Is My Living in Vain

"Is My Living in Vain" is an American gospel song written by Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark and performed by the Clark Sisters, which first appeared on their 1980 live album, Is My Living in Vain, and released as a single the same year. The Clark Sisters recorded the song and album live at Bailey Cathedral Church of God in Christ in Detroit, Michigan. The song proved to be the first big hit for the quintet, propelling them to national exposure.

"Is My Living in Vain"
Single by The Clark Sisters
from the album Is My Living in Vain
Released1980
GenreContemporary gospel
Length3:18
LabelSound of Gospel Records
Songwriter(s)Elbernita Clark

The lyrics are a series of rhetorical questions asking if the singers' actions are in vain.[1] Each sister sings a line of the song, vocally declaring that their dedication to Christ is not a useless effort.

The song has since been covered and sampled by a number of singers.

The singer Bilal names the song's LP among his 25 favorite albums, calling it one of the Clark Sisters' best and "an incredible gospel album".[2]

On August 31, 2018, the Clark Sisters performed the song live at Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit.[3]

In 1993, American group Xscape covered "Is My Living in Vain" for their debut album Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha.[4][5] In 2006, the song was again covered by Zie'l.[6][7] The song is sampled in the 2017 song "Talking to God, Pt. 2" by rapper Deante' Hitchcock.[8][9]

Chart performance
Chart (2018) Peak
position
US Gospel Digital Song Sales[10] 3

References
  1. Williams, Kimberley Denise (July 22, 2018). "We Need To Put More Respect On The Clark Sisters' Names". Vibe. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  2. Simmons, Ted (February 26, 2013). "Bilal's 25 Favorite Albums". Complex. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  3. Izadi, Elahe; Butler, Bethonie; Rao, Sonia (August 31, 2018). "'She gave us pride and a regal bar to reach': Everything that happened at Aretha Franklin's 8-hour funeral". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  4. "Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide Nov. 23, 1993: Turkey Shoot".
  5. "Xscape's 'Is My Living in Vain?' - Discover the Original Song".
  6. "Zie'l's 'Is My Living in Vain' - Discover the Original Song".
  7. "Zie'l - Genesis". 31 July 2007.
  8. "Deante' Hitchcock - Samples, Covers and Remixes".
  9. "Deante' Hitchcock - Talking to God Pt. 2 (Prod. By Brandon Phillips Taylor)".
  10. "Is My Living In Vain Chart History - Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
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