Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Negro National Anthem: Lift Every Voice



James Weldon Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson
Written in 1900



Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring Ring
with the harmonies of Liberty;
let our rejoicing rise, high as the list'ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea
sing a song
full of faith that the dark past has taught us,
sing a song
full of the hope that the present has brought us;
facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chast'ning rod,
felt in the day that hope unborn had died;
yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet,
come to the place on witch our fathers sighed?
we have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
we have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
thou who has by thy might, led us into the light,
keep us forever in the path, we pray lest our feet stray from the places, our God,
where we met thee, least our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world,
we forget thee, shadowed beneath the hand,
may we forever stand, true to our God, True to our native land.

8 comments:

MJW said...

I've always thought that was a beautiful song. Especially the "sing a song" part. Thanks for refreshing my memory, Bess. :-)

Stephen A. Bess said...

MJ West-
You're welcome. I used to love singing this song also. You think that America needs another anthem that reflects everyone?

piowr-
Thanks for stopping in and thanks calling my blog, "fajny." I looked it up and it seems to mean something along the lines of good or fantastic. :)

MJW said...

Wow, somehow I hadn't seen it before, but it really is a very universal anthem, isn't it? And a far prettier (and easier to sing) one than "Star Spangled Banner." Let's switch it out.

Stephen A. Bess said...

I agree, It is universal. I've never thought about that, but that would be an excellent idea. Unfortunately, I don't think that most of America would agree.

NML/Natalie said...

I don't know this song (shame on me) but the words are very touching.

Stephen A. Bess said...

nml-
Well, I'm glad that I was able to share this info with you. Pass it on those that may be interested. :)

the prisoner's wife said...

you know what's funny. most people didn't know there was more than 1 verse. that's when all the mumbling starts *lol*

Stephen A. Bess said...

Prisoner's Wife-
Lol! :) I started mumbling as soon as the 2nd verse started. That's so true!

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