• Grade: Fifth
  
  
• Origin: USA - African American Spiritual, circa. 1862
  
  
• Key: G minor (pitched in B Flat Major)
  
  
• Time: 4/4
  
  
• Form: staves: AABC - song AB, verse/refrain
  
  
• Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ta | ta ta ta/a |
  | ta ta ti ta/ | syncopation, | ta/a/a ta | ta/a/a/a |
  | ta ta/a ta | ta ta/a/a |
  
  
• Pitches: intermediate: Mi Si* La Ti Do Re Mi - raised/sharp dominate (Si, G#), functions as the leading tone to the parallel Major, G
  
  
• Intervals: intermediate: Mi/Do (M6), Do\La (m3), La\Mi (P4), Mi/Si (M3), Si/La (m2), La/Re (P4)
  
  
• Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, melodic rhythm patterns, vocal slur, raised/sharped dominate (Si)
  
  
• Key Words: USA history, African American history, sacred, world geography: Bible stories, Israel, Egypt, Canaan; contraband slave song, contraband slaves (escaped slaves working/fighting for the Union during the American Civil War) oppressed, Pharaoh, bondage, toil, spoil, flee, Christ, free, weep, mourn, chains, forlorn, foes, possess; contraction: you'll (you will); abbreviations: slav'ry (slavery); possessive: Egypt's, Canaan's
  
  
• Recorder: intermediate: introducing G#, A minor tonality

*Although composed in G minor, the raised 7th (5th in major tonality) ending the first, second, and fourth phrases gives the feeling of ending in G Major. This also supports the lyrics strong statement, "Let my people go!"