Go Down Moses
“Go Down, Moses” is an African-American spiritual, a type of lyric that is also referred to as a Negro folk song. As a folk song, it is thought of as having been created by a community rather than an individual, in this case the community of African- American slaves who lived in the South prior to the Civil War. An early reference to it places it in Maryland in the late eighteenth century. It was a popular slave song and was sung throughout the South by slaves while they worked and during their occasional times of rest and prayer. “Go Down, Moses” is also said to have been sung by abolitionists to signal escape or rebellion. The lyrics use biblical imagery expressing the desire for a release from bondage. The song is marked by its strong tone of determination in the struggle for freedom. To this day, “Go Down, Moses” has remained popular and is performed by gospel singers throughout the world.
1.When Israel was in Egypt's land,
let my people go;
oppressed so hard they could not stand,
let my people go.
Refrain:
Go down, (go down) Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt's land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
2."Thus saith the Lord," bold Moses said,
let my people go;
"if not, I'll smite your first-born dead,"
let my people go.
(Refrain)
3.No more shall they in bondage toil,
let my people go;
let them come out with Egypt's spoil,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
4.We need not always weep and mourn,
let my people go;
and wear those slavery chains forlorn,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
5.Come, Moses, you will not get lost,
let my people go;
stretch out your rod and come across,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
6.As Israel stood by the water's side,
let my people go;
at God's command it did divide,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
7.When they had reached the other shore,
let my people go;
they sang a song of triumph o'er,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
8.O Moses, the cloud shall cleave the way,
let my people go;
a fire by night, a shade by day,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
9.Your foes shall not before you stand,
let my people go;
and you'll possess fair Canaan's land,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
10.This world's a wilderness of woe,
let my people go;
O let us on to Canaan go,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
11.O let us all from bondage flee,
let my people go;
and let us all in Christ be free,
let my people go.
(Refrain)
Read through the spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home;
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home.
I looked over Jordan,
And WHAT did I see,
Comin' for to carry me home,
A band of angels comin' after me,
Comin' for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home;
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home.
If you get there before I do,
Comin' for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends I'm comin' too,
Comin' for to carry me home.
Explain how this spiritual is a song about escaping the physical conditions of slavery?
What does the song say about religious hope and faith?
What is the mood of the piece?
What images enhance this mood?
JOHNNY REB
You fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
Saw you a marchin' with Robert E Lee
You held your head high tryin' to win the victory
You fought for your folks but you didn't die in vain
Even though you lost they speak highly of your name
Cause you fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
I heard your teeth chatter from the cold outside
Saw the bullets open up the wounds in your side
I saw the young boys as they began to fall
You had tears in your eyes cause you couldn't help at all
But you fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
I saw General Lee raise a sabre in his hand
Heard the cannons roar as you made your last stand
You marched into battle with the Grey and the Red
When the cannon smoke cleared it took days to count the dead
Cause you fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
When Honest Abe heard the news about your fall
The folks thought he'd call a great victory ball
But he asked the band to play the song Dixie
For you Johnny Reb and all that you believed
Cause you fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
(Yeah) You fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb
You fought all the way Johnny Reb Johnny Reb
(Yeah) You fought all the way Johnny Reb
Review Johnny Reb.
Define Tone:
What is the tone of the piece?
Review The Battle Hymn of the Republic on pages 340-341.
This piece has been called the Civil War Anthem of the North. Why do you think it earned this title?
Explain, using detailed examples, create a list showing how this song relates to the Civil War. (Look for images that relate to the war.)
Image / Relationship to the WarIn looking back over the spirituals and the songs, complete the following paragraph outline, answering the prompt:
How are all of the songs, regardless of the people referred to, about freedom?
Literary Analysis Paragraph Planning Sheet –
Use this sheet to organize your ideas before you write. It does not need to be in complete sentences. You will not be writing the actual paragraph this time.
Topic Sentence (address prompt):
______*Introduce Idea: ______
Evidence of that Idea (quotation from the text – remember parenthetical citation): ______
______Discussion of Idea (your own words explaining the idea and quotation): ______
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______*Introduce Idea: ______
Evidence of that Idea (quotation from the text – remember parenthetical citation): ______
______Discussion of Idea (your own words explaining the idea and quotation): ______
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*Introduce Idea: ______
Evidence of that Idea (quotation from the text – remember parenthetical citation): ______
______Discussion of Idea (your own words explaining the idea and quotation): ______
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______*Introduce Idea: ______
Evidence of that Idea (quotation from the text – remember parenthetical citation): ______
______Discussion of Idea (your own words explaining the idea and quotation): ______
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Closing Sentence: ______