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John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave; John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave; John Brown's body lies a-moulderin' in the grave; But his spirit's marching on!
(Chorus:
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord! (Chorus) |
John Brown's Body is not an African American spiritual. Yet, I have finally desided to include this folksong here with the "Spirituals" with my humble explanation of my reasons below.
John Brown's Body always did have a religious tone attached to it--due to the line repeated three times in chorus: "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" The song was first sung as a marching song by the Union troops early in the Civil War (1861) and embraced by white abolitionists. (It may be older than that.) I first came across it (circa 1972) when visiting Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in a small booklet of local folklore and history.
This folksong does refer to pivotal event in USA history. There are those who say that the American Civil War actually had its begining spark in 1859 with John Brown's ill-fated raid.
John Brown's Body was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The lyrics refer to the famous abolitionist, John Brown. In Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, he attempted in 1859 to start a liberation movement among enslaved African Americans. Brown's unsuccessful raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry ended with his capture. He was tried, convicted of treason, and hung.
Because it was popular, there were many different versions of this folk song. The one above is only one version...and probably not the oldest. (In a quick web search, I found the versions ended with "His soul is marching on." After some thought I recorded what I remembered.)
John Brown's Body spun off several other variants which promoted the cause to end slavey and secure freedom in the USA.
The most well known of these varients was Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Howe wrote her lyrics to fit the tune of the song John Brown's Body in November 1861. They were first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862.
Since the American Civil War, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" has often been played by marching bands as a USA patriotic song. Doubtless, most Americans hear the lyrics written by Howe when the music is played, rather than the lyrics of the folksong, "John Brown's Body."
October 2013
John Brown's Spirit
Spirituals and Singing Games
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