Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two pancocojams series part series on the African American religious song "Glory Glory Hallelujah Since I Laid My Burden Down" (also known as "Since I Laid My Burden Down").
Part II showcases four examples of performances of that song that use James Hall's arrangement and two examples of performances of that song that use New Directions' arrangement.
Selected comments from some of these video's viewer comment threads are included after those videos. I also include some comments about what I believe is bloggers' conscious (on purpose) use of forms of African American Vernacular English.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/examples-of-glory-glory-hallelujah.html for Part I of this series.
Part I showcases eight examples of different arrangements of "Glory Glory Hallelujah" as performed by African American vocalists, groups, and choirs.
These examples are posted for cultural, religious, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to James Hall for his arrangement of this song and thanks to New Directions for their arrangement of this song. Thanks to all those who are featured in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
This series was inspired by the song "Glory" by Common & John Legend. That song from the 2014 movie Selma, was awarded an Oscar for Best Song at the 2015 Academy Awards ceremony.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/02/common-john-legend-glory-examples.html for a pancocojams post about that song.
The song "Glory" (from the movie "Selma") and the gospelized Spiritual " Glory Glory Hallelujah" also calls to mind "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" with its lyrics "Glory Glory Hallelujah/His truth is marching on". Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jRnL6fRdcc for a performance of this song by the U.S. Army Chorus.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SONG
"Glory Glory Hallelujah (Since I Laid My Burdens Down" is what I refer to as a "gospelized spiritual", meaning an African American Spiritual which is performed in a Gospel style. The performances that are showcased in this series are only a small sample of how "Glory Glory Hallelujah" has been sung.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory,_Glory_(Lay_My_Burden_Down)
"Glory, Glory" (also known as "When I Lay My Burden Down", "Since I Laid My Burden Down", "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah" and other titles) is an American spiritual song, which has been recorded by many artists in a variety of genres, including folk, country, blues, rock, and gospel.
-snip-
Click http://ncfmusic.com/media/ext/lyrics/Glory_glory_hallelujah_lyrics.pdf for standard lyrics to this song.
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FEATURED EXAMPLES
JAMES HALL ARRANGEMENT
Example #1: Since I Laid My Burdens Down- James Hall and Voices of Citadel
AfroLady352 Uploaded on Mar 9, 2011
Watch how they get low around 2:21 and 3:20
Come through Jerusalem Church of God By Faith
Florida
Glory Glory
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Example #2: Since I Laid My Burdens Down
Rebirth Remnant, Uploaded on Apr 9, 2008
REBIRTHED ministering James Hall & The Voices of citadel "Since I laid My Burdens Down" at Resurrection Live March 21, 2008 in Chicago, IL
REBIRTHED is a Southside Choral Ministry Dedicated To Outreach And Evangelism Through Music Ministry REBIRTH is under the leadership of Min. Frederick Reed. For Membership & Booking Info call 219.290.1010.
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RBvoices, 2008
"the song is recorded by The Voices of Citadel and it was so many people yelli REBIRTHEd that i dont remeber who it was ~"
-snip-
Most of the comments on that viewer comment thread are written in what probably is conscious code switching from standard American English to a form of African American Vernacular English. I call this "Putting On The Black" and have published other pancocojams posts about that practice. Click that tag to find those posts.
A number of comments from this video's viewer comment thread referred to the use of a washboard as accompaniment for this song. Here are those comments:
2008
rdduck1
"This Choir Is called Rebirth Voices. The guy who directs is a personal friend of mine. The guy who's playing the washboard is the founder and President of Rebirth. And they have just recorded their first cd/dvd. It comes out real soon."
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cherlysimms
"okay one more thing ...THAT CAT PULLED OUT A WASH BOARD...talk about takin it back...."
-snip-
that cat = that man
"takin it back" = doing something the old way [This has positive connotations.]
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Drew Camp
"Did I see a washboard? Great performance."
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RBvoices
in reply to Drew Camp
"Yes You Do ! see a Scrub Board we believe in Old saintifed Church ! thanks for The Love"
-snip-
"Scrub board" = another name for "washboard".
The response implies that playing a washboard used to be a part of the worship services in sanctified churches. (Pentecostal, Church of God In Christ [COGIC], and other similar churches.). It is very rare to see someone in the USA playing a washboard in church. And in some American churches, it's also rare to see someone playing a tambourine.
