Texts and Translations

Walk Through the Streets of the City

Negro Spiritual

Arr. Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989)

My father has crossed over Jordan,

And my mother has crossed over too;

My sisters and brothers are trav’lin’

And I am a-goin’ there too,

I’m go’n’ walk through the streets of the city

And my Captain is gone on before;

I’m go’n’ sit down on the banks of the river

And I'll never come here no more.

I’m a pilgrim and a stranger

While in this word I roam.

I heard of a city called heaven;

I started to make it my home.

One morning bright and early,

I’m go’n’ bid farewell to the shore,

I’m go’n’ to fly right-a up in heaven

And never come here no more.

I’m go’n’ walk through the streets of the city

And my Captain is gone on before;

I’m go’n’ sit down on the banks of the river

And I'll never come here no more.

Cool of the Day

Jean Ritchie

Arr. John Ratledge (b. 1954)

Oh my Lord, He said to me,

’Do you like my garden so fair?

If you live in my garden,

you must keep my pastures green,

And I’ll return in the cool of the day.

And my Lord, He said to me,

Do you like my garden so fair?

If you live in my garden,

you must Feed my Lambs,

And I’ll return in the cool of the day.

Now is the cool of the day,

Oh, the earth is a garden,

the garden of my Lord.

And He walks in His garden

in the cool of the day.

And my Lord, He said to me,

Do you like my garden so fair?

If you live in my garden

you must keep my people free

And I’ll return in the cool of the day.

Now is the cool of the day,

Oh, the earth is a garden,

the garden of my Lord.

And He walks in His garden

in the cool of the day.

Yes, He walks in His garden

in the cool of the day.

Bend

Kyle Pederson (music and lyrics)

Bend, don’t break

My child

When the winds

Blow wild.

Lean in

Then rest a while.

Bend, don’t break

Be brave, my child

When the gale and wave

Rush by.

But you will never bend alone.

No one should ever bend alone.

I’m here with you,

I’m bending, too.

And when the wind subsides

You shall rise.

But for now

Bend low, my child;

Bend low.

Breath from The Wilderness of You

Andrea Ramsey

Text: Jarod K. Anderson

Fifteen times a minute, with or without thought,

Your breath. The curve of your ribs.

You converse with forests and seas, vast and green.

Each nourishing breath a sacred vow,

Intimate as “I love you,”

Your breath. The curve of your ribs.

In the stream,

A ribcage cathedral braids hymns from

water and light.

Your breath. The curve of your ribs.

Fifteen times a minute.

Your breath.

Non vos relinquam Orphanos

William Byrd (c. 1540-1623)

Text: John 14:18

Non vos relinquam orphanos, alleluia.
Vado, et venio ad vos, alleluia.
Et gaudebit, cor vestrum, alleluia.

I will not leave you orphans, alleluia.
I go, and I will come to you, alleluia.
And your heart shall rejoice, alleluia.

Simon Bore the Cross

Margaret Bonds (1913-1972)

Text: Langston Hughes (1901-1967)

Prelude

Pilate’s Solo: I Find No Fault

And Pilate said of Jesus,

“I find no fault in him at all. Tell me your demands.

‘Release him to us that he die,’ you say.

I wash my hands. Take him and judge him according to your laws.”

The Trial

‘Twas on a hot and dusty day, Pilate washed his hands, and told the mob to have its way.

The soldiers took my Lord and dragged him away.

They cursed him. They kicked him.

They took my Lord and cursed his name.

They took my Lord and they beat him with staves.

They put a crown of thorns on his head, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink.

Oh, my Lord, my Lord.

Who Is That Man?

Who is that man who goes to help my son? Who is he?

I never saw him before. I never saw him around.

Now he’s come to help my son bear the burden of his heavy cross.

Who is that man? Who shares the suffering of my Jesus, the glory of my precious son?

Who is that man? So dark, so beautiful his face.

Look at his face so strong and full of grace.

Who is he? Never in the marketplace have I beheld him.

Could my prayers have sent him here?

God, keep him strong, and bless his soul, the dark one.

Who is that man?

Don’t You Know, Mary?

Don’t you know, Mary, the dark one’s name is Simon?

Simon of Cyrene bears the cross for Jesus.

Oh, Mary, don’t you know?

Simon of Cyrene comes to help your Jesus.

Did you hear, Mary, Simon has come to share his heavy load?

Simon the Cyrenian bears the cross for Jesus.

Though high the hill before them and the road ahead is long, don’t you cry, Mary.

