The lyrics we know as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" were first published in The Atlantic in April of 1862:
BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC.
MINE eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.
I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero born of woman crush the serpent with his heel.
Since God is marching on."
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me:
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Sheet music from the same year includes both the familiar tune and the refrain: "glory, glory, hallelujah". Both are carried over from the earlier song which continued to be popular: "Glory, Hallelujah" or "John Brown's Song." Sheet music was published under both titles throughout the war, some with variations to the lyrics. Additional lyrics were set to the same tune, including "McClellan is Our Leader Now" (1863); a further four versions appear in Songs of the Soldiers (1864).
Here are a fairly typical set of lyrics to "Glory, Hallelujah" from an 1861 music sheet, on which the tune is attributed to Phillip Simmons (the lyricist is unnamed):
John Browns' body lies a mould'ring in the grave,
John Browns' body lies a mould'ring in the grave,
John Browns' body lies a mould'ring in the grave,
His soul's marching on!*
Chorus: Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
His soul's marching on!
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
His soul's marching on!
Chorus
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back,
His soul's marching on!
Chorus
His pet lambs will meet him on the way,
His pet lambs will meet him on the way,
His pet lambs will meet him on the way,
They go marching on!
Chorus:Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
Glory, Glory Hallelujah!
His soul's marching on!**
They will hang Jeff Davis to a tree!
They will hang Jeff Davis to a tree!
They will hang Jeff Davis to a tree!
As they march along!
Chorus: Glory, Glory Hallelujah!, etc.,
As they march along!
Now, three rousing cheers for the Union!
Now, three rousing cheers for the Union!
Now, three rousing cheers for the Union!
As we're marching on!
Chorus: Glory, Glory Hallelujah, etc.,* Note that this line has 5 syllables, not the more familiar 6.
Hip Hip Hip Hip Hurrah!
**In this version, except for the last verse, the last line of the chorus is the same as the last line of the preceding verse.
Many recordings of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" are available on-line, including videos with lyrics, instrumental marches, anachronistic battle montages and performances by celebrities such as Johnny Cash, Whitney Houston, and Judy Garland. "Glory Hallelujah" hasn't been quite so popular, but you can find a few recordings under the title "John Brown's Body" (there's even one with lyrics).
No comments:
Post a Comment