Difference between revisions of "Keep Your Eyes On The Prize (1950s)"

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Keep Your Eyes on the Prize is a folk song that became important and noteworthy during the American Civil Rights Movement in 1950s. It is based on the traditional song, "Gospel Plow," conjointly referred to as "Hold On," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow," and various permutations therefrom.
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Keep Your Eyes on the Prize is a folk song that played an important and noteworthy part during the American Civil Rights Movement in 1950s. It is based on the traditional song, "Gospel Plow," conjointly referred to as "Hold On," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow," and various permutations therefrom.
  
 
An early quotation to the older song, "Gospel Plow," existed in Alan Lomax's 1949 book "Our Singing Country."<ref> John Lomax and Alan Lomax. [http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/our-singing-country/our-singing-country%20-%200007.htm Our Singing Country, A Second Volume of American Ballads and Folk Songs]. 1949. ''The Macmillan Company''p 44 - 45. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref> The book that refer to a 1937 version recorded by Elihu Trusty of Paintsville, Kentucky, was archived in the Library of Congress (Ref No .1397 A1). Lomax's references for Gospel Plow quoted two earlier works. The first is from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians published in 1917, indicating that Gospel Plow dates from at least the early twentieth century. The second reference is to a 1928 book, American Negro Folk-Songs, which shows an African-American heritage for the original song.<ref>Cecil J. Sharp and 0. Campbell. [https://archive.org/details/englishfolksongs00camp "English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians"]. 1917. ''New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons''. Vol. 2 p. 292. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref><ref>N. L. White. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WCuuV-kRe70C&pg=PA31&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false "American Negro Folk-Songs"]. 1928. ''Cambridge: Harvard University Press''. p. 115. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref>
 
An early quotation to the older song, "Gospel Plow," existed in Alan Lomax's 1949 book "Our Singing Country."<ref> John Lomax and Alan Lomax. [http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/our-singing-country/our-singing-country%20-%200007.htm Our Singing Country, A Second Volume of American Ballads and Folk Songs]. 1949. ''The Macmillan Company''p 44 - 45. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref> The book that refer to a 1937 version recorded by Elihu Trusty of Paintsville, Kentucky, was archived in the Library of Congress (Ref No .1397 A1). Lomax's references for Gospel Plow quoted two earlier works. The first is from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians published in 1917, indicating that Gospel Plow dates from at least the early twentieth century. The second reference is to a 1928 book, American Negro Folk-Songs, which shows an African-American heritage for the original song.<ref>Cecil J. Sharp and 0. Campbell. [https://archive.org/details/englishfolksongs00camp "English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians"]. 1917. ''New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons''. Vol. 2 p. 292. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref><ref>N. L. White. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WCuuV-kRe70C&pg=PA31&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false "American Negro Folk-Songs"]. 1928. ''Cambridge: Harvard University Press''. p. 115. Retrieved February 3, 2021.</ref>

Revision as of 08:15, 25 March 2021

4C353430-9CA5-4991-8E5D-C6354D4E1EA1.jpg

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize is a folk song that played an important and noteworthy part during the American Civil Rights Movement in 1950s. It is based on the traditional song, "Gospel Plow," conjointly referred to as "Hold On," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow," and various permutations therefrom.

An early quotation to the older song, "Gospel Plow," existed in Alan Lomax's 1949 book "Our Singing Country."[1] The book that refer to a 1937 version recorded by Elihu Trusty of Paintsville, Kentucky, was archived in the Library of Congress (Ref No .1397 A1). Lomax's references for Gospel Plow quoted two earlier works. The first is from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians published in 1917, indicating that Gospel Plow dates from at least the early twentieth century. The second reference is to a 1928 book, American Negro Folk-Songs, which shows an African-American heritage for the original song.[2][3]

Key Lyrics

The only thing that we did wrong, Stayed in the wilderness a day too long.

But the one thing we did right, Was the day we started to fight.

We’re gonna board that big Greyhound, Carrin’ love from town to town.

We’re gonna ride for civil rights, We’re gonna ride for both black and white.

We’ve met jail and violence too, But God’s love has seen us through.

Possible Lyricist

The lyrics to the modern Civil Rights version of the song, "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" are often attributed to Alice Wine from Johns Island, South Carolina. Mrs. Wine was a member of the Moving Star Hall and The Progressive Club on Johns Island. The book Ain't You Got the Right to the Tree of Life by Guy and Candie Carawan documents songs of the Moving Star Hall and the lives of African Americans on Johns Island in the early sixties.[4]

Biblical Reference

The title of the modern song may be a reference to the Bible verse in Phillipians 3:17 "keep your eyes on those who live as we do" and verse 14, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

The "Gospel Plow" title is also shown as a reference to Luke 9:62: "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

The "Paul and Silas" lyrics are clearly a Biblical reference to Acts 16:19-26:"Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands."[5]

Reference

  1. John Lomax and Alan Lomax. Our Singing Country, A Second Volume of American Ballads and Folk Songs. 1949. The Macmillan Companyp 44 - 45. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. Cecil J. Sharp and 0. Campbell. "English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians". 1917. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Vol. 2 p. 292. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. N. L. White. "American Negro Folk-Songs". 1928. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 115. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  4. Previous unsubstantiated internet references to "lyrics by Mrs. Alice Wine": http://www.acousticmusicarchive.com/eyes-on-the-prize-chords-lyrics http://folkmusic.about.com/od/folksongs/qt/KeepYourEyes.htm http://raymondfolk.wikifoundry.com/page/Gospel+Songs. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  5. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 3, 2021.