CANTI SPIRITUAL

Go Down Moses - Sullivan's Travels (1941)





Go Down Moses è un spiritual americano. Descrive un evento del Libro dell'Esodo dell'Antico Testamento, in particolare il versetto 5:1: "Dopo, Mosè e Aronne vennero dal Faraone e gli annunziarono: «Dice il Signore, il Dio d'Israele: Lascia partire il mio popolo perché mi celebri una festa nel deserto!»." Il verso di apertura fu pubblicato nel 1872 dai Jubilee Singers della Fisk University di Nashville (Tennessee) anche se veniva usato già nel 1862 durante la guerra di secessione americana dagli schiavi in Virginia.
Nel brano Israele rappresenta gli schiavi afro-americani, mentre il Faraone rappresenta il loro padrone.
La canzone diventò popolare grazie a Paul Robeson. Il 7 febbraio 1957 la canzone viene registrata a New York da Louis Armstrong con la Sy Oliver's Orchestra
Testo[modifica | modifica sorgente]

When Israel was in Egypt's land
Let my people go
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land
Tell ol' Pharaoh, Let my people go.
Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said,
Let my people go,
If not, I'll smite your first-born dead,
Let my people go.
Go down...
No more shall they in bondage toil,
Let my people go,
Let them come out with Egypt's spoil,
Let my people go.
Go down...
The Lord told Moses what to do,
Let my people go,
To lead the Hebrew children through,
Let my people go.
Go down...
O come along Moses, you'll not get lost,
Let my people go,
Stretch out your rod and come across,
Let my people go.
Go down...
As Israel stood by the waterside,
Let my people go,
At God's command it did divide,
Let my people go.
Go down...
When they reached the other shore,
Let my people go,
They sang a song of triumph o'er,
Let my people go.
Go down...
Pharaoh said he'd go across,
Let my people go,
But Pharaoh and his host were lost,
Let my people go.
Go down...
Jordan shall stand up like a wall,
Let my people go,
And the walls of Jericho shall fall,
Let my people go.
Go down...
Your foes shall not before you stand,
Let my people go,
And you'll possess fair Canaan's land,
Let my people go.
Go down...
O let us all from bondage flee,
Let my people go,
And let us all in Christ be free,
Let my people go.
Go down...
We need not always weep and mourn,
Let my people go,
And wear these slavery chains forlorn,
Let my people go.
Go down...