pablo blanco, Jul 10, 2012
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This post also includes a brief information about Clara Ward, and about Mahalia Jackson. I've also included brief information about and a link to more information about Rev. W. Herbert Brewster, an African American minister & composer of more than 200 Gospel song who is alleged to have composed "How I Got Over".
The African American Vernacular English meaning of the words" how I got over" is also included in this post, and in my comment below.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, motivational, and aesthetic purposes.
All rights remain with their owner.
Thanks to and Rev. W. Herbert Brewster for composing this Gospel song. Thanks to The Clara Ward Singers and to Mahalia Jackson for their musical legacies. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file and the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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This is a complete reprint (with a few minor revisions) of a March 9, 2013 pancocojams post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "HOW I GOT OVER" [revised January 18, 2016]
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_I_Got_Over
"How I Got Over is a Gospel hymn composed and published in 1951 by Clara Ward (1924-1973). Notable recordings of this work have been made by Mahalia Jackson (1961, winner of the Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance in 1976), Aretha Franklin (1972 on her Amazing Grace live record album), and the Blind Boys of Alabama (2008 album Down in New Orleans). It was performed by Mahalia Jackson at the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963 before 250,000 people.[1]"...
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The Wikipedia article on "How I Got Over" credits Clara Ward as its composer. However, read this exchange in this video's viewer comment thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU-herUo23I
urbaandiultra, 2010
"Y'all do know that Clara wrote this song right? I love both Clara's and Mahalia's performance of this song. In any case, they are both singing praise and glory!"
Reply:
JayEm86, 2010
"@urbaandiultra, actually, Rev. William Herbert Brewster wrote this song. Clara came along and did this version and the song really took off. Then, she claimed it as her own. That hurt Rev. Brewster's feelings, but he never sued or anything like that."
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Also, read the posts in the comment section below about Rev. Dr. William Herbert Brewster.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS COMPOSER AND THESE SINGERS [order revised January 18, 2016]
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Herbert_Brewster
"William Herbert Brewster (July 2, 1897 – October 14, 1987) was an influential African American Baptist minister, composer, dramatist, singer, poet and community leader...
Among his more than 200 published songs are the gospel standards "Move On Up A Little Higher" (Mahalia Jackson's first hit in 1948) and "Surely, God Is Able" (a 1950 hit for The Ward Singers)"...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Ward
"Clara Ward (April 21, 1924 – January 16, 1973)[1][2] was an American gospel artist who achieved great success, both artistic and commercial, in the 1940s and 1950s as leader of The Famous Ward Singers."...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahalia_Jackson
"Mahalia Jackson ... October 26, 1911[1] – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice,[2] she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel".[1][3][4] Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist."...
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WHAT THE PHRASE "HOW I GOT OVER" MEANS
In Mahalia Jackson's version of "How I Got Over", that phrase is sometimes given as "how did I make it over". The African American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning of "to get over" means to "overcome" or "to prevail" (in spite of experiencing many hardships).
In these Gospel songs, entering heaven is the reward for prevailing through tremendous difficulties while living on earth. The phrase "how I got over" is also interpreted among African Americans to refer to making it through the difficulties of everyday life such as poverty, racism, troubled relationships, and serious illnesses.
Another way of saying either "how I got over" or "how I made it over" is "How did I make it through all the difficulties that I faced in my life."
Although it's not sung that way, particularly in Mahalia Jackson's version of that song, "How I got over" appears to me to be a rhetorical question, i.e. "How did I make it over?"; similar to a person asking herself or himself "How did I do all that?"
There are two meanings for the word "wonder" in Mahalia Jackson's version of "How I Got Over"
1. to be curious about something
and
2. to be in a state of wonderment (to marvel at something; to be amazed at something),
I think that the second meaning fits the tone of the song "How I Got Over" much more than the first meaning. In that sense, the woman singing is marveling over how she made it through the hardships that she faced in her life. Of course, the song provides the answer to this question (and/or to this marveling) - It was with God's help that the woman got over.
The difference between "How I got over" and "How I got over on [someone].
"How I got over" doesn't mean the same thing as "to get over on" someone. To "get over on" someone means that you scammed (tricked, cheated) them. .
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LYRICS- HOW I GOT OVER
(composed by Rev. W. Herbert Brewster; as sung by the Clara Ward Singers, 1950
Lead singer: How I got over
Other group members (How I got over)
How I got over
(How I got over)
Oh, my soul looks back and wonder
(Oh)
Entire group-How I got over.
[repeat]
Oh, As soon as I can see Jesus
(Oh yes)
The Man that made me free.
