MELODY/VOICE PARTS
Listen/Download SongNEGRO SPIRITUALS
The tunes and the beats of Gospel songs have always been highly influenced by the music of their cultural environment. This means that their styles are continuously changing.
The very first were inspired by African music with tunes very much like those of hymns. Some of them, which were called “shouts” were accompanied by typical dancing, including hand clapping and foot tapping.
In the early nineteenth century, African Americans were involved in what was called the “Second Awakening”. They met in camp meetings and sang without hymnbooks. Spontaneous songs were composed on the spot. They were called “spiritual songs”.
These spirituals were Christian songs, which mostly concerned what the Bible says and how to live with the Spirit of God and were filled with the hope and faith that God would not leave slaves alone. Workers were allowed to sing these songs as long as they were not against slaveholders. They were used for expressing personal feeling and for cheering one another. But often there was a deeper meaning to these songs.
The codes of the first negro spirituals are often related to an escape to a free country. For example, a “home” is a safe place where everyone can live free. So, a “home” can mean Heaven, but it covertly means a sweet and free country, a haven for slaves.
One of the ways used by fugitives running to a free country was riding a “chariot” or a “train”.
One such negro spiritual directly referred to the Underground Railroad, an informal organization who helped many slaves to flee.
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT
Lead: Swing low, sweet chariot
Chorus: Coming for to carry me home
Lead: Swing low, sweet chariot
Chorus: Coming for to carry me home
Lead: If you get there before I do
Chorus: Coming for to carry me home
Lead: Tell all my friends, I’m coming too
Chorus: Coming for to carry me home
Another song relates to both the Old and New Testaments reflecting the Israelites escape out of Egypt in Exodus and also the healing we see in the book of John when an angel came down at a certain season to trouble the water and the first to step in would be made whole. But it also gave alternate instructions to fugitive slaves recommending that they make their way to freedom by taking to the water to throw pursuing bloodhounds off one’s trail.
WADE IN THE WATER
(Chorus)
Wade in the water.
Wade in the water, children.
Wade in the water.
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Jordan’s water is chilly and cold.
God’s gonna trouble the water.
It chills the body, but not the soul.
God’s gonna trouble the water.
While many of the spirituals contained messages about freedom and escape, this one contains a text whose purpose appears to be a strictly spiritual one, one however, that raises the slaves’ ultimate worth to and beyond that of their owners. Its melody brims with energy and a sure confidence in the one to whom they truly belong.
RIDE ON KING JESUS
Refrain
Ride on, king Jesus
No man can-a-hinder me
Ride on, king Jesus, ride on
No man can-a-hinder me
He died for you and He died for me
No man can-a hinder me
He died to set poor sinners free
No man can-a hinder me
He died for the rich and He died for the poor
No man can-a hinder me
He ain’t come here to die no more
No man can-a hinder me
Ride on, king Jesus
No man can-a-hinder me
Ride on, king Jesus, ride on
No man can-a-hinder me
Above all, these songs served as a constant ad hopeful reminder of the day when not just earthly freedom would be reached but when rest would be theirs at last. When peace would be their reward. When God’s judgment would bring sweet justice and heaven for eternity would be their home.
FARE THEE WELL
Chorus: In dat great gettin’ up mornin’,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
In dat great gettin’ up mornin’,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
Oh preacher fold yo’ bible,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
For dat last souls converted,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
Do you see dem Saints is risin’,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
See ‘em marchin’ home for heaven,
Fare thee well, fare thee well
Gonna walk all over the streets of gold
No man can-a hinder me
Gonna see King Jesus sittin on his throne
No man can-a hinder me
No man can-a hinder me
No man can-a hinder me