A DRC Brazzaville, Central African Dance Whose Formation Is Similar To The Longways Set (with three videos of longways set dances from the United States: "The Virginia Reel", "The Stroll", & "The Soul Train Line"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video from the Republic of the Congo (also known as DRC Brazzaville) whose formation is similar to European/United States longways set (contra dancing).

This post also showcases three videos of longways sets from the United States: The Virginia Reel, the 1957 "The Stroll" dance, and The Soul Train line.

In addition this pancocojams post presents information about longways dancing in Central Africa and in the United States. 

Specific information about the Soul Train Line, a contemporary example of longways dancing tat is very familiar to African Americans, is also included in this pancocojams post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these showcase videos. Thanks to the producers and publishers of these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. 
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-video-of-traditional-single-file.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "A Video of A Traditional Single File, Circular Line Dance From The Republic Of The Congo & A Video Of A Contemporary African American Single File Circular Line Dance"

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS 

These videos are given in no particular order.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only

Click the liinks below each video to read comments from that video's discussion thread.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 - Tala Kwé Wa Tuka (Official Music Video) | Kiazi Malonga

Kiazi Malonga, Jun 19, 2024  BRAZZAVILLE

Filmed on location in Congo Brazzaville. Featuring Christian “Mabanga” Boukaka.

Video by Domy Scram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvRwivWvaDo

Music- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXkTWehXFuI [sound file of this music by Christian “Mabanga” Boukaka ]

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2- Virginia Reel



Mormon Pioneer Dances, August 26, 2017

The Virginia Reel was the most popular dance amongst the Mormon pioneers who came across the plains to Utah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnLEnf-6S_U

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3- American Bandstand 1957 & 1968 - The Stroll, The Diamonds

YouCanDanceToit!, Feb 3, 2018

To celebrate AB's 11th anniversary, the kids in 1968 try to do The Stroll to a clip of the kids in Philadelphia from 1957.

Airdate: Aug. 17, 1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEGMm0Dgsbs

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 - Soul Train Line Dance to Earth Wind & Fire's - Mighty Mighty



carwashlondon, Dec 22, 2009

Disco Dance Moves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5_oM8rU1jk

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ADDENDUM #1 -  MY QUESTION AND AI OVERVIEW RESPONSE ABOUT INFORMATION ABOUT "LONGWAYS" DANCING IN AFRICA
Source #1- From AI Overview (in response to my question on August 29, 2026: 
"What is longways dancing?" 

AI Overview
"Longways folk dances are traditional group social dances where two parallel lines of partners stand and face each other.

How Longways Dances Work

Formation: Dancers form two long lines. Traditionally, one line is for men/leaders and the opposite line is for women/followers, with each person standing directly across from their partner.-

Progression: Most longways dances include a "progression". As the dance repeats, the top couple moves down to the bottom of the set, while the other couples step up one place.

History and Origins

English Roots: These dances started as 17th-century English Country Dances popularized by publishers like John Playford.

American Tradition: English colonists brought the style to North America. It evolved into American contra dancing and square dancing.

Popular Examples

The Virginia Reel: A classic, high-energy colonial American dance.”…
-snip-
The source that is cited for this overview is given as Source #1 immediately below.

Notice that this overview only gave information about longways sets/contra dancing that originated in Europe. African American dances such as the 1950s Stroll or the 1970s on Soul Train line that derived from the Stroll aren't mentioned. (I believe that The Soul Train line should be cited as a popular example of a longways set since in contemporary United States it is much more popular than The Virginia Reel.)

The lack of information about this dance format outside of Europe/North America leads to the inaccurate conclusion that Europe was the only place that longways dance forms originated (i.e. that White people were the only ones that created this dance format and therefore any dance that is done in this formatation is derived from European (White) dance. 

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Source #2-https://www.histoiredebal.com/en/2024/12/31/longways-mode-demploi/
“Longways, reel, contra, anglaise, english country dance… Are you lost? 
..."What is a longways ?

