Colored People (song)
Encyclopedia
"Colored People" is a song written and recorded by Christian rock
band DC Talk. The song was one of several radio singles released from the their 1995 studio album
, Jesus Freak.
song primarily based on acoustic guitar
s, a background electric guitar
, and occasional strings. The verses are sung by Kevin Max
, while the chorus vocals are shared by all three members with Michael Tait
leading. Lyrically, the song is about appreciation of racial variety, promoting unity and a "kaleidoscopic take on race relations".
in 1996 and received positive comments from music critics. Entertainment Weekly
editor Laura Jamison said that the album Jesus Freak "combines textured vocals, aggressive guitar, and solid songwriting, especially on 'Colored People'."
In addition to "Jesus Freak
" and "Between You and Me
," "Colored People" was considered instrumental in breaking DC Talk into the mainstream.
. A live version of "Colored People" was included on the 1997 live release Welcome to the Freak Show
. "Colored People" also appears on the compilation album
WOW 1998
.
, Ayiesha Woods
recorded a cover of "Colored People" featuring The Gotee Brothers
and John Reuben
.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band DC Talk. The song was one of several radio singles released from the their 1995 studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Jesus Freak.
Music and lyrics
"Colored People" is a pop rockPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
song primarily based on acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
s, a background electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, and occasional strings. The verses are sung by Kevin Max
Kevin Max
Kevin Max Smith is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group dc Talk...
, while the chorus vocals are shared by all three members with Michael Tait
Michael Tait
Michael DeWayne Tait is a Contemporary Christian Music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan and Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 1980s, and formed four-time grammy winning band DC Talk, with whom he released 5 acclaimed studio albums...
leading. Lyrically, the song is about appreciation of racial variety, promoting unity and a "kaleidoscopic take on race relations".
Release and acclaim
The song was released as a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1996 and received positive comments from music critics. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
editor Laura Jamison said that the album Jesus Freak "combines textured vocals, aggressive guitar, and solid songwriting, especially on 'Colored People'."
In addition to "Jesus Freak
Jesus Freak (song)
"Jesus Freak" is a song by the American contemporary Christian music group DC Talk. Released on August 1, 1995, it was the lead radio single from the group's self-titled fourth album. The song was written and produced by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann...
" and "Between You and Me
Between You and Me
"Between You And Me" is a song by the American contemporary Christian music group DC Talk...
," "Colored People" was considered instrumental in breaking DC Talk into the mainstream.
Other releases
Various version of "Colored People" have appeared on several DC Talk official releases, including the band's greatest hits album IntermissionIntermission: the Greatest Hits
Intermission: the Greatest Hits is the seventh album released by DC Talk. It is compiled of songs from some of their earlier albums, including their best known album, Jesus Freak. The songs "Chance" and "Sugar Coat It", along with a remix of "Say The Words", are songs that were recorded...
. A live version of "Colored People" was included on the 1997 live release Welcome to the Freak Show
Welcome to the Freak Show
Welcome to the Freak Show is the name of a live audio and video recording by DC Talk. Chronicling the Jesus Freak Tour in the spring of 1996, they were released separately two months apart in 1997 on CD and VHS, respectively. A DVD version was later released in 2003. Each version has been...
. "Colored People" also appears on the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
WOW 1998
WOW 1998
WOW 1998 is a compilation album of 30 contemporary Christian music hits which was released on November 4, 1997. WOW 1998 peaked at chart position 52 on the Billboard 200 in 1997, and also at #2 on the Top Contemporary Christian album chart. The album was certified platinum by the Recording...
.
Cover versions
On the DC Talk tribute album, Freaked!Freaked!
Freaked! is a tribute album to the album Jesus Freak. It features artists from Gotee singing most of the songs on the original album. The last track from Jesus Freak is omitted, as it was a poem by Kevin Max.-Track listing:...
, Ayiesha Woods
Ayiesha Woods
Ayiesha Woods is a contemporary Christian musician signed to Gotee Records. She has released two studio albums on Gotee: Introducing Ayiesha Woods and Love Like This . Woods is known for the hit songs "Happy" and "Big Enough" from her debut album...
recorded a cover of "Colored People" featuring The Gotee Brothers
The Gotee Brothers
The Gotee Brothers were a Contemporary Christian Music group formed of Toby McKeehan , Joey Elwood, and Todd Collins that recorded one album in the 1990s entitled "ERACE". The album's name abbreviated "Eliminating Racism and Creating Equality", and its contents dealt with racial issues...
and John Reuben
John Reuben
John Reuben is an American hip hop artist signed to Gotee Records until late 2010. Reuben has sold over 200,000 copies of his first four albums. He released his sixth album, Sex, Drugs and Self-Control on December 22, 2009...
.
Track listing
- "Colored People" (Radio Edit)
- "Colored People" (Album Version)
- Call Out Research Hook