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Sunday, November 10, 2024

White American Renditions & Black American Renditions Of "Higher Ground" (also known as "Lord Lift me Up", "Plant My Feet On Higher Ground", & "I'm Pressing On The Upward Way")



VBFA Church. June 21, 2011 
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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases three White American video examples and three Black American video examples of the Christian hymn entitled "Higher Ground".* 

The Christian hymn "Higher Ground" is also known as "I'm Pressing On The Upward Way" "Lord Lift Me Up" and "Lord, Plant My Feet On Higher Ground". Based on YouTube examples, it appears to me that White Americans most often use the first two titles for this song while Black Americans also use the last three titles for that religious song.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Johnson Oatman, Jr and Charles H. Gabriel for composing the lyrics and tune for this Christian song. Thanks also to all those who are showcased in the YouTube videos that are embedded in this pancocojams post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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*The lyrics for the Christian hymn "Higher Ground" were composed by (White American) Johnson Oatman, Jr in 1898. The tune for that hymn was composed the same year by (White American) Charles H. Gabriel.

I'm showcasing the White American videos of "Higher Ground" before the Black American examples of that song because that song was composed by White Americans. However, as I believe Showcase video #1 demonstrates, renditions of "Higher Ground" that are sung by White Americans may sound like Black American renditions of that song.

Notice that Showcase Video #2 of "White American Renditions" includes some Black Americans.

These videos are presented in chronological order within their categories based on the videos' publishing dates, with the oldest published video given first.
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Click https://www.hymnologyarchive.com/higher-ground  for the history of the Christian hymn  "Higher Ground" whose lyrics and tune were composed in 1898* by (White American) Johnson Oatman, Jr. and its tune was composed that same year by (White American) Charles H. Gabriel.

Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-mississippi-mass-choir-higher.html for a 2021 pancocojams post about another gospelized version of this hymn. The title of that post is "The Mississippi Mass Choir - "Higher Ground" (also known as "I'm Pressing On The Upward Way"), information, video, & comments).

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LYRIC EXCERPT "HIGHER GROUND"
(Johnson Oatman, Jr)

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound,
“Lord plant my feet on higher ground.”
Refrain:
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith, on heaven’s table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Click https://gccsatx.com/hymns/higher-ground/ for the complete standard lyrics for the Christian hymn "Higher Ground".

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EXAMPLE #2 OF A WHITE AMERICAN RENDITION OF THE CHRISTIAN HYMN "HIGHER GROUND"

Kim Hopper, Wesley Pritchard, Amy Lambert - Higher Ground [Live]



Gaither Music TV, September 27, 2012

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EXAMPLE #3 OF A WHITE AMERICAN RENDITION OF THE CHRISTIAN HYMN "HIGHER GROUND"

Higher Ground • Congregational


Daniel Baptist, January 19, 2019

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EXAMPLE #1 OF A BLACK AMERICAN RENDITION OF THE GOSPEL SONG "HIGHER GROUND"

'Higher GROUND'- Pastor E.Dewey Smith Jr Singing Old School HYMN




BrothaRollins, December 17, 2010 #countrygospelsongs #higherground #oldchurchsongs

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EXAMPLE #2 OF A BLACK AMERICAN RENDITION OF THE GOSPEL SONG "HIGHER GROUND"

The Mississippi Mass Choir" I'm Pressing On!" (Plant My Feet On Higher Ground) 


The BL & S Singers,  May 8, 2012

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EXAMPLE #3 OF A BLACK AMERICAN RENDITION OF THE GOSPEL SONG "HIGHER GROUND"


Palestine Missionary Baptist Church, Victoria, Texas, March 13, 2013

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