The longways, English country dance or contra line is a formation where the dancers form two lines facing each other. That type of dance usually includes a progression, meaning that the couples will change place.

Longways are associated with England in the collective imagination. You only have to watch an English historical film to realise this (Jane Austen adaptations, Poldark…). However, there are many English country dances that are not longways: circles, squares, lines and so on.

Longways can be found outside England, notably in the Walloon repertoire (Vieille Maclote); in 18th-century France, and so on.”…

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ADDENDUM #2 -INFORMATION ABOUT THE STROLL (1957 UNITED STATES SOCIAL  DANCE)
From 
"The Stroll was both a slow rock 'n' roll dance[1] and a song that was popular in the late 1950s.[2]

Billboard first reported that "the Stroll" might herald a new dance craze similar to the "Big Apple" in December 1957.[3][4]

In the dance two lines of dancers, men on one side and women on the other, face each other, moving in place to the music. Each paired couple then steps out and does a more elaborate dance up and down between the rows of dancers.[5] Dick Clark noted the similarity of the dance to the Virginia reel.[6] It was first performed to "C. C. Rider" by Chuck Willis on American Bandstand. Link Wray's "Rumble" was also a popular tune for doing the stroll.

The Diamonds had a hit song entitled "The Stroll" in 1957.

When 1950s nostalgia came to the forefront in the 1970s, the Stroll saw renewed public awareness. It was used in the film American Graffiti (1973) during the scene at the high school dance and is mentioned in some of the lyrics in the musical Grease. Led Zeppelin's 1950s rock homage "Rock and Roll" mentions the Stroll. 

The Stroll was an integral part of most episodes of the dance TV series Soul Train, where host and creator Don Cornelius dubbed it the "Soul Train Line".

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ADDENDUM #3 -  INFORMATION ABOUT THE SOUL TRAIN TV SERIES AND THE SOUL TRAIN LINE
Source #1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train
"Soul Train is an American musical variety television show. After airing locally on WCIU-TV in Chicago, Illinois, for a year, the popular series then aired nationally in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series was created by Don Cornelius, who also served as its first and longest-serving host and executive producer.[1][2]

[...]

Soul Train line

There was also the popular "Soul Train Line" (a variant of the 1950s fad then known as The Stroll), in which all the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for dancers to strut down and dance in consecutive order. Originally, this consisted of a couple—with men on one side and women on the other. In later years, men and women had their own individual lineups. Sometimes, new dance styles or moves were featured or introduced by particular dancers. In addition, there was an in-studio group of dancers who danced along to the music as it was being performed."...^]

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Visitor comments are welcome. 

A Video of A Traditional Single File, Circular Line Dance From The Republic Of The Congo & A Video Of A Contemporary African American Single File Circular Line Dance

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a traditional single file, circular line dance from The Republic of The Congo.*

*The Republic of The Congo (also referred to as Congo Brazzaville) shouldn't be confused with the larger adjacent nation The Democratic Republic of The Congo (also referred as Congo Kinshasa). Both of these nations are located in Central Africa. 

This pancocojams post also showcases a YouTube video of a single file, circular African American soul line dance.

Addendum #1 of this pancocojams post presents an AI Overview response to my question about whether any traditional African dances were performed in single file or in longways formations (i.e. two parallel lines facing each other -for example "The Soul Train line".)

Addendum #2 showcases another video from the Republic of The Congo that showcases young girls dancing outdoors in a single file to music that is being performed on stage.

The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the videographers and publishers of these videos on YouTube. 

Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/08/a-drc-brazzaville-central-africa-that.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "A DRC Brazzaville, Central African Dance Whose Formation Is Similar To The Longways Set (with three videos of longways set dances from the United States: "The Virginia Reel", "The Stroll", & "The Soul Train Line".

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

SHOWCASE VIDEO #1- 2 juin 2026*



LA MISERE DE MON PEUPLE, Jun 2, 2026

Comments are turned off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPkv5BRcQ2s
-snip-
*Unfortunately, this video doesn't have any title but the date the video was published on YouTube.
To increase the way this video can be identified, I suggest using a title such as "Women From The Democratic Republic of  The Congo Dancing In A Single File June 2, 2026." 

