Swing Low Sweet Chariot Analysis

History behind the appropriation of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”

“Swing Low, Sweet chariot,” is an American Negro Spiritual originally sung by black slaves during their time working of the fields. Although performers in the 20th century acknowledged the historic significance of this piece, it has also been used as an instrument of cultural appropriation by white Americans and Europeans. The meaning of this song radiates in the words and exposes its purpose to those who study the music of slaves and its transformation into the Gospel and Jazz genres. The origin of the spiritual was likely one-hundred years prior the conclusion of slavery in the United States, but its peak use was about 1830 to 1865.(SVI) During this time slaves we beginning to,

in combination, revolt and attempt to run away to the north. Many spirituals, known as "sorrow songs," are intense, slow and melancholic. Songs like "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child," and "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen," describe the slaves' struggles and identification the suffering of Jesus Christ.The spirituals were perceived by the white slave handlers and masters as just pathetic songs of their Christianity or their sorrows, however they were additionally used to give signals to their fellow black slaves on getting to meeting places or shelters as they ran away. These signals can be analyzed in the spiritual “Swing low, Sweet Chariot.”
Singing as a slave was often a coping mechanism to ease their sorrows and get them through their work. Often times slaves sung to get messages to others, as well. The text of the song says:
“swing low sweet chariot,
Comin’ for to carry me home,
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Comin’ for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan, an’ what did I see,
Comin’ for to carry me home,
A band of angels comin’ after me,
Comin’ for to carry me home.

If you get-a dere befo’ I do,
Comin’ for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends I’m comin’ too
Comin’ for to carry me home.” (1)

These words are often interpreted with two meanings. First, a person speaking of the Lord coming to get them from where they are, a dreadful life, and taking them to heaven. During slavery, they witnessed their neighbors, their friends, and families be tortured, whipped, and sometimes murdered by the white people around them. The song could be them saying, “If I die, Bring me to heaven. If you die before me, I’ll meet you there.” Secondly, it could be interpreted as a message to other slaves that once they are running away to freedom. The second stanza as they look over the Jordan river, they can see freedom and “home,” but the master is always behind them seeking to capture them and bring them back to slavery. The resulting message is “keep moving toward freedom or you will get caught.” All of the interpretations of the song resulted in the artists of the 20th century using the piece in performances.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University performed the first recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot in 1909.

This arrangement consisted of a quartet of black men from the HBCU (Historically Black College or University) Fisk University, located in Nashville, Tennessee, who performed it in places such as churches or small concert halls, and categorized the song as an early form of Gospel music, a popular sacred-genre amongst African Americans. (PII) The Fisk Jubilee Singers originated as fundraising entertainment that displayed black performers.(SIV) The few black concert performers before the plight of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, such as Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield (The Black Swan), had emphasized only white repertoire. In the time of their creation, there was a significant amount of theater companies that performed minstrel shows in black-face, making this group of actual black students significant in spreading black culture beyond

stereotypes.
The spirituals created by the African slaves in the United States have had an impact on the perception and composition of music that should never be underestimated. The use of its rhythms, text, and textures has been used internationally and still survives in performance to this date. Antonin Dvorak, a Czech composer, found himself to be very interested in African American Spirituals in the late 1800s. His career in America started director of the National Conservatory of American Music in New York. The Conservatory was unique as it was created by a woman, Jeannette Thurber, who opened the school to men, women, white, and black individuals. Mixed race schools were very uncommon as slavery had not been abolished for long before its creation. Here, Dvorak acquired an assistant, Harry T. Burleigh, an African American who sung spirituals to him. He ‘absorbed’ these spirituals and then created his own melodies. In 1893, Dvorak composed his 9th Symphony often referred to as “New World Symphony,” in which he sampled the spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNGuKB5YCFA

Dvorak is believed to have had a genuine interest in black culture, and is known for being against slavery and having a respect for the songs and their history. He is quoted:
“These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are American. They are the folk songs of America, and your composers must turn to them. In the Negro melodies of America I discover all that is needed for a great and noble school of music” -Antonin Dvorak (SV)
He, a white man then gave great credit to his students influence in his music throughout his lifetime. He found the culture, the music, and it moved him to create pieces that reflected the beauty and history, he saw within its past and his hopeful future. “‘No one up to this time has explored for preservation the wild, beautiful, and pathetic melodies of the Southern slaves.’ Since then, a thousand pens have dipped themselves in the sun-light, and they have scribbled at least a million lines, in praise, in defense, in explanation, in interpretation, in eulogy of the Negro spiritual.” (SVI)
Eric Clapton arranged “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” into a Reggae song for his 1975 album There’s One in Every Crowd. The album charted in the top 50 in several countries, including England and Japan. When taking a deeper look It may be safe to say that any music dating back to the romantic period or possibly even earlier, can be associated with some form of appropriation, but is twisted to be called “exoticism” or “enculturation.” Clapton, a British Native, received millions for his appropriation of not only this black slave spiritual, but also from the Caribbean originating Reggae music. He used a culture not of his own, and it became his success. This practice was, as we know now, very common and entertainers in all creative fields have imitated black and African culture world wide. It is a testament to the 1900s that if you compare the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who raised money for schools through their performances, at one time only made thirty dollars and kept nothing for their self, in contrast Eric Clapton was and still is, rich and famous.
A more recent example of general confusion in the appropriation of this piece, is its use as the anthem of the British Rugby teams.

Its use in Britain is rumored to date back to the 1960s and was sung during a drinking game. Oddly enough, they do not actually seem to acknowledge the actual text in their chanting, the emotional text of death and despair. It is also thought provoking to think of how slavery in the United States started with Britain who ruled the land and brought slaves to the new world. Their influence in this topic with this revelation comes back as a car returns home. The Brit Award winning artist, Ella Eyre, released a cover of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” in support of the English Rugby team. Eyre is a mixed race, britain native born to a Jamaican father and a British Mother. She sing the song for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the proceeds were donated to local schools. Does this count as appropriation? Well, yes and no. She is of Arican descent and most likely knows the origin of the song, but has a complete disregard for it not being a song for rugby. This song is not about hopefully scoring the winning goal or beating a rival team, it is about people experiencing torture and suffering hoping that heaven is better than their lives on earth. The proceeds were used in a manner reflective to that of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, so this appropriation could be still for a good cause.

(S2)
Looking back, many blues and jazz performers performed this piece in their sets. Singers, such as six time Grammy award winning artist Etta James, have moved audiences and are remembered for their arrangement of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” It has been used in praise and worship services as a gospel piece in African American- centric churches even back during slavery. Gospel music itself is often credited to being created from Negro spirituals.
The spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” is a beautiful representation of a time that was far from expressive in the beauty of our country. It has given people around the world emotions that may not be purposeful, but these emotions do keep its history alive. It is a song used to move people, celebrate people, and inform people of what it meant to be a slave in the United States. Although it has not always been used with what I believe is respect, it stays alive in those who sing its words. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: An American classic.