The yearning for God,His deliverance,justice,righteousness is all there in this great song.Color is not the major theme...it is deliverance from ourselves and whom we naturally are from our physical birth into the possible light we can become and reflect if Almighty God infuses us with His righteousness.Therefore it is written..."The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding" Why won't we realize this?
the Ken Burns doc was on this weekend....I couldnt watch it all but I caught the end of it and this song was played....my ancestors had it rough but they endured and we are still here....this song is one of the reasons y we are still here....my people held on to God's unchanging hands and sang songs like this to get through all the evil that was done to them.....im a black American and proud of it wouldn't be anything else....
@helmuthoorn I hate to say it, but if you aren't a 45 year old black woman then you probably won't sound like one. Cut your bible class some slack, they aren't professional gospel singers.
I first heard this song in Ken Burns' Civil War about 15 years ago. What does it mean to be a soldier of the cross? Is it germane to a documentary about war because of the fight that was taken up, brother vs. brother? Or is it about the spiritual warfare which we take up each and every day? Instead of a rifle we take up a different sort of weapon. It is bulky and cumbersome. We take up the cross and we are in a battle each and every day, a war that is long and hard fought.
i think of no one else who does this best by the moving of the Holy Spirit able to bring forth the spirit and emotions of this Civil War hymn through the sacrifice of the African-slaves,than that of Bernice Johnson and her singers that bring me to tears.Im not even an African-American,and i have yet to hear any other singers that sing this beautiful hymn that able to rival Bernice Johnson and her singers.
One of the most painful and most beautiful songs I've ever heard; especially when coupled with the images from Ken Burns' Civil War. It it means so much, especially nowadays when we need to embody the spirit of songs like this. Folks, don't fall into thinking meaningful music like this doesn't exist today, it's just not played in the mainstream. If you want anything worth having or experiencing, you have to look for it; believe me, it's there.
I just saw the documentary over the weekend. This song almost stopped me from breathing. I had to hold my breath while it was on it was so beautiful. Several weeks ago I had tried to explain to my young grandson in the old days people would sing "before" everyone else so the others could know the words and sound to sing. This is the most beautiful example of this technique I can imagine. Thank you so very much for posting this masterpiece.
This song seems to capture the pain of Slavery from the first ship docking to Emancipation, and the struggles after. I've ADORED this piece ever since I watched "The Civil War" as a kid. I want to cry whenever I hear it.
@helmuthoorn Amen! I remember thinking the same thing when I was like 9 years old when this came out as part of Ken Burns' Civil War documentary. Right On!
Heard this for the first time years ago when when I watched Ken Burns' brilliant film documentary on the American Civil War. Haven't heard it since...but hearing it again after so many years brought the old goose bumps back. Awesome version of a great spiritual.
The yearning for God,His deliverance,justice,righteousness is all there in this great song.Color is not the major theme...it is deliverance from ourselves and whom we naturally are from our physical birth into the possible light we can become and reflect if Almighty God infuses us with His righteousness.Therefore it is written..."The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding" Why won't we realize this?
TheFreda79 1 week ago
the Ken Burns doc was on this weekend....I couldnt watch it all but I caught the end of it and this song was played....my ancestors had it rough but they endured and we are still here....this song is one of the reasons y we are still here....my people held on to God's unchanging hands and sang songs like this to get through all the evil that was done to them.....im a black American and proud of it wouldn't be anything else....
db5401rb 2 weeks ago
America was made on the backs of slaves.....and I agree without blacks America would have no soul.
db5401rb 2 weeks ago
i sang this in cours last year
TheCamilami01 1 month ago
it took me forever just to find this song. heard it in Georgia Studies class and it's so beautiful just had to listen to it again
mimi50124 2 months ago
This magnificent song always reminds me that......
"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature. It is the heart of a heartless world, the soul of soulless conditions. " - Karl Marx
rexmundi2012 2 months ago
moving
mamapurplerainbows 4 months ago
THERE IS SO MUCH EMOTION IN THIS SONG, SO MUCH SPIRIT, SO MUCH HEARTACHE - I CAN HEAR OUR ANCESTORS SINGING TO US -
"KEEP CLIMBING, KEEP CLIMBING, DON'T STOP - YOU ARE NOW CLIMBING FOR US!!!!!"
southsidesman 4 months ago
This song is so beautiful.
bpolacek89 4 months ago
Without Black people, America would have no soul...
Ermal8711 6 months ago 2
@Ermal8711 Wrong!
Dagger1955 4 months ago
@Dagger1955 Go buy some more guns and listen to your country...
Ermal8711 4 months ago
@Ermal8711
Tried to sing this with my Bible class.
But these Dutch white kids just couldn't hack it.
And then I played this rendition for them.
(''Are you serious, rev? We can't sing like that. You need to be black to be able to do this.'')
Hoped that the Holy Spirit wouldn't be stopped by skin colour, but appearantly it' s a question of cultural determined ability.
helmuthoorn 3 months ago
@helmuthoorn I hate to say it, but if you aren't a 45 year old black woman then you probably won't sound like one. Cut your bible class some slack, they aren't professional gospel singers.
scottrotc06 2 months ago in playlist Ken Burns Civil War Music
@scottrotc06
No, they're not.