Here's my description of this video:
A number of young Black African women from The Republic of The Congo perform a dance outdoors in a single file line. 

The women perform a choreographed routine as they move in a counter clockwise* direction to eventually form a circle. 

*"counter clockwise"- the line follows its leader who moves to the left and not to the right (clockwise). 

One woman in that group (who in this video isn't the leader) blows a whistle to accompany the music and not for signaling purposes. This up-tempo, percussive music is played and sung in the dancers' native language presumably by people who aren't shown in this video..

The women in this line don't sing or make any sounds while they dance.
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MvXvelxpO8 for a June 11, 2026 YouTube video from The Republic Of The Congo of women performing this same dance.

This is one of several other videos of this dance from that video uploader whose sound feature unfortunately isn't working and whose comment features are turned off.

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YOUTUBE VIDEO #2 - Follow Me (Circle Dance) - SSULD 12/30/2025

Southside Urban Line Dance, Premiered Mar 1, 2025

Dance: Follow Me (Circle Dance)

Choreographer: unknown

Ballou Recreation Center

Holiday PotLuck

Danville, VA.

‪@southsideurbanlinedance
-snip-
Music- "Follow Me" by Aly-Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QhsvXglGgc

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ADDENDUM #1- RESPONSE TO MY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER ANY TRADITIONAL AFRICAN DANCES WERE PERFORMED IN SINGLE FILE OR LONGWAYS* FORMATIONS

My question (August 29, 2026)

Has there been any studies about the possible influence of traditional African dances or specifically Congolese dances on the dance formation of European dances such as the Virginia reel or promenade single circular movements?  

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AI Overview Response (August 29, 2026)
"Yes, academic studies exist that explore the structural intersection and mutual influence between traditional African dances (including Congolese traditions) and European folk dance formations like the Virginia reel or circular promenades.

Rather than a one-way influence where African movement altered ancestral European forms in Europe, dance ethnologists and historians typically frame this as a phenomenon of "elective affinities" and cultural synthesis that occurred in the American diaspora. Enslaved Africans and European settlers interacted closely, blending structural elements of their respective dance styles

Key Academic Insights and Theories

The "Line and Circle" Structural Commonalities:
In seminal research like The Circle and the Line: Speculations on the Development of African American Dance, scholars note that both West/Central African and traditional European cultures possessed strong traditions of line (longways) and circle formations. This overlapping geometric structure made European contra-dances—such as the Virginia reel (which descended from Irish and English roots)—highly adaptable to African dancers.)."...

[Source cited:https://www.proquest.com/openview/a03a83481937f13b24f1461351cbf186/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1821483

Scholarly Journal

The Circle and the Line: Speculations on the Development of African American Vernacular Dancing

Hazzard-Donald, Katrina.  The Western Journal of Black Studies; Pullman, Wash. Vol. 20, Iss. 1,  (Spring 1996): 28.

Copyright (c 2008)ProQuest LLC
Copyright © Washington State University
-snip-
Here's an excerpt from that journal article:
..."The Transformed European Reels:

Historical evidence shows that enslaved Africans frequently adopted and radically modified European set and line dances. For instance, archives mention enslaved dancers mastering the "Congo Minuet," where European choreography was infused with Congolese styling, rhythmic syncopation, and percussive footwork.

The Sacred Circle vs. Secular Promenade:

In many European group dances, a promenade single circular movement serves as a temporary transition section. Dance historians theorize that when African diaspora dancers engaged with these forms, their interpretation of the circle was heavily filtered through sacred Central African cosmovisions.

 In the Congolese tradition, the counterclockwise circle represents the cycle of life, death, and spiritual continuity (evident in the evolution of the Afro-American Ring Shout). Scholars argue that while Africans participated in the secular lines common to European reels, they often adapted or loaded the circular promenade sections with deep, ancestral spiritual meaning. 

