Blog 4

The three hymns “Swing low, Sweet Chariot”, “Go Down Moses”, and “Keep Your Hands On The Plow” were written by anonymous authors and were very popular during the time of slavery. They are all folk songs and are thought to be written by a community, instead of just one individual person (Galens). They were sang by slaves while they did their work, rested, and sometimes when they prayed (Galens). They are all religious and were inspirational to the slaves.


“Swing Low Sweet Chariot” is a very spiritual song that was one of the most popular songs sung by the slaves. The song can be interpreted as the slaves singing about wanting to go home back to Africa, or wanting to go to their real home in heaven (Galens). “I looked over Jordan, and what did I see? Coming for to carry me home, A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home.” (Swing). This passage is just one of the religious references in the hymn. It talks a lot about religious figures carrying them home. This is why I think that they are referring to their home as heaven, and not Africa.


“Go Down Moses” is a hymn about Moses freeing the slaves in Egypt. It is said that the hymn was sung by abolitionists to signal escape and rebellion (Galens). “The Lord to Moses what to do, Let my people go; To lead the children of Isreal through, Let my people go.” (Go). This hymn is talking about the story in The Bible when Moses is sent by God to force the Pharaoh to free the slaves. I think that the slaves probably sang this song because they wanted to be free too and they believed that God wanted them to be free.


“Keep Your Hands On The Plow” is another slave hymn. This hymn contains a lot of biblical references, like in lines 15-18, “Peter was so nice and neat Wouldn't let Jesus wash his feet Keep your hands on that plow, hold on” (Keep).


Each of these three hymns contain a lot of religious references. The slaves at this time were usually very religious. Their faith helped them keep hope when their situation was pretty hopeless. Each of these hymns have Christian references. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophy of religion was “All writing comes from the Grace of God” (Cooke). He believed that religion is “a motive and a law of life”(Cooke). I think that Emerson was religious and did not like slavery, which is a philosophy that he shared with each of the writers of these hymns.


Bibliography


Galens, David. "Swing Low Sweet Chariot Study Guide - Anonymous - ENotes.com."ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. The Gale Group. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.


Cooke, George Willis. Ralph Waldo Emerson His Life, Writings, and Philosophy. Boston: J.R. Osgood and, 1881. Print.


"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Hymn." Hymns. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.


"Go Down Moses." Hymns. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.


"Keep Your Hands On The Plow - GospelSongLyrics.Org." GospelSongLyrics.org - Lyrics and Music to All Your Favorite Gospel Songs. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.


Galens, David. "Go Down, Moses Study Guide - Anonymous - ENotes.com." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.