But nice kids and some of them are gifted with other things.
helmuthoorn 2 months ago
Best version of this song I've come across so far.
newfful 7 months ago
@newfful The best. Our down south Matriarchs...
southsidesman 4 months ago
The harmonies on the line that comes right before Soldiers of the Cross gives me chills EVERY TIME i hear it. Every single time.
eyescandeceive 7 months ago
I first heard this song in Ken Burns' Civil War about 15 years ago. What does it mean to be a soldier of the cross? Is it germane to a documentary about war because of the fight that was taken up, brother vs. brother? Or is it about the spiritual warfare which we take up each and every day? Instead of a rifle we take up a different sort of weapon. It is bulky and cumbersome. We take up the cross and we are in a battle each and every day, a war that is long and hard fought.
ttccommunion 7 months ago
I love this music, they are fantastic - different - innovative, wonderful
RamesesTheSphinx 8 months ago
these people made some awesome music
johncashrocks221 8 months ago
You are right "Combat" as soon as I heard it on the Civil War, I went looking for it, myself a musician for 55 years
catungawandave 10 months ago
You are right "Combat" as soon as I heard it on the Civil War, I went looking for it, myslef a musician for 55 years
catungawandave 10 months ago
Beautiful.....inspiring....
SenorCrushMan 10 months ago
:')
thefabulousthomasj 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
wondeful gospel tune!
I just heard it on the film The Civil War and could not stop until I found it.
Fishervillecowboy 10 months ago
wondeful gospel tune!
I just heard it on the film The Civil War and could not stop until I found it.
Fishervillecowboy 10 months ago 2
wondeful gospel tune!
I just heard it on the film The Civil War and could not stop until I found it.
Fishervillecowboy 10 months ago
wondeful gospel tune!
Fishervillecowboy 10 months ago
...be still and know that "HE" is GOD...
deniseoneal 11 months ago
AHH I GOT CHILLS
mollybearandjet 11 months ago
i think of no one else who does this best by the moving of the Holy Spirit able to bring forth the spirit and emotions of this Civil War hymn through the sacrifice of the African-slaves,than that of Bernice Johnson and her singers that bring me to tears.Im not even an African-American,and i have yet to hear any other singers that sing this beautiful hymn that able to rival Bernice Johnson and her singers.
combatkenpo 11 months ago 4
PEACE !
Urban
The Kicking Mule
kickingmule 11 months ago
One of the most painful and most beautiful songs I've ever heard; especially when coupled with the images from Ken Burns' Civil War. It it means so much, especially nowadays when we need to embody the spirit of songs like this. Folks, don't fall into thinking meaningful music like this doesn't exist today, it's just not played in the mainstream. If you want anything worth having or experiencing, you have to look for it; believe me, it's there.
ozzarkandcompany 1 year ago
painfully beautiful... spent 30 mins here trying to figure out the words to type, and there are none...
leifpitt 1 year ago
I just saw the documentary over the weekend. This song almost stopped me from breathing. I had to hold my breath while it was on it was so beautiful. Several weeks ago I had tried to explain to my young grandson in the old days people would sing "before" everyone else so the others could know the words and sound to sing. This is the most beautiful example of this technique I can imagine. Thank you so very much for posting this masterpiece.
MyMoppet52 1 year ago
Wow, I just heard this rendition on Ken Burns' The Civil War. Definitely a song of the slaves. Very touching.
aristopus 1 year ago
Wounder full harmony all some song ,
RighteousLion 1 year ago
Is this Sweet Honey and the Rock? Awesome acapella vocals.
brelfan 1 year ago
Tremendous. This is music, the essence of history and of life.
cornemusa 2 years ago 3
very haunting. one of my favs.
uncoverbrother 2 years ago 3
This song echoes the oppression of all Gods children.
helmuthoorn 2 years ago 17
This song seems to capture the pain of Slavery from the first ship docking to Emancipation, and the struggles after. I've ADORED this piece ever since I watched "The Civil War" as a kid. I want to cry whenever I hear it.
tdirtyatl 2 years ago 2
This is probably the most beautiful thing l've EVER heared on YT.
helmuthoorn 2 years ago 28
Indeed very beautiful, Helmut !
Thanks for sharing !
parlophonman 2 years ago
@helmuthoorn Amen! I remember thinking the same thing when I was like 9 years old when this came out as part of Ken Burns' Civil War documentary. Right On!
Dizbanger22 1 year ago
Angelic !
helmuthoorn 2 years ago
this song is soooo sad remins of the civil war
xtrememastergamer66 2 years ago
Not the version I was looking for, but very powerful indeed!
gmananc 2 years ago
Powerful, powerful, powerful.
spiffy72985 2 years ago
Bernice Johnson Reagon Singers
stevethrasher 2 years ago 4
I never heard anything more beautiful than this, God bless Bernice and her singers !!!
viccaz78 1 year ago
@stevethrasher this sounds like sweet honey in the rock!
SuperMuffinsRULE 6 months ago
I loved it since I saw that Ken Burns Civil War movie. Who sang this wonderful song?
Thanks for sharing!
HensOnly 2 years ago 2
Thanks for posting this!
filegirl 2 years ago
Sound moving and haunting. -Ron
rhopen 3 years ago
Oh that´s great. I don´t know if I could sing this way...
Anette
TanteA 3 years ago
Yes, I was just taken by the raw beauty of it... It may not be sutible, at least in this style. -Ron
rhopen 3 years ago
Heard this for the first time years ago when when I watched Ken Burns' brilliant film documentary on the American Civil War. Haven't heard it since...but hearing it again after so many years brought the old goose bumps back. Awesome version of a great spiritual.
Baruc23450951 3 years ago 3
Beautiful, and sung with so
much emotion!!
ardara1234 3 years ago 2
5*****
Sounds great!!!!
TheHighlandPiper 3 years ago