Three Examples Of The African American Spiritual "I'm Gonna Sing When The Spirit Says Sing"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a four part pancocojams series that showcases renditions of the African American Spiritual "Move When The Spirit Says Move" or are based, at least in part, on that Spiritual.

Part II showcases three renditions of the African American Spiritual "I'm Gonna Sing When The Spirit Says Sing". I believe that an earlier title for that Spiritual is "Move When The Spirit Says Move".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/two-interpretations-of-african-american.html for Part I of this series. Part I showcases two examples of the African American Spiritual "Move When The Spirit Says Move".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/two-examples-of-african-american.html for Part II of this series. Part III showcases two examples of Moses Hogan's arrangement of this Spiritual which he re-titled "I'm Gonna Sing Till The Spirit Moves In My Heart". I believe that an earlier title for this Spiritual is "You Gotta Move When The Spirit Says Move".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/mississippi-fred-mcdowell-you-gotta.html for Part IV of this series. Part IV showcases Mississippi Fred McDowell's Blues song "You Gotta Move".

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

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

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BASIC LYRICS
I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing (3x)
And obey the Spirit of the Lord

I'm gonna shout when the Spirit says shout (3x)

I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray (3x)
And obey the Spirit of the Lord
-snip-
Note that "The Spirit" means "The Holy Spirit".

I learned this song as "You Gotta Move When The Spirit Says Move" when I was a child in the 1950s (in Union Baptist Temple Church, Atlantic City, New Jersey). That song has a slightly different tune and a slightly faster tempo. Also, instead of the ending line "And obey the Spirit of the Lord", we sang "When the Spirit says move, you gotta move, Lord / You gotta move when the Spirit says move.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing



Tim Martinez, Uploaded on May 3, 2010

Reformation Lutheran Church Chancel Choir

Priscilla Silver, Director

I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing

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Example #2: I'm gonna sing when the spirit says sing



mwypoon, Published on Jan 26, 2013

choir performance

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Example #3: OAA Choir "Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing"



TrishsMom, Published on Nov 9, 2014

Performance at Oakwood University Church October 4, 2014

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