Congo Square as a Melting Pot:

 In regions like New Orleans, Sundays at Congo Square allowed people from the Congo and West Africa to keep their traditional dances alive. White observers frequently witnessed these heavy, earth-centered circular formations, creating a loop of mutual observation that eventually filtered back into American social and folk dances. "...
-snip-
Here's information about longways dance formations
from https://dancingmasters.com/dances-in-longways-sets/
..."A longways set is comprised of two lines of dancers facing each other. Each dancer stands across from their partner. Traditionally, the ‘gents’ are in the right hand line, the ‘ladies’ in the left hand line. See CHOOSING PARTNERS. Each time through the dance the top couple progresses to the bottom of the set while the other couples move up one place. The dance is then repeated with the new top couple."...
-snip-
This article includes a drawing that shows the top couple standing in the space that I would consider to be the bottom of the drawing and the bottom couple standing in the space that I would consider to be the top of the drawing.. 

I think a number of Americans may also have this opinion of where the top and bottom are in these longways sets and we reverse that top/bottom label from the way it is given in that drawing. That label change is important because it determines whether the couples dance down the space in between the two parallel (longways) lines or whether the couples dance up that space. 

The Soul Train line was a feature in the long running national television dance series Soul Train that showcased mostly Black teens performing the latest social dancers.

I believe that the Soul Train line is still the most familiar example of a longways set that people in the United States know. In the Soul Train line the couple (and later one dancer at a time) always danced down the space in between those two longways lines to the bottom of those lines.

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ADDENDUM #2-8 juin 2026*

PONTON TRADI-MODERNE, Jun 8, 2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NGFNTrSHEU
-snip-
*This is the only title for this video.

As a way of helping to identify this video, I suggest that it be sub-ttiled "Young girls from the Republic of The Congo dancing in single file June 8, 2026"

These pre-teen/teenage girls are doing more hip motions in this dance that the other Republic of the Congo video in this pancocojams post whose sound feature is working.

As is the case with the women who are dancing in that video, these girls in this single file line don't hold hands or have any contact with any other dancers. They also don't sing or make any sounds while they dance. 

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome. 

The 63rd Anniversary Of The 1963 Civil Rights March On Washington (with examples of chants from that 2026 Anniversary March)

 

March on Washington 2026: Thousands Rally to Defend the Vote and Civil Rights | AC1N

DRM News, Aug 28, 2026  #MarchOnWashington2026 #DefendTheVote #VotingRights

Thousands gathered in Washington, D.C., for the “March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote,” marking the 63rd anniversary of the historic 1963 march. Reverend Al Sharpton, Spike Lee, Yolanda Renee King and other prominent figures joined the rally as speakers and activists called for voting rights, civil rights and economic justice. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF39BlZKZwg
-snip-
Most of these marchers were Black, but there were a considerable number of White people who also in this march.

In age, the marchers appeared to be from the early 20s on up. Most of the marchers appeared to be over the age of  40 years old. I didn't see any children among these marchers. 

There were a number of people in this march who were wheelchairs or walking with canes. 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington. That march was held on August 28, 2026 in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

This post includes a news article about this 63rd anniversary march and presents the words to several chants that are heard in that showcase video.

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the organizers and leaders of this march and thanks to all those who participated in this march. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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NEWS ARTICLE EXCERPT ABOUT THE 63RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH ON WASHINGTON
From https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/one-different-63rd-anniversary-march-190500945.html ‘This one is different’: 63rd anniversary of March on Washington comes at a moment of crisis for Black Americans published by Gerren Keith Gaynor,  August 28, 2026
"Thousands descended on the Lincoln Memorial plaza on Friday in Washington, D.C., to participate in a demonstration marking the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs.

While there have been several such commemorations since the original 1963 march organized by civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, John Lewis, and others, Black leaders in 2026 say that the stakes for this year's march are higher than ever following the rollback of voting rights and economic opportunity and the mysterious deaths of young Black men in the South.