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darrielb
in reply to RBvoices
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm mad he's playin' it like it's a violin!"
-snip-
"Mad" here is probably meant facetiously. Some people colloquially say that they are mad when a person does something really well.
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taneaka
Oh my goodness! Look @ Fred with that washboard!!!! He killin it though! Randall killin it to with that directing
-snip-
@ = at
"killin it" = doing something really well
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2009
[in response to her previous comment]
"Dottie1973 5 years ago in reply to Dottie1973
p.s KILLED that tamborine, and washboard!"
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2010
ripgranny52309
"NO YALL DIDNT BRING OUT THE WASHBOARD. LOVING IT THAT'S WHAT I CALL CHURCHIN"
-snip-
"That's what I call churchin" = having a real church experience, or having a really intense church experience.
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Morrow405
"HE BETTER GET IT WITH THAT WASHBOARD!!"
-snip-
"He better get it with..." = a statement of approval for something that is being done well
For instance, here's another similar comment:
"J. Jarrod, 2009
"Ya'll better sang...shut up...and sang some more."
-snip-
"Sang" - sing really good (soulfully); As shown in this comment, "sang" isn't necessarily past tense. Here the commenter tells the choir to "sang" and then stop singing, but continue again because they still feel the Holy Spirit and can't help expressing what they feel in song.
2011
CoCo Chanel
"Ayeee ya boy had da washboard... Yall was ready church!!!
-snip-
[Exclamation], that boy had a washboard... You all was really having church! (having a real church experience, or having a really intense church experience.)
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Example #3: "Since I Laid My Burdens Down" - Montclair St. Univ. Gospel
Montclair State University OSAU Gospel Choir
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Example #4: GMU AVU Gospel Choir - Since I Laid My Burdens Down by James Hall
GMU AVUPublished on Dec 18, 2013
Anointed Vessels of Unity's Gospel Choir sings Since I Laid My Burdens Down by James Hall with a special arrangement by Andrew Smith at AVU's Fall 2013 Harvest Concert at George Mason University.
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NEW DIRECTION ARRANGEMENT
Example #1: New Direction- Glory,Glory.
Mikey B., Uploaded on Feb 1, 2011
-snip-
There are a number of African American Gospel groups or choirs named "New Direction". I think this bio snippet refers to the group which is featured in this sound file:
"The 40-member gospel youth choir New Direction was formed on Chicago's South side by Jeral Gray; their self-titled debut was issued on the Word label in early 1999; Get Yer Praise followed a year later."https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/new-direction/id41229940
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Example #2: Miami University Gospel Singers~Since I Laid My Burdens Down~FLATLINE '10
MsFilled's channel, Uploaded on Feb 21, 2010
Don't Let 'Em FLATLINE-Forever Live Accepting The Lie that Insignificant Nominal-praise is Enough! Is an young adult event that is currently held bi-monthly at Rockdale Baptist Church. On Jan. 22, 2010, we were joined by Miami University Gospel Singers, and this is a clip of them singing a version of Since I Laid My Burdens Down! They SANG that song! Amen!!! Such a blessing, we love MUGS! Take a minute to listen and leave a comment!
-snip-
I've never heard of "Flatline" before. As defined above, seems to be a movement that wants people to challenge the practice of replacing old school Gospel music and other ways of worshiping with contemporary Christain praise and worship music. Is that the right meaning of "flatline"?
"Sang" here isn't just past tense. It means "sung" [or "to sing"] really well (soulfully).
-snip-
Here are three comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
MAYBELLINE QUEEN, 2011
"THIS IS AN AMAZING CHOIR! THEY ROCKED AND PUT A NEW SPIN ON AN OLD SONG! I LOVE IT! KEEP ON PRAIND GOD, YOUNG PEOPLE!"
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joefulmelvin, 2010
"who sings this song originally?"
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MsFilled, 2010
in reply to joefulmelvin
"joefulmelvin It's actually called "Glory, Glory" and it is originally by New Direction. It was mislabeled on the video because it was uploaded prior to us knowing the real name of the song. The recording is a bit different though but it is pretty close."
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This completes Part II of this series.
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