25 Black Gospel Songs That Have Their Roots in Slavery
We all have our favorite black gospel songs, but did you know that plenty of these amazing songs have their roots in slavery?
Many masterpieces originated on the southern plantations and were sung by slaves while they attended church and worked. Their purpose was to uplift the spirit, express solidarity, tell stories, and yearn for freedom. Some tunes (also known as signal songs and map songs) included detailed and coded instructions that helped slaves travel to the north and escape enslavement.
Among the countless traditional black gospel songs, here are just 25 that have their origins in slavery.
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is a renowned call and response black gospel song in which the preacher sings the first line and the congregation responds. When a slave heard this tune, he would know that he had to be prepared for the big escape. The song talks about an angel band that takes the slave to freedom. The Sweet Chariot is a code name for The Underground Railroad which comes south (swing low) to take the slave to the free north (carry me home).
- Wade in the Water
Wade in the Water is a Negro spiritual song that teaches slaves to hide and make it through by getting into the water. It’s a perfect map song example with lyrics that offer precious coded directions.
- Steal Away
This song’s message is that the one singing it is planning to break free from enslavement. The lyrics say the Lord calls the slave to freedom and that there’s not much time left to stay on the plantation.
- Amazing Grace
This famous melody was written by a captain of a slave ship. Amazing Grace is often attributed to another old slave tune and was originally played on the piano black keys in order to give it a sorrowful vibe. Now, this black gospel song is a staple at churches and funerals.
- Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd
The drinking gourd mentioned in this African American gospel folk song is actually a water dipper which is the Big Dipper’s code name. The Big Dipper points towards the north, to the Pole Star. As moss only grows on the dead trees’ north side, the Big Dipper will guide the slaves north. Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd also suggests escaping during spring since days get longer and the quails start calling each other in April.
- Go Down Moses
Go Down Moses talks about the Bible’s Old Testament events, particularly Exodus 8:1. In the lyrics, Israel means African American slaves while Pharoh and Egypt mean the slave master. The word down, in the American slavery context, means down the Mississippi river, the place where slaves had to struggle with awful conditions. It is easy to see the roots of this black gospel song.
- Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
This masterpiece originated during the slavery period but was published in 1867, in a book entitled Slave Songs of the United States. Many artists such as Louis Armstrong, Marian Anderson, and Sam Cooke have done cover versions of the song. This is one of the most popular black gospel songs.
- Thorny Desert
A version of this gospel hymn was sung by Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and political activist, to signal her presence to the slaves who were looking for her help to escape.
- Let Us Break Bread Together
The roots of this song were probably formed in the slave culture that developed in South-Eastern colonial America’s coastal areas such as South Carolina, St. Helena Island, Charleston, and Beaufort. Let Us Break Bread Together is a call for Christians to come together, whether knelt or stood and celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
- Song of the Free
Written in 1860, Song of the Free was composed to the Oh! Susanna tune. It talks about a slave man who fled slavery in Tennessee. The protagonist managed to escape to Canada by using the Underground Railroad.
- Down in the River to Pray
While its exact origin remains unknown, research suggests that Down in the River to Pray was written by a slave. The phrase in the river (sometimes replaced by to the river) represents a coded slavery escaping message. When slaves fled, they’d walk in the river to cover their scent from the bounty-hunters’ dogs.
In addition, starry crown can mean navigating the slaves’ escape by the stars and Good Lord, show me the way might be a prayer for finding the Underground Railroad.
- Michael Row the Boat Ashore
Former slaves whose masters had left the island prior to the Union navy arrival that enforced a blockage sang Michael Row the Boat Ashore. Charles Pickard Ware, a Harvard graduate and abolitionist, was supervising St. Helena Island’s plantations between 1862 and 1865.
During that time, he noted this song down right as he heard it sang by the freedmen. In 1863, his cousin, William Francis Allen, reported that the former slaves were singing this song while they rowed him in a boat over Station Creek. That’s why this is one of the most historical black gospel songs.
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