"This one is different," says Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. He told theGrio, "The urgency comes after a sustained 18-to-20-month attack on all of the victories of the civil rights movement, from equal opportunity in employment through attacks on diversity, through the Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act by way of the Callais case."

The theme of this year's march, organized by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network and Martin Luther King III's Drum Major Institute, is "Protect the Vote." Following the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling in April, which struck down protections against racial discrimination in voting for Black Americans, Republican-controlled states in the South, at the direction of President Donald Trump, moved to eliminate majority-Black Congressional districts, threatening generations of Black electoral representation.

"Defending the vote means defending the foundation of our democracy," said Martin Luther King III. "Sixty-three years after my father stood at the Lincoln Memorial, we are called to march again, not only in remembrance, but in action."

Morial told theGrio that this year brings a "sense of urgency and purpose," adding, "There's no commemorative element of this march. This march is about defending the vote. This march is about restoring equal opportunity. This march is about resistance to a movement that is taking America in the absolute wrong direction."

In addition to voting rights rollbacks, Black Americans are seeing a rise in unemployment and less access to economic opportunity, including cuts to higher education funding and critical social services like Medicaid, as a result of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, passed last July.

"The big ugly bill is damaging America in ways beyond description," said Morial. "We want the world to know that there is another path other than the path of division and destruction, and billionaire tax benefits and cuts to healthcare, education, and [enforcing] violent immigration enforcement strategies."

[…]

The 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington also marks the anniversary of the 1955 lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was murdered by a mob of white men in Mississippi. Organizers of the 1963 march intentionally chose Aug. 28 as the date of the historic demonstration to honor Till's life.

The joint commemorations of the March on Washington and Till's murder come as Black America mourns the mysterious deaths of young Black men killed in the South: Nolan Wells, 18, who died during a July 4 boat trip with white friends on Horn Island, Mississippi; Daniel Irving, 18, who drowned at a north Texas lake in April; and Tyler Smith, 18, who died of a gunshot wound to the head while reportedly playing Russian Roulette with friends.

"Seventy-one years later…we gather again because the lynching of Black people did not end…[with] Emmett Till," said McMillan.

[…]

The civil rights leader said the community is demanding transparency, adding, "What the families deserve are answers to three deaths that are suspicious…the failure of the justice system to adequately respond is what we raise in a march like this."

McMillan said Black Americans overall are witnessing a "modern-day lynching of our rights." He lamented, "We're seeing voting rights stripped away and democracy being harder to access. We're seeing diversity, equity, and inclusion being dismantled in front of our eyes."

Before leading Friday's march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Rev. Sharpton called out the Trump administration and those he said are working to "pervert the dream" that King fought so hard to achieve. He declared, "The dream is still alive," even as Black communities experience setbacks."...

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EXAMPLES OF SOME CHANTS FROM THE 2026 MARCH ON WASHINGTON
(as heard in the YouTube video that is showcased in this pancocojams post:) *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF39BlZKZwg )

These chants are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. call: "Who has the power?"

response: "We have the power".

**
2. call: "Show me what democracy looks like."

response: "This is what democracy looks like."

**
3. call: "Ain't no power like the power of the people 
'cause the power of the people don't stop."

response- "Say what?"

**
4. call: "Whose streets?"

response: "Our streets."
 
**
5. call: "When I say Breanna you say Taylor. Breanna!

response:  Taylor!

call: "When I say "George" you say Floyd. George!

response: Floyd!
-snip-
This chant is about those Black people who have died in the last ten years or so at the hands of United States policemen

**
6. call: "No justice!"

Response: "No peace!"

**
7. call: "Justice!"

response: "Now!"

call: "If we don't get it"

response: " Shut it down!"

**
8.  "Save the vote!"


*These are only the chants that I could decipher. There were other chants whose words I couldn't decipher. 

Additions and corrections are welcome.

