| "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Fisk Jubilee Singers | ||
| Released | 1909 | |
| Genre | Gospel | |
| Writer | Unknown | |
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a United States African-American Negro spiritual song. The first recording was by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1909. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored the song as one of 50 recordings chosen that year by to be added to the National Recording Registry. It was also included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. While sung primarily in black churches and throughout the nation in traditionally African-American venues, it also has a large association with English rugby union and is also regularly sung at England national rugby union team matches. It is sometimes called "Coming for to carry me home".
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History
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot was composed by Wallis Willis , a one-time slave of the Choctaw Native Americans in the old Indian Territory, around 1862. He was inspired by the Red River which reminded him of the Jordan River and of the Prophet Elijah being taken to heaven by a chariot. Others state that the Mississippi River or the Ohio River could be substituted for the Jordan River. Some latter day sources[1] imply that this song and Steal Away to Jesus—also composed by Willis—had some hidden lyrics referring to the Underground Railroad. It is important to note that since the song "Steal Away" was a code song for the Underground Railroad, it would have originally been composed before 1862. Unfortunately, the original composer's name is permanently lost to history. Alexander Reid, a minister at a Choctaw boarding school, heard Willis singing the songs and transcribed the words and melodies. He sent the music to the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Jubilee Singers then popularized the songs during a tour of the United States and Europe. The song enjoyed a resurgence during the 1960s Civil Rights struggle and the folk revival; it was performed by a number of artists, perhaps most famously during this period, by Joan Baez during the legendary 1969 Woodstock festival.
Traditional Lyrics
Lyrics are as follows: Chorus (in bold): Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home 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 low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Sometimes I'm up and sometimes I'm down
Coming for to carry me home
But still my soul feels heavenly bound
Coming for to carry me home Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
The brightest day that I can say
Coming for to carry me home
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
If I get there before you do
Coming for to carry me home
I'll cut a hole and pull you through
Coming for to carry me home Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming too
Coming for to carry me home Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Notable cover versions
Another earlier recording was by the Apollo Jubilee Quartette on Monday, February 26, 1912, Columbia Records (A1169), New York.[1][2] "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a masterpiece as evidenced by the number and quality of singers who cover the classic. A partial list includes:
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Secular Usage
Usage in rugby union
Coming into the last match of the 1988 season, against Ireland at Twickenham, England had lost 15 of their previous 23 matches in the Five Nations Championship. The Twickenham crowd had only seen one solitary England try in the previous two years and at half time against Ireland they were 0-3 down. However during the second half England scored six tries to give them a 35-3 win. Three of the tries came in quick succession from Chris Oti, a black player making his Twickenham debut. A group from the Benedictine school Douai started to sing a rugby club favourite – the gospel hymn Swing Low, Sweet Chariot – in honour of their new hero, large sections of the crowd joined in. The song is still regularly sung at matches by supporters.[4][5][6] There is also a series of gestures that accompany the song, one of which is sexual. The England national rugby union team returned from the 2003 World Cup triumph in Australia on a plane dubbed 'Sweet Chariot' [2].
Recordings of the song coinciding with England's participation at the Rugby World Cup
The song became the England Rugby World Cup theme for 1991, when performed by "Union featuring the England World Cup Squad". It reached #16 on the UK singles chart. The song was then covered in 1995 for that year's tournament by Ladysmith Black Mambazo with China Black and reached #15 on the chart. 1999's tournament saw Russell Watson record a version which had less success, only peaking at #38 on the UK chart. The song enjoyed more success in 2003's tournament, when recorded by UB40 and the United Colours of Sound. It originally peaked at #23, but following England's victory in the tournament returned to reach #15. A new version has been recorded by Blake for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. (UK chart information from www.everyhit.com)
Gestures that sometimes accompany the song
Here is one version of the gestures for the chorus as done by rugby union fans, Hash House Harriers and US air force fighter pilots:
- Swing low: Hand clasped and fingers interlocked motion with arms
- sweet: kiss fingers and blow kiss
- chariot:' snapping invisible reins and shaky voice as if riding in a chariot
- coming: make a masturbatory gesture
- for: hold up four fingers
- to: hold up two fingers
- carry: cradle arms as if carrying baby
- me: point to self
- home: make arc over head with arms
The gestures continue in a similar vein for the rest of the lyrics. These gestures are also used as a drinking game. The first person to incorrectly give the gestures for this song is required to buy the next round of drinks. Swing Low is also the "Hash Hymn" and 'official' ending to many Hash House Harriers circles. The basic lyrics and gestures are the same as described here although there are many, many variations including: Scooby-Doo, Helen Keller, Stevie Wonder, Christopher Reeve, Raul Julia ,silent, humming and harlots.
Footnotes
- ^ Dixon, Robert M. W. Blues and Gospel Records: 1890-1943 (Blues and Gospel Records), Oxford University Press (1997), page 23 - ISBN 0198162391
- ^ Brooks, Tim. Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919, University of Illinois Press (2004), page 258 - ISBN 0252028503
- ^ All Music: Song List
- ^ Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. rfu.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
- ^ Oliver Price Blood, mud and aftershave in The Observer Sunday February 5, 2006, Section O is for Oti
- ^ The story behind "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and how it became a rugby anthem.. everyhit.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
