Michael, Row the Boat Ashore

“Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” (or “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” or “Michael Row That Gospel Boat”) is an African-American spiritual. It was first noted during the American Civil War at St. Helena Island, one of the Sea Islands of South Carolina. It was sung by former slaves whose owners had abandoned the island before the Union navy would arrive to enforce a blockade. Continue reading

Go, Tell It On A Mountain

這是一首美國民歌,也是黑人靈歌,經常被列入聖誕歌選,最早出現在1907年出版的「美國黑人民歌」(Folk Songs of American Negro)。黑人民歌和靈歌源自非洲黑奴。在十八世紀末葉及十九世紀初,黑人在美國南方盛行露營佈道會,許多他們的傳統詩歌在1940年付梓,書名為「美國黑人靈歌和民謠」American Negro Songs and Spirituals。內有「有人在你心外扣門」Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door,「主啊,我願做個信徒」Lord, I Want to Be a Christian,「你在那裏?」Were You There?等名詩歌。書中提到黑人靈歌的幾個特色:保有他們固有的旋律和節奏。將非洲啟應式的民歌加入新的歌詞。各地黑奴因被交換,他們受基督教影響而結合成一團。他們自然地擴展他們所聽到的宗教詩歌,而不是仿傚的。 Continue reading