Spiritual Songs Continued (11.3.11) Week 11

“Swing low, sweet chariot

Comin’ for to carry my home…”

Gospel music week! Paul Robinson said a quite beautiful statement that really meant a lot to me….I don’t know why, and cant really explain how…but he said, “we should not be moved, we should not be moved. Just like a tree that grows in the water side, we should not be moved.”

I really liked The Dixie Hummingbirds: their upbeat gospel music was fun to listen to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mD2IxvKhSs

Anna talked about the history of gospel music. Spirituals came from slavery, as the slaves were not allowed to have drums but studied hymns and stories from the Old Testament. The story of the bible from the New Testament was too progressive. Singing helped African people get through the toils of daily life, and were often drawn to the story of Moses: fleeing from his people, messages of escape, etc. We talked about Mahalia Jackson, (“Amazing Grace,” “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”), where her music intertwined with the civil rights movement, and she actually sang with Martin Luther King Jr. We learned about Thomas Dorsey, about how his wife died giving birth. Yet Thomas sang a beautiful song, "If you see my Saviour," with his assistant Sally Martin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izy4XF88k48&feature=related

Thomas Dorsey was so influential for gospel music. I watched the documentary film, "Say Amen Somebody": Dorsey said: “You wanted to be good, or be nothing. Many people have been helped and saved by the spirit of gospel. Those that can make music count will amuse god in heaven.” He started at pilgrim Baptist church in Chicago and formed the first gospel choir. The film was so sad, because he describes how his wife and child died, as something “I could not accept at all. I started singing “Precious Lord” right then and there.” According to a woman in the film, she said Thomas Dorsey’s songs “come out of experience with him. He wrote “Precious Lord” when his spirit was broken.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEosw5GUCzQ

Who was Sam Cook? He sang “A change is going to come” and “Chain gang,” but he strategically died at an early age.

A CHANGE IS GONNA COME

“I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown somebody keep telling me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

Ohhhhhhhhh.....

There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will”

CHAIN GANG

(hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)


(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they're singin'
(hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)

(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they work so hard
Till the sun is goin' down
Working on the highways and byways
And wearing, wearing a frown
You hear them moanin' their lives away
Then you hear somebody sa-ay

That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

Can't ya hear them singin'
Mm, I'm goin' home one of these days
I'm goin' home see my woman
Whom I love so dear
But meanwhile I got to work right he-ere

(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they're singin', mm
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard
Give me water, I'm thirsty…”

He made this song seem so lively and happy, yet it was such a stressful type of work: men “moaning,” “frowning,” …..

O…and interesting fact….in 1995 Alabama because the first state to resurrect the chain gang? Unbelievable.