Founded in 1995 by Everett McCorvey, the American Spiritual Ensemble teaches about the history and traditions of enslaved people in America through the power of the American Negro Spiritual. Those melodies, the sound of voices united, and the storytelling that is inevitably part of the Spiritual tradition inspired McCorvey. The music conveys the lives of enslaved people and how they handled oppression by communicating comfort and hope.
Musical arrangements from the American Spiritual Ensemble
Over 6,000 melodies are attributed to American enslaved people. Three thousand of those melodies have been documented in some way. Many others have been passed down through oral tradition. The performances of the American Spiritual Ensemble pay tribute to those who lost their lives to slavery in the United States. The music of Spirituals is loved around the world. That is due in large part to the American Spiritual Ensemble, whose songs are a testament to the strength found through faith and the power of communication through music. What the ensemble does is unique and inspirational — reminding us that the Black Spiritual is a crucial part of American history.
“Ain't Got Time to Die”
Lord, I keep so busy praisin' my Jesus,
Keep so busy praisin' my Jesus,
Keep so busy praisin' my Jesus,
Ain't got time to die.
'Cause when I'm healin' de sick,
I'm praisin' my Jesus,
When I'm healin' de sick,
I'm praisin' my Jesus,
When I'm healin' de sick,
I'm praisin' my Jesus,
Ain't got time to die.
'Cause it takes all o' ma time
To praise my Jesus,
All o' ma time
To praise my Lord.
If I don' praise Him
The rocks gonter cry out,
"Glory an' honor,
Glory an' honor!"
Ain't got time to die.
“You Can Tell the World”
You can tell the world about this
You can tell the nations about that
Tell ’em what the master has done
Tell ’em that the gospel has come
Tell ’em that the victory’s been won
He brought joy, joy, joy into my heart
My Lord spoke to you and me
Yes he did, yes he did
Talked about a man from Galilee
Yes he did, yes he did
My Lord spoke, he spoke so well
Yes he did, yes he did
Talked about a fire that flames in Hell
Yes he did, yes he did
He brought joy, joy, joy into my heart
“Amen”
All: Amen, amen,
amen, amen, amen
(congregation continues “amens”)
Leader: See the little baby (amen)
Lying in a manger (amen)
On Christmas morning. (amen, amen, amen)
Leader: See him at the temple (amen)
Talking to the elders; (amen)
How they marveled at his wisdom. (amen, amen, amen)
Leader: See him at the seaside (amen)
preaching and healing (amen)
the blind and feeble. (amen, amen, amen)
Leader: See him in the garden (amen)
Praying to his Father (amen)
In deepest sorrow. (amen, amen, amen)
Leader: Then they crucified him, (amen)
Jesus our Savior, (amen)
And he rose on Easter. (amen, amen, amen)
Credits
Host: Vernon Neal
Producer: Dan Nass
Writers: Andrea Blain and Scott Blankenship
Additional music selections: Jeffrey Yelverton
Executive Producer: Julie Amacher
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About Rhapsody in Black
Where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music, with host Vernon Neal.
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