Many people have asked me about the meaning of the title of this blog.
One of the original inspirations for doing what we have been doing for the past three years came from listening to an early 1960’s interview of gospel singer and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson conducted by American popular historian and civil rights activist Studs Terkel. For the next several decades until he died in his nineties Studs often told a story about Mahalia that he often characterized as “what it is all about” and “what this world needs now.”
Studs Terkel on Mahalia Jackson
I guess another way of putting it is integrity. Mahalia in turn was inspired, and inspired others, by song, particularly this one:
The Words to the Music from Mahalia. Thanks for the Sunday foot-tapping time Marty. What a fun trip this was!
Songwriters: Rev W H Brewster
One these morning soon one morning
I’m gonna lay down my cross get me a crown
Soon one evening late in the evening
Late in the evening I’m going home live on high
Soon as my feet strike Zion
Lay down my heavy burdens
Put on my robe in glory
Going home one day and tell my story
I’ve been coming over hills and mountains
Gonna drink from the Christian Fountain
You know all God’s sons and daughters that mornin’ now
Will drink that old healing water
And we gonna live on forever, we gonna live on forever
We gonna live on up in glory afterwhile.
Oh Lord I’m going out sight-seeing in Beulah
March all around God’s altar
Walk and never get tired
Fly Lord and never falter
I’m gonna move on up a little higher
Gonna meet old man Daniel
Gonna move on up a little higher
Gonna meet the Hebrew children
Gonna move on up a little higher
Meet Paul and Silas
Gonna meet my friends and kindred
Gonna move on up a little higher
Gonna meet my loving mother
I’m gonna move on up a little higher
Gonna meet the Lily of the valley
I’m gonna feast with the Rose of Sharon
It will be always howdy howdy
It will be always howdy, howdy
It will be always howdy howdy and never goodbye
Oh will you be there early one morning
Will you be there somewhere round the altar
Will you be there oh when the angels shall call the roll
God knows I’ll be waiting
Yes I’ll be watching somewhere on the altar
Well I’ll be waiting oh at the beautiful yes golden gate
Well well soon as my feet strike Zion
Gonna lay down my heavy burden
I’m going to put on my robe in glory
I’ve been coming over the hills and mountains
Gonna drink from the Christian Fountain
You know all God’s sons and daughters that mornin’
Will drink that old healing water
Meet me there early one morning
Meet me there somewhere on the altar
Meet me there oh when the angels shall call the roll
Moving On Up a Little Higher 