Thursday, February 17, 2011

Swing Low


I was getting ready to do a talk about Oklahoma music and I am starting with the story of a song. When I was in Elementary school, we had music class where we learned historical songs. Among the songs was "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" which was always portrayed as a Negro Spiritual equated to slavery. It became popular again while I was in High School because Joan Baez had recorded it and it was used during the Civil Rights Movement.

What I did not know then was that it was written by a Choctaw freedman (Wallis Willis) in Indian Territory (Oklahoma) before the Civil War. He was looking at the Red River on Oklahoma's border with Texas and the thoughts of the Jordan River came to him and the story of the Prophet Elijah being taken away to Heaven in a Chariot.

It has been said that the song has a hidden meaning about the "Underground Railroad" but who knows. It is equally effective.

One interesting note: In 1988 UB40 recorded the song for the English Rugby team to use as a theme song for the year. They won the World Cup.

1 comment:

Holly RM said...

How is this the first time I've ever heard this story is today, when I've been involved in OMHOF for more than 8 years!