American Negro Songs: 230 Folk Songs and Spirituals, Religious and Secular

by John W. Work

From joyous gospel to deeply felt blues, this wonderful collection contains vintage songs sung and played through the years by black Americans — at work, in church, and for pure entertainment. Included are spirituals, blues, work songs, and a variety of social and dance songs.
This important volume was originally compiled in 1940 by Dr. John W. Work, the noted musicologist affiliated with Fisk University and the celebrated Fisk Jubilee Singers. In it, he discusses the origins and history of black American folk music, the influence of slavery and African cultures, and the lyric significance of such much-loved songs as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," Steal Away to Jesus," "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian," and "John Henry." These informative notes lead up to the heart of the book: the complete words and music for 230 religious and secular songs, including "Study War No More," "Keep Me from Sinking Down," "You May Bury Me in the East," "Rock of Ages," "Go Tell It on the Mountain," and many others.
This is an indispensable treasury of music for singers, musicians and all readers seeking a comprehensive sourcebook of black American folk music. It will be equally welcomed at parties, family get-togethers, sing-alongs, church events, and other gatherings where people want to play and sing these classic folk songs that are an integral part of American musical history.

Genres: Music, African American

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1988

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really a songbook, but there is a 5 chapter introduction that is very educational - it's a clear and concise description of the origins and differentiations between the songs in the books. Highly recommend this collection!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great historical reference book

[Jeremy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, informative read. Confirms a lot of what contemporary American ethnomusic. books tend to focus on. Interesting breakdown of musical styles, and connections between them.

A large resource of traditional African American songs fills more than half the pages of the book. Ted Gioia called this a must read, and I can see why. Any student and/or creator of American music will find a foundation to further research here.