Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns & Spiritual Songs of the African-American Church [Paperback]

Gwendolin Sims Warren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1999

For over 200 years in African-American churches throughout the country, gospel and spiritual music have offered solace and been a source of celebration, leaving a mark not only on the Christian world, but on popular music as well. Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit contains the lyrics and music of 101 of the most widely known and cherished of these pieces, ranging from heartring spirituals sung during slave times (Steal Away; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) to songs of unity from the civil rights movement and contemporary times (We Shall Overcome, I'll Fly Away). The book also presents a biography of each composer and the history of the evolution of each song, examining the role it played in enabling African-Americans to develop the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. An important historical document as well as an inspirational gift, the book captures the rich connections between song and experience as no other volume does.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Provides the fascinating, and often emotional, history behind songs from Sunday church services and the Civil Rights Movement." --Victoria Valentine, Emerge

"Ev'ry time I feel the Spirit move in my heart, I will away." --Traditional spiritual

"An intriguing analysis and a joyous celebration of four genres of religious music: Negro spirituals, gospel songs, Euro-American hymns, and contemporary gospel." --Al Bromley, Dallas Morning News

About the Author

Gwendolin Sims Warren has performed with the Metropolitan Opera and throughout Europe. She is minister of music at the Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Queens, New York, where she lives.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805044116
• ISBN-13: 978-0805044119
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 8.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous details of the songs that keep us grounded!!, October 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ev'Ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of the African-American Church (Hardcover)

The book is absolutely marvelous. It is a reminder of the songs that I learned as a child that still are a tradition in the African-American Church. It is wonderful to know that I have an additional resource for preaching and teaching. I have chosen to share this with many members of our congregation. There are so many more songs that could have been used, but Ms. Warren seems to have picked the absolute best. God's richest blessings to you!!!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes My Heart Want To Sing!, March 7, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ev'Ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of the African-American Church (Hardcover)

How interesting it is to read some history on spirituals I've known all my life, but never understood the "spirits" they came from. Ms. Warren has opened a door to me and showed me the true beauty of this music. I am especially grateful to have the scores to each of the songs discussed in this book. I was also pleased to find the contemporary gospel section. This is not a sit down and read cover to cover kind of book, but a page flip to "Oh, yeah, I know this song!" kind of book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Collection; First-rate Arrangements, May 3, 2006

By 

Richard Goodman (Portsmouth, Va) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit: 101 Best-Loved Psalms, Gospel Hymns & Spiritual Songs of the African-American Church (Paperback)

In this collection, Ms. Warren presents straightforward and faithful arrangements of 101 psalms, gospel hymns, and spirituals. She relates brief histories of the songs and places them in the context of her Christian faith and experience.

Generously, Ms. Warren includes a couple of dozen Euro-American hymns and presents them in a similar context. Undoubtedly, these hymns stand in relation to and have even influenced some twentieth century black composers.

But it is the presentation of the songs from the Afican-American tradition that is most important here. The Euro-American hymns aside, this is a marvellous introduction to black American spirituals and hymnody.

I agree with another reviewer that this is a wonderful work to browse at random, but it is also rewarding to sit down and read it through. As you please.

Either way, when you come to the end of the book, if you've got a soul it will thirst for more...

I hope you'll be able to satisfy some of that thirst by hearing some of this music sung live by a choir and congregation that knows its business. Even if you're not a Christian, you may still find it rewarding to experience this aspect of Christianity first-hand.

After all, you've already heard this music many times before. It is the cornerstone for American blues, jazz, soul, and rock 'n' roll. It began in Africa, survived the Middle Passage, grew up fast in hard times in the American South, and lived to tell the tale. It's been around the world and back a million times.

And, speaking on behalf of the planet, the world can't wait to see where this music takes us next.