National Park Service



African American spirituals, especially those created in the days of slavery, often used metaphors to hide the meaning of the songs. Imagine the reaction of a master upon hearing a group of bonded persons singing “I’m going to run away”. To prevent this from happening, many spirituals were “coded”. TASK: After hearing the songs Steal Away to Jesus (in the Midnight Hour), Wade in the Water, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, and Daniel, and then referring to the lyrics sheet of the songs, complete the section below. In some cases you have been given the metaphor. You should write what you think it means. In other cases you have been given a meaning. In those cases write a short section of the lyrics that would match the given meaning. If the song is NOT given on the sheet, you also must tell which song the metaphor is from.METAPHORSELECTIONMEANINGWADIN’ IN THE WATERWADE IN THE WATERGOD WILL PUNISH THE SLAVEHOLDERDANIELENSLAVED PERSONSA BAND OF ANGELS COMIN’ AFTER MESWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTIF YOU GET THERE BEFORE I DOWADE IN THE WATERSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTSLAVE STATE/FREE STATE BORDERSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTIF YOU GET FREEDOM FIRSTHEAVENSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTTHE CHILDREN THAT MOSES LEDWADE IN THE WATERDANIELENSLAVED ON A PLANTATIONCOME SOUTH INTO SLAVE TERRITORYSLIP AND SLIDE THE STREETTHE WATER WAS A LITTLE BUT COLD, IT CHILLED MY NATURAL BODY…PUT ON YOUR WABASH SHOESSTILL MY SOUL FEELS HEAVEN BOUNDI WILL BE FREEKEYAfrican American spirituals, especially those created in the days of slavery, often used metaphors to hide the meaning of the songs. Imagine the reaction of a master upon hearing a group of bonded persons singing “I’m going to run away”. To prevent this from happening, many spirituals were “coded”. TASK: After hearing the songs Steal Away to Jesus (in the Midnight Hour), Wade in the Water, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, and Daniel, and then referring to the lyrics sheet of the songs, complete the section below. In some cases you have been given the metaphor. You should write what you think it means. In other cases you have been given a meaning. In those cases write a short section of the lyrics that would match the given meaning. If the song is NOT given on the sheet, you also must tell which song the metaphor is from.METAPHORSELECTIONMEANINGWADIN’ IN THE WATERWADE IN THE WATERESCAPEGOD’S GONNA TROUBLE THE WATERWADE IN THE WATERGOD WILL PUNISH THE SLAVEHOLDERDANIELDANIELENSLAVED PERSONSA BAND OF ANGELS COMIN’ AFTER MESWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTUNDERGROUND RAILROAD COMING TO ASSIST ESCAPEIF YOU GET THERE BEFORE I DOWADE IN THE WATERIF YOU GET FREEDOM FIRSTJORDAN (river)SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTSLAVE STATE/FREE STATE BORDERIF YOU GET TO HEAVEN BEFORE I DOSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTIF YOU GET FREEDOM FIRSTHEAVENSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTFREEDOMTHE CHILDREN THAT MOSES LEDWADE IN THE WATERENSLAVED PERSONSLIVIN’ ON BORROWED LANDDANIELENSLAVED ON A PLANTATIONSWING DOWN LOWSWING LOW, SWEET E SOUTH INTO SLAVE TERRITORYSLIP AND SLIDE THE STREETSDANIELESCAPETHE WATER WAS A LITTLE BUT COLD, IT CHILLED MY NATURAL BODY…WADE IN THE WATERESCAPE IS DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUSPUT ON YOUR WABASH SHOESDANIELESCAPESTILL MY SOUL FEELS HEAVEN BOUNDSWING LOW SWEET CHARIOTI WILL BE FREE ................
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