Simon cries with you, Mary.

Simon cried with you, Mary.

He is strong and fearless, and he heard a mother’s prayer.

His name is Simon. Simon takes the cross.

Now, Mary, see the cross, see him raise the cross on his back.

Did you hear, Mary, the dark man came from Cyrene?

God has sent his servant to walk with Jesus.

Black men will share the pain of the cross.

Black man will share the pain.

In a world, Mary, that’s filled with trials and troubles,

Simon out of Africa shares your sorrow.

Black men will share the pain of the cross.

Simon bears the cross, Mary, Simon bears the cross!

Walkin’ to Calvary

Heavy-laden and weary of heart, Jesus and Simon,

Stumbling and staggering, the Christ bore his burden as a man.

Never once did he cry out for God to set him free.

When the mob that had cursed and reviled cried, “Crucify him!”

Brother Simon was by his side.

Heavy-laden and weary of heart, Jesus and Simon,

Brothers together, they walked, and the African was strong,

Trudging on in the dust of humanity’s disgrace.

Jesus faltered and Simon the strong now gave him comfort.

Brother Simon bore the cross.

Jesus, Jesus, po’ little Jesus, walkin’ in the valley

of the shadow of Calvary;

Simon, Simon, sturdy black, walkin’ right beside him

With the cross on his back.

Onward to the cross.

March onward to the cross with its arms of love,

Onward to the cross with its roots in the earth of life,

Onward to the cross as a symbol of life,

Onward to the cross as a symbol of life eternal,

Onward to the cross that he carried to Calvary.

Black Simon bore the cross,

Heavy-laden and weary of heart, on to Golgotha.

Why should the good have to die for the sins of such a lot?

Simon thought as he marched, “What a pity and a shame.”

Now the king of the Jews had to die, death was his glory.

The Cyrenian bore the cross,

The African bore the cross,

The cross to save our souls,

The cross for you and me.

Give us mercy, Lord.

Jesus, Jesus, po’ little Jesus.

Step aside, Simon, he has to walk alone now.

Jesus, Jesus, tired and weary, walkin’ all alone now.

Thank you, brother Simon, for helping brother Jesus.

Jesus walkin’ all alone.

The Crucifixion

They crucified my Lord,

And he never said a mumblin’ word, not a word.

They nailed him to a tree,

And he never said a mumblin’ word, not a word.

They pierced him in the side,

And he never said a mumblin’ word, not a word.

He bowed his head and died,

And he never said a mumblin’ word, not a word.

Postlude: Resurrection

Then there came that morning when they rolled the stone away,

Rolled away death and darkness,

Rolled away yesterday.

Jesus rose that morning in the glory of the day.

Now my heart takes wing this morning,

Like a bird that flies away.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Wings of morning, alleluia.

Wings of morning, amen.

Amen, amen.

I Know I’ve Been Changed

African-American Spiritual

Arr. Damon H. Dandridge

I know I’ve been changed,

‘cause de angels in Heaven done signed my name.

I prayed all night and I prayed all day too;

De angels in Heaven done signed my name.

I’ll keep on praying till I come through,

De angels in Heaven done signed my name.

CHORUS

I stepped in da water and da water was cold,

De angels in Heaven done signed my name.

It chilled my body but not my soul.

De angels in Heaven done signed my name.

CHORUS

If you don’t believe dat I’ve been redeemed;

You know de angels in Heaven done signed my name.

Den follow me down to dat Jordan stream.

You know de angels in Heaven done signed my name.

CHORUS

Woke Up This Morning

African American Spiritual

Arr. Anthony Trecek-King

Woke up this morning with mind stayed on freedom, hallelujah!

Oh well I walk and talk about it!

Ain’t no harm to keep your mind stayed on freedom, hallelujah!

My Heart be Brave

Marques L.A. Garrett

Text: James Weldon Johnson

My heart be brave, and do not falter so,

Nor utter more that deep, despairing wail.

Thy way is very dark and drear I know,

But do not let thy strength and courage fail;

For certain as the raven-winged night

Is followed by the bright and blushing morn,

Thy coming morrow will be clear and bright;

’Tis darkest when the night is furthest worn.

Look up, and out, beyond, surrounding clouds,

And do not in thine own gross darkness grope,

Rise up, and casting off thy hind’ring shrouds,

Cling thou to this, and ever inspiring hope:

Tho’ thick the battle and tho’ fierce the fight,

There is [a] power [in] making for the right.