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Five YouTube Eamples Of The African American Gospel Song "We've Come This Far By Faith" (with lyrics & information about its composer Albert A. Goodson)

 

Come This Far By Faith

1CNLT, Mar 9, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWiCeB2yMhs
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/celebrate-new-life-tabernacle-choir.html for a 2021 pancocojams post "Marching Into The Church Sanctuary Singing "We've Come This Far By Faith" (2014 YouTube video of Celebrate New Life Tabernacle Choir from Tallahassee, Florida). That post showcases this video and includes selected comments from its discussion thread.

Also, click  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/nine-examples-of-gospel-song-weve-come.html for the 201r pancocojams post "Nine Examples Of The Gospel Song "We've Come This Far By Faith" (with lyrics). 

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases four YouTube examples of the African American Gospel song "We've Come This Far By Faith".

This post also presents the lyrics for that song and information about its composer Albert A.Goodson.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes. 

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Albert A Goodson for composing this song and for his religious legacy. Thanks to all those who are featured in these YouTube videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of the examples of these songs on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPOSER OF THE GOSPEL SONG "WE'VE COME THIS FAR BY FAITH"

From https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/history-of-hymns-weve-come-this-far-by-faith

History of Hymns: 'We've Come This Far by Faith' 

By C. Michael Hawn, February 12, 2020
..."Albert A. Goodson (1933-2003), a Los Angeles native, and his twin brother were born to Arthur and Clara Goodson, who reared them in the Pentecostal tradition. According to an interview, Albert stated, “I started my interest in music as a child. However, my parents were too poor to buy a piano, so I would take a wooden board and pretend to play on it as if it were a keyboard” (Terry, 2016, n.p.). He received his only formal music education from musicians at Los Angeles’ St. Paul Baptist Church from age twelve including gospel music legends “Prof.” J. Earle Hines (1916-1960), the congregation’s minister of music, and pianist Gwendolyn Cooper-Lightner (1925-1999). The 200-voice choir was an inspiration. Goodson lived just down the street from St. Paul and could hear their rehearsals during the week:

'I enjoyed listening to the singers at the Baptist church so much... I learned everything the pianist would play. I could “hear” it during the week, and I would play it again and again in my mind (Terry, 2016, n.p.).'

Cooper-Lightner formed the Echoes of Eden choir at the church, a group that helped establish the congregation’s reputation in gospel music. Weekly broadcasts each Sunday reached an estimated audience of one million people in seventeen states. These financed recordings of the choir.

Goodson’s experience as the assistant pianist for the Echoes of Eden Choir and Hines Good Will Singers prepared him to be the choir director at Grace Memorial Church of God in Christ and the Opportunity Baptist Church. He moved to Chicago in 1955 to assume the position of minister of music at Fellowship Baptist Church. At the invitation of Thomas Wyatt (1891-1964), founder of Pentecostal “Latter Rain Movement,” Goodson returned to Los Angeles in 1961 to lead the interdenominational Wings of Healing Faith Choir. This choir complemented Wyatt’s Wings of Healing Ministry. Following this, he formed the Albert Goodson Singers. His skills as a pianist were recognized by requests for him to accompany some of the gospel legends such as the Sallie Martin Singers, the Simmons-Akers Singers, the Sky Pilot Choir, Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972), and Thurston G. Frazier (1930-1974), director of the Voices of Hope Choir.

In the mid-twentieth century, Chicago was a major hub of African American gospel music with the presence of composer and publisher of African American gospel music Kenneth Morris and gospel performers Sallie Martin (1896-1988), Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), Roberta Martin (1907-1969), Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland (1931-1991), and others. During this time, Los Angeles was viewed as a place of opportunity for African Americans, but it was beginning to find its gospel voice. In addition to those mentioned above, Doris Akers (1922-1995), composer of “There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this Place,” played a major role on the west coast (See Djedje, 1993, pp. 412-457). Goodson was one of the gospel artists that established Los Angeles as a center of gospel music in the African American tradition.

