crushes was Donnie Simpson? I feel so sorry for you! I grew up and still live in DC and I never could stand the man. “Hes the DJ with the green eyes.” Who cares what his eyes look like, just play the durned music!
L
I heard about the reunion album/CD/whatever they’re called these days. I can’t wait.
I loved this song back in the day! Did you notice Whitney Houston in the video? She was one of the backup singers on this album, and they focus on her around minute 3, dancing in her trench! I had to go back and replay it a few times to make sure!
This is so interesting because I listen to this song daily! I grew up with a big sister who was a huge fan of theirs. I reflect back to the music of my childhood often and this song was one of the great ones. Be blessed. I love the website!
bintu in Chicago
“Heaven is where I wanna beeeeee”! Thanks, Bella, for the blast from the past! I loved this song growing up and I loved BeBe and CeCe (was I the only one who intially didn’t know who was BeBe and who was CeCe??? HA!). I have to add this to my IPOD.
Oh m’goodness–I must’ve been in third grade when this came out. I even remember the video. Thanks for the warm, sweet, deep fuzzies.
Bella,
You’re definitely not a heathen 🙂 Their greatest hits album is the bomb! It’s one of those albums you can listen to from start to finish. I love them both. I live in Memphis, and CeCe announced last year that she is moving her famous Sisters conference to Memphis beginning this summer. I am so excited 🙂
I wake up with a different song on my lips every morning..sometimes rap, sometimes gospel, sometimes R&B. I have many times said that I was going to write down the names of songs that I woke up with, but I never have. Glad to see someone else does it too!!! 🙂
I love, BeBe & CeCe as well as The Winans! I remember how much flack they got because “Christians” thought they weren’t “churchy” enough! I thought they were better together than as solo acts. Addictive Love and Lost Without You were my favorites.
No, omgoodness, I love,love “Different Lifestyles” by BeBe and CeCe, that is too date my favorite gospel CD-You took it back w/ this one .Thanks so much, oh i listen to lost without you ery morning, “Day by day no more reaction, U ARE my Center Attraction”….classic stuff. thanks Bella, stay beautiful. When the cd first came out-(i was young) I couldn’t figure out if was gospel or not & I kept getting BeBe and CeCe mixed up.
God be the glory, I no I am so late posting this but I just checked out your site today and you are never going to believe this but last week I was typing my business plan I was dead dog tired and stressed out, so I jumped on limewire and said I am going to download Heaven. I listen to it about 8 times and finally fell asleep it was about 3:15 in the morning. It is crazy becasue I was scrolling down to check out your site and there it was. That is crazy
Bebe and Cece Winans have lifted me up from a lott’ve dark and lonely places. Word of advice: Just go to any lakefront on any given day,(it doesn’t have to be Summertime)and pop in a a Bebe and Cece Winans CD.
The experience is guaranteed to be rewarding in more ways than one. I dont know just looking at the blue sky and the fluffy white clouds.. Well anyway you go from there.
God bless
aww, man! i LOVE this song…. for whatever reason, it crosses my mind about once a month and i’ll sing a little snippet to myself. instantly makes me feel warm and inspired. great throwback!
hearing the song heaven wow is a very good and uplifting song it gives me energy old skool energy very beautiful song when i hear the song on my music channel i just stop what i am doing and just enjoy myself giving me music 2 keep in my head while i work with a bunch of sick people good job ce ce & be be