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Coffee Break

Coffee Break: Oh happy day

Edwin Hawkins at the 2014 Apollo Theater Spring Gala and 80th Anniversary Celebration in New York.
Edwin Hawkins at the 2014 Apollo Theater Spring Gala and 80th Anniversary Celebration in New York.Brad Barket/Invision/AP, via NPR

by Anna Reed

January 17, 2018

Edwin Hawkins, the gospel singer behind "Oh Happy Day", passed away this week at the age of 74.

"Oh Happy Day" was an international hit in 1969, crossing over to the pop charts in several countries, and remains a gospel music standard to this day. It was recorded at Hawkins' church in Berkeley, and it's got us in the mood to hear some choir and gospel this morning.

For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that feature a choir - gospel or otherwise?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs played

Edwin Hawkins - Oh Happy Day
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - There She Goes, My Beautiful World
Outkast - B.O.B.
Michael Jackson - Choir supercut
Sisters Of Mercy - This Corrosion
Stevie Wonder - Pastime Paradise