The first publication of the song ["We've Come This Far By Faith] was as a choral octavo in 1956. The first album released by Voices of Hope in 1960 included Goodson’s “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” under the direction of Thurston G. Frazier. Though Frazier is listed as the arranger of the music as found in Songs of Zion, one will recognize his influence only on the choral parts. Compared with the musical score, the accompaniment on the first recording is much more developed. This recording with Gwendolyn Cooper-Lightner on piano and Goodman on the Hammond organ is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=89&v=VNVSZ338nmQ&feature=emb_logo. *

African American gospel music scholar Horace Clarence Boyer indicates the significance of this hymn in African American worship by observing that many congregations in this era began worship with “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” as the processional and concluded worship with Thomas A. Dorsey’s “God Be with You” (Boyer, 1995, p. 206). The song was composed during the brief time after Goodson moved from Los Angeles to Chicago:

'I was living in Chicago, alone. I was never married, and I didn’t have a relative or a close friend in that city. I became very discouraged. One day, during a depressed state, I sat down at the piano in a friend’s home and began to play a melody running through my mind. As I played the Lord seemed to speak to me saying, “We’ve come this far by faith. . .” (Terry, 2016, n.p.).'

A composer of other songs, Goodson was surprised at the song’s success:

'I never thought my song would be a hit, because it sounded like a Sunday School song to me. But it just seemed to take immediately. People started singing it everywhere. I just couldn’t believe it. . . . And I’ve written other songs but they have never done what that song has done (Djedje, 1993, p. 421).'

The song was first performed in 1956 by the Radio Choir of the Fellowship Baptist Church in Chicago. Goodson found solace in 1 Peter 1:7: “...the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ . . .” (KJV) (Terry, 2016, n.p.). One is also reminded of I Samuel 7:12, “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (KJV). The famous reference to the Ebenezer stone is also cited in stanza 2 of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” by Robert Robinson (1735-1790). In addition, see I Chronicles 17:16b: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?” (KJV)

Stanza 1, beginning with “Don’t be discouraged . . .,” offers encouragement with the assurance that “He’ll bear your burdens.” Stanza 2 offers a personal testimony, beginning with a spoken recitation, “Just the other day I heard a man say he didn’t believe in God’s Word . . .”. The response of the witness is, “He’s never failed me yet.”...
-snip-
*This song file is given as YouTube Example #2 immediately below.

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OFFICIAL LYRICS FOR "WE'VE COME THIS FAR BY FAITH"

(by Albert A. Goodson)

We've come this far by faith
Leaning on the LORD
Trusting in His Holy Word
He never failed me yet
Oh' can't turn around
We've come this far by faith

(Repeat)

Don't be discouraged
when trouble comes into your life
He will bear your burdens
And remove all our misery and strife
And that's why

Chorus

Just the other day
I heard a man say
He didn't believe in God words
But I can truly say the lord will make a way
because He, He's never failed me yet.

Chorus

Online Source: https://www.elyrics.net/read/c/carlton-pearson-lyrics/we_ve-come-this-far-by-faith-lyrics.html

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MORE SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES OF THIS GOSPEL SONG

These examples are given in no particular order.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

YouTube Example #2 - Voices of Hope singing "We"ve Come This Far By Faith"

Gospellin, April 13, 2009

Wonderful choir from Los Angeles under the direction of Thurston Frazier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNVSZ338nmQ&t=89s

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YouTube Example #3- Bishop Carlton Pearson - We've Come This Far By Faith | Live At AZUSA 4

WY Music '95, Nov 22, 2023  #azusa #carltonpearson

Ⓒ 2001 Azusa Music Group, a division of Higher Dimensions, Inc.

ORU Mabee Center - Tulsa, Oklahoma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2xJlXpHBPQ

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YouTube Example # 4- Rev. Milton Biggham - We've Come This Far By Faith

Malaco Gospel, October 17, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81a7V0MhJpg

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YouTube Example #5 - Troy Ramey - We've Come This Far

malacomg, Apr 2, 2014  #ClassicGospel #SoulGospel #SouthernGospel

Experience the uplifting power of "We've Come This Far" by the legendary Troy Ramey. This timeless gospel classic delivers a message of resilience and faith through powerful vocals and soulful  arrangements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0jW7ELHuZM

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