(Oh yes)
The Man that bled and suffered
(Oh yes)
And died for you and me.
(Oh yes)
I thank Him because He taught me
(Oh yes)
I thank Him because He brought me
(Oh yes)
Thank Him because He kept me
(Oh yes)
I thank Him because He never left me
(Oh yes)
Thank Him for the Holy Bible
(Oh yes)
Thank Him for good old revival.
(Oh yes)
Thank Him for heavenly vision.
(Oh yes)
Thank Him for old time religion
(Oh yes)
Well, I’m gonna sing
(Hallelujah)
Well, you know I’m gonna shout
(My troubles over)
Well, I thank Him
(Oh)
For all He’s done for me.
(For all He’s done for me)
Well, you know I’m gonna wear a diadem
(Oh yes)
In the new Jerusalem.
(Oh yes)
Gonna walk the street of gold
(Oh yes)
In the homeland of the soul.
(Oh yes)
Gonna view the host in white
(Oh yes)
Who traveled both day & night.
(Oh yes)
Coming up from every nation
(Oh yes)
On the way to the great coronation.
(Oh yes)
Coming from the North, South, East, and West
(Oh yes)
On their way to the land of rest.
(Oh yes)
Well, I’m gonna join the Heavenly choir
(Oh yes)
Gonna sing and never get tired.
(Oh yes)
You know, I’m gonna sing
(Hallelujah)
Yes, you know I’m gonna shout
(My troubles over)
Oh, I thank Him
(Oh)
For all He’s done for me.
(For all He’s done for me)
Oh, how I got over
(How I got over)
How I got over
(How I got over)
Oh, my soul looks back and wonder
How I got over.
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Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Additions & corrections are welcome.
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE #2: Mahalia Jackson--How I got over LIVE
Elfeco, Uploaded on May 13, 2007
Mahalia Jackson live in Chicago a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mahalia sang this at the march on washington just before King gave the I have a dream speech
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According to commenter this film clip was made at New Bethel in the Bronx, NY, 1963 as part of a televised special called, "My Soul is a Witness".
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LYRICS- HOW I GOT OVER
(Composed by Rev. Dr. W. Herbert Brewster, As sung by Mahalia Jackson)
How I got over.
How did I make it over.
You know, my soul looks back and wonder
How I did I made it over.
How did I make it over,
Moving on over all these years.
You know, my soul look back and wonder
How did I make it over.
Tell me how we got over, Lord.
[We] had a mighty hard time
Comin on over.
You know, my soul looks back and wonder
How did we make it over.
Tell me how we got over, Lord.
I been fallin and risin all these years.
But you know, my soul looks back and wonder
How did I make it over.
Hmmm, but as soon as I can see Jesus
The Man that died for me
The Man that bled and suffered
And He hung on Calvary.
And I wanna thank Him for how He bought me.
And I wanna thank God for how He taught me.
Oh, thank my God how He kept me.
I’m gonna thank Him because He never left me.
And I’m gonna thank God for old time religion.
And I’m gonna thank God for giving me vision.
One day I will join the heavenly choir.
And I’mma sing and never get tired.
And then I’m gonna sing and shout around God’s altar
And I’m gonna shout “All my trouble’s over”.
You know I’ve gotta thank God,
Thank Him for being so good to me, oh yes.
How I made it over, y’all.
I had to cry in the midnight hour,
Comin on over.
But you know my soul look back and wonder
How did I make it over.
Tell me, how I made it over, oh y’ll know,
Fallin and risin all these years.
You know my soul look back and wonder
How did I make it over.
Hmmm, I’m gonna wear a diamond garment
In that new Jerusalem.
I’m gonna walk the streets of gold.
It’s in that homeland of the soul.
I’m gonna view the host in white.
They been travelin day and night.
Comin up from every nation.
They on their way to the great coronation.
They comin from the North, South, East, and West.
They on their way to a land of rest.
And then we gonna join the heavenly choir.
You know, we gonna sing and never get tired.
And then we gonna sing somewhere ‘round God altar.
And then we gonna shout “All our troubles over!”
You know, we got to thank God
Thank Him for being so good to me.
You know, I come to thank God, this evening.
I come to thank Him this evening.
You know, all night long God kept His angels
watchin over me.
And early this morning, early this morning
God told His angels,
God said “Touch her, in my name”.
God said, “Touch her, in my name”.
I rose this morning.
I rose this morning.
I rose this morning.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I feel like shoutin.
I just got to thank God.
I just got to thank God.
I just got to thank God.
I just got to thank Him.
Thank God for bein so
So, God’s been good to me, yes.
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Transcription by Azizi Powell from the film clip. Additions & corrections are welcome.
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