Lift Every Voice and Sing: The Negro National Anthem

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" (1900) was written by James Weldon Johnson for a presentation in celebration of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The music was composed by his brother and songwriting partner, J. Rosamond Johnson. The song was originally performed in Jacksonville, Florida, by children. The popular title for this work is THE NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM.

1/20/09 - The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery began his benedication at President Barack Obama's inaugeral ceremony by quoting from the third verse.

• Text by James Weldon Johnson (1871 - 1938) Bio online
• Music by John Rosamond Johnson (1873 - 1954) Bio online
• Lyrics Online at The Academy of American Poets
• Listen Online The Oremus Online Hymnal presents the lyrics along with a midi file which plays the tune.

Download it FREE right now!

Download MP3s LEGALLY using a free trial available through my web site. Rhaposdy offers 50 vocal and instrumental versions, Napster has 48, and eMusic has 23. See Internet Audio Resources for more information about this special offer.

You can also download MP3s for under a dollar at Amazon.com and iTunes Music

Karaoke Version: This R&B setting is in the very singable Key of G. Amazon.com

Sheet Music Online

You can purchase and download digital sheet music at Musicnotes.com You can even transpose it into several different keys before printing. You will need to download and install the sheet music viewer, which takes a few minutes but is very easy to do.

The University of South Carolina has the original sheet music online as jpeg images.

Sheet Music available from SheetMusicPlus.com

Lift Every Voice And Sing Arranged by Allen Pote. For Choir. (2-part). Print Music Single (SAB Divisi). Published by Hope Publishing Company. (AG7297) You can listen to a sample online, too.

Lift Every Voice and Sing SATB By Johnson; Lloyd A. Larson. For SATB Choir. Sheet Music. Published by Shawnee Press.

Found in these Hymnals:

Songs of Zion. Edited by Verolga Nix and Jefferson Cleveland. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981. Order at Amazon.com

African American Heritage Hymnal. Carpenter, Delores & Nolen E. Williams Jr. Editors. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. Read more or order the Assembly Edition at Amazon.com For Accompaniment Edition, Donor book plates, etc contact GIA Publications.

Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African-American Hymnal. Pew Version and spiral bound Accompaniment Edition available from Church Publishing. You can also find it at Amazon.com

Total Praise. Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention. GIA Publications Inc.

CDs

This song has been recorded in every musical genre. You can also listen to samples and download MP3s for under a dollar at Amazon.com and iTunes Music

Here are a few of my favorites:

For a piano instrumental version (in a very sing-able key, and which probably sounds much as the song would have been played back in 1900) try Euphonic Sounds, nineteen rag-time performances by Reginald R. Robinson, Chicago: Delmark, 1998. Available at Amazon.com or Download this album or individual songs free at Rhaposdy, Napster or eMusic!
Congratulations to Reginald R. Robinson, 2004 MacArthur 'Genius' Grant recipient!

For a choral version, I recommend Boys Choir of Harlem, We Shall Overcome New York 2001. Available at Amazon.com

If your tastes are for classical music, I highly recommend William Grant Still's orchestral setting for baritone solo found on Works by William Grant Still, performed by Videmus, New World Records 1990. Available at Amazon.com

Linda Tillery's arrangement on Say Yo' Business (Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir) has a driving drum beat, a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary sounds. You can listen to a sample and order at Amazon.com or Download this album or individual songs free at Rhaposdy, Napster or eMusic!

If you love traditional quartet gospel singing, you can't beat the version recorded by The Southern Sons as reissued on 1940's Vocal Groups, Document Records 1996. (Plus, you'll get the complete recorded works of The Southern Sons and the first recorded works of Richmond's Harmonizing Four on one CD...such a deal!) The Zion Harmonizers also provide a great version on Best of New Orleans Gospel Vol. 2. or Download this album or individual songs free at Rhaposdy, Napster or eMusic!

The Boston Pops has has also recorded it on their CD, A Splash of Pops. Available at Amazon.com or Download this album or individual songs free at Rhaposdy, Napster or eMusic!

For a thrilling a capella version performed by Women of the Calabash with the Free Voices of Praise Choir, try The Kwanzaa Album. Available at Amazon.com or Download this album or individual songs free at Rhaposdy, Napster or eMusic!

Books

Lift Every Voice and Sing. Johnson, James Weldon, Illustrated by Elizabeth Catlett. New York: Walker, 1993. Available at Amazon.

A picture book with impressionistic interpretations of the lyrics in colored pencil, gouache, and watercolor.

Lift Every Voice and Sing : A Celebration of the Negro National Anthem : 100 Years, 100 Voices, edited by Julian Bond. New York: Random House, 2000.

History of the song, plus 100 commentaries by people of all races. There's even a Kindle edition. Available at Amazon.

Read More at NPR "Present at the Creation"

http://creativefolk.com/blackhistory/lift.html