The ongoing lockdown in parts of the world due to the Covid pandemic has spurred renewed interest in Gary Valenciano’s songs on YouTube, with one song standing out in particular: his hit praise song that almost never happened: Take Me Out of the Dark.
The “live and raw” music video upload in March has since gotten more than 1.5 million views on YouTube. It has also inspired several reaction videos from YouTubers around the world, many reduced to tears by the powerful praise song that has actually been around for more than three decades.
Prayer behind Take Me Out of the Dark
Valenciano, also known as Gary V, was 22 when he created the music for his breakout Christian hit song in 1986, his wife, Angeli Pangilinan, revealed.
“He always had this habit of laying down music first. He had no lyrics for this song and he called me from Tasha recording studio about to record the vocals and said he couldn’t think of lyrics for an arrangement with music he had arranged and recorded already,” Pangilinan said in an Instagram post.
“I simply asked Gary: ‘What kind of song do you want it to be?’ He said, “I want it to be a Christian song.” Me: “Have you prayed about it?” Gary: “Uhm, no.” So I said, ‘How can you write a Christian song and not pray about it, Gary? Go to a studio there. Close the door. Pray. Ask for the Holy Spirit and wait for the Lord to give you His words’.”
An hour later, Take Me out of the Dark was born, she said.
“Praise God for this song. And for me it has been one of (if not) the most powerful songs he has written in his career,” Pangilinan said. “Gary was 22 years old. And we had one child. Paolo. So he always had this habit of laying down music first. He had no lyrics for this song and he called me from Tasha recording studio about to record the vocals and said he couldn’t think of lyrics for an arrangement with music he had arranged and recorded already. I simply asked Gary: “What kind of song do you want it to be?” He said “I want it to be a Christian song.” Me: “Have you prayed about it?” Gary: “Uhmm no.” So I said:”How can you write a Christian song and not pray about it Gary? Go to a studio there. Close the door. Pray. Ask for the Holy Spirit and wait for the Lord to give you His words.”
And an hour later, “Take Me Out of the Dark” was born.
“Praise God for this song. And for me it has been one of (if not) the most powerful songs he has written in his career. Be blessed. May we all we blessed again after 34 years with this simple live and raw version recorded in his home studio and shot with a mobile camera. Thank you to our son Paolo for pitching the idea to the GENESIS New Media team. He said people need to hear something to encourage them. And here we are. With Gary’s most awarded song in the first Awit Awards 1988 where he picked up 13 nominations and 11 trophies for the Moving Thoughts album which included a song we inserted inside from his Christmas album. Take Me Out of the Dark. Glory to God. And God alone”.
Gary V’s message during Covid-19 pandemic
Gary V hopes the “few passages of truth” in the song he wrote years ago “may speak to you and bring peace and hope into your souls”.
“In the midst of the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that surrounds us all, perhaps all this can serve as a way of drawing us to Him. This may be a personal crossroad for many who have often relied on science and medicine; both are struggling to find a cure for Covid-19,” the Filipino singer and songwriter wrote in the description of his newly uploaded music video taken in his home studio.
“I strongly but humbly encourage you to take the path that leads to Him. No, my friend, this isn’t about religion but something far deeper. It’s life as we know it today and many changes have come with it. But He has remained the same yesterday, today, and will remain the same forever. I pray He gives wisdom to all the scientists and doctors who have been exhausting all efforts to come up with a solution for the threat that’s now invaded most of the world. I leave you with this song I wrote years ago…Take Me Out Of The Dark and a few passages of truth that may speak to you and bring peace and hope into your souls,” he added.
Gary V broke out in the Philippine entertainment scene in 1983. He has recorded a number of Christian albums, three of which were released internationally, including the Christian-inspired album Out of the Dark.
By Yen Yu
Yen Yu is a journalist based in the Middle East. She is the Editor of www.expatmedia.net and occasionally writes news and features as a hobby. She is a perfectionist, finicky about editing well. Favourite quote: “f you truly wish for something, the universe will conspire to make it happen”. She can give you a fantastic piece of writing about a celeb, but never ask her to have her picture taken with one; she will run away screaming.
