Go Tell it On The Mountain
[simpleazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000YRNXV2″ locale=”us” height=”350″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ikpxDEv7L.jpg” width=”350″]The song “Go Tell It On The Mountain” has become a song about civil rights just as much as it has been a Christmas carol. The true meaning behind the carol is to express the excitement that people are feeling about the birth of Christ. You want to be able to tell as many people as possible about such a joyous occasion, so it is important to yell about such a wonderful event from the mountain tops. The song was written by an old folk singer from the Memphis area John W. Work. Work typically wrote songs that were played often at spiritual gatherings.
The song “Go Tell It To The Mountain” was revisited a bit when civil rights based writer and activist James Baldwin used it as one of the titles of his books. Baldwin I think was using the song title in a political sense to explain to God that his people, his children have been mistreated. The song itself was originally meant to be joyous so Baldwin took a little creative license there.
The verse:
When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day,
I asked the Lord to help me,
And he showed me the way.
symbolizes to me how the birth of Christ can show people the way to a better tomorrow and to give them hope that their king is here to bring them hope.
The verse about being a watchman appears to me to be about if you are not watching for and then telling people about the birth of Christ then you are possibly the least Christian in the land. That is just my mangled interpretation. Commonly known American folk singers like Simon & Garfunkel along with James Taylor have done such very nice versions of the song in the past. The harmony that Simon & Garfunkel bring to the tune is absolutely amazing.
Go Tell It On The Mountain
(Chorus)
Go tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere,
Go tell it on the mountain,
Our Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour’s birth:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
When I am a seeker,
I seek both night and day;
I seek the Lord to help me,
And He shows me the way:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
And if I am a Christian,
I am the least of all.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
