I love this version. I love the slower tempo. The only difference I would have liked is seeing the first portion of the third stanza performed a capella. Tom Trenney is awsome.
This is fabulous. Sure, tempo is a wee bit slow, but it's so wonderful to see non-black congregations adding this hymn into the rotation. I'd pick up the tempo just a bit, and also sounds weird to me in G. The original A flat key is wonderful, though it pushes people up to singing a high F. Wonderful playing by the organist.
I agree with Bertram Clark who noted the connection of this hymn to African Americans and praised this choir of Caucasian people who sang it so well. I would really like to hear a choir in a black church singing it. I think the spirit of the hymn would come alive even more!
It feels weird seeing all white people in the video who probably think it's just another ordinary church song when it's not. That song has power. Coming from a black church, I've seen elderly people wipe away their tears due to the horror of the Jim crow south. That song talks about hope and coming out of bondage.
The song was written in 1900 by a Northerner Lawyer. Later, it became associated with African American issues because Booker T Washington chose it as the anthem of NAACP. Until then it was essentially religious
It’s not going to replace the National anthem the idea is to make it a National hymn. And I wonder if non blacks really understand this song and what it means.
It's sort of remembering Abe Lincoln right? He ended slavery and gave people not being white the dignity they deserve. I know black supremacists try to claim this song for themselves, but it is actually a neutral song. However, that can also be said about Auferstanden aus Ruinen, Ode to Joy, March of the Volunteers, the apartheid South Africa anthem, et cetera.. They speak to both sides, but are all claimed by one side.
Some of the comments here are just shameful. Please pick up a book. While by and large blacks died in far greater numbers, it wasn't until whites and jews came together with us and were beaten and died in solidarity with us that the federal government began to take notice. And you have no right at all to "claim" something that you didn't write. Be thankful that there's a tribute being paid. It wasn't that long ago we were being ignored. Just stop it.
No no no no no negative nope naw .. Wypipo dont get to sing this song... Unless we cut off star spangled banner... I here by think we should change it to this song as the National anthem of the USA 🇺🇸 make it official...
Mark Ferwerda , I was taken task as organist in a large church for a tempo faster than this. They literally demanded it by literally double this speak. However, agree with Tom, this is very musical!
