Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals

by Arthur C. Jones

Spirituals emerged from the crucible of slavery. They inspired enslaved African Americans to risk their lives for the chance to be free. Wade in the Water celebrates these spirituals as an art form and as unique and powerful cultural expression. For those with little knowledge of the tradition, it provides a wealth of information. For those who know and love the spirituals, it offers a fresh prespective and an invitation to deeper understanding, spiritual transformation, and social renewal. The book comes with a CD of some of the spirituals covered in the book.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

202 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[David Ruhlen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I experienced a wide range of emotions reading this study of the deeper wisdom of spirituals. Anger - why wasn’t I taught this in school? Why, at KU in the late 60s, was this not taught in the music history classes that were required for my BSA in music education? How could people do this?

Shame of course - Of my white forefathers, of the way it still is going on today, at all of it. That we’re responsible for a genocide that’s 10 times the number killed in the Holocaust.

Admiration for the singers and composers and resisters and fighters, then and now.

And many more feelings. I can’t even put it all into words - and certainly not into words anywhere near the level of Jones’ skill.

Over the first few chapters, I came to the belief that I should never sing a spiritual again, not even if the church choir director chooses one for an anthem. I felt I have no right to do so - to use something so personal and born of such horror and pain. They’re not mine to use.

But the last chapter focused in hope, and on some of the universality of the messages and concepts. I will sing them again if she selects them. But I will do so with a completely different understanding of what I’m singing, and will be motivated by the intent to honor the people. The People.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book that reveals the meaning of spirituals created and/or sung by slaves in the United States. For instance, "Wade in the Water" was sung by Harriet Tubman (I think) to remind slaves about to flee that they must run through creeks and rivers, to throw off their scent so the dogs could not track them.
The slaveowners forbitslaves to gather for Christian worship, fearing they would instead plot overthrow; a favorite sng sung in the field the day of an evening planned gathering was, "Steal Away to Jesus," to signal them to gather in "the bottoms" or another hidden spot after dark for a worship service.