Slave Music

Slaves: Music

African Americans used to meet on a regular basis and sang many songs together. They did this with out any hymnbooks and these songs were for the most part made up on the spot. They referred to these song as “spirituals”. These Christian songs usually were about what the Bible says and how to live with the spirit of God. One song called “Dark Days of Bondage” is about the faith the slaves had that God would not leave them alone during their horrible life. Another type of common slave song is called the “quiet” song. It can be sung by one or multiple people and they were used for expressing the singers personal feelings and to cheer on one another. The meaning of both spirituals and quiet songs were often covert. That being said only Christian slaves understood them. They usually reflected the singer’s relationship with God. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” are spirituals about the Underground Railroad. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” refers directly to one station called the Ripley Station which was open to fugitive slaves. This song was a call and response chant. The Lyrics to “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” are the following:

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

Song Official Site of Negro Spirituals, antique Gospel Music. Web. 05 Feb. 2010. .