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The allusion to the plow makes clear reference to the enslaved condition of
African Americans working in the fields. Presumably, this spiritual must have been a message of encouragement connected to Luke 9:62's teaching that to keep plowing is to be fit for the kingdom of God.
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There is no one official version of the lyrics of this song, such as is the case with many traditional spirituals and folk songs in general whose authorship is unknown. Perhaps the most famous rendition of Gospel Plow is Bob Dylan's in 1962:
591:
Tyler, Mary Ann L. "The Music of
Charles Henry Pace and Its Relationship to the Afro-American Church Experience" (Ph.D. diss., University of Pittsburgh, 1980), 15. Contained in: Darden, Robert. “What Spirituals Are, What Spirituals Mean.”
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Like most
African American spirituals, Gospel Plow can be defined as a "musical poem, not attributable to any specific poet or composer" that describes some aspect of the "early Afro-American's view of life."
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is precisely "Keep your hand on the plow." In this chapter, she makes reference to pushing through during times of physical exhaustion after her tour through Europe.
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The structure of
Jackson's rendition is interesting because it does not follow the traditional spiritual composition format of four-line stanzas in the AAAB or AABA
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Another famous rendition of the song is under the name of "Keep Your Hand on the Plow" by gospel singer and civil rights activist
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This song must have been an important one for
Jackson, considering that the title of one of the chapters of her autobiography
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Collection, while the earliest recording is from 1930 under the title of "Keep Yo' Hand on the Plow, Hold On" by the
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The
Traditional Ballad Index: An annotated source to folk song from the English-speaking world,
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The earliest date in which this spiritual appears in written form is in 1917, in the
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657:"Chance McCoy & the Appalachian String Band - Gospel Plow - YouTube"
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192:") is a traditional African American spiritual. It is listed in the
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The Moses Hogan Choral Series 2003: This Little Light of Mine
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Oh Lord, oh Lord, keep your hand on that plow, hold on
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Oh Lord, oh Lord, keep your hand on that plow, hold on
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Oh Lord, oh Lord, keep your hand on that plow, hold on
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Oh Lord, oh Lord, keep your hand on that plow, hold on
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Oh Lord, oh Lord, keep your hand on that plow, hold on
1083:
I Don't
Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
607:
People Get Ready! A New
History of Black Gospel Music
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People Get Ready! A New
History of Black Gospel Music
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Stuck Inside of Mobile with the
Memphis Blues Again
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Vondie Curtis-Hall 2019 Official soundtrack Harriet
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
196:, number 10075. The title is biblical, based on
1229:It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
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605:“What Spirituals Are, What Spirituals Mean.”
8:
1351:Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine
524:Chance McCoy and the Appalachian String Band
1557:Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
633:"Gospel Plow | The Official Bob Dylan Site"
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1438:The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
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321:When I get to heaven, gonna sing and shout
316:The more you talk, gonna stay on my knees.
618:Jackson, Mahalia, and Evan McLeod Wylie.
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
314:You can talk about me much as you please
571:
170:
1578:Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
1539:Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You
1316:One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
274:. The lyrics are slightly different:
7:
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1184:It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
996:The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
909:Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance
339:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
332:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
325:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
318:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
311:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
304:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
297:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on.
259:Keep your hand on that plow, hold on
248:Keep your hand on that plow, hold on
246:All these prophets are dead and gone
239:Keep your hand on that plow, hold on
58:adding citations to reliable sources
330:I tried it on at the gates of Hell.
328:I know my robe's gonna fit me well,
290:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
283:Keep your hand on the plow, hold on
255:But I've been told streets up there
1639:. You can help Knowledge (XXG) by
366:Keep Yo' Hand on the Plow, Hold On
25:
874:Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
514:Always Say Please & Thank You
302:I know the lord will be my light,
27:Traditional African American song
1696:African-American spiritual songs
1623:
171:Problems playing this file? See
150:
34:
801:See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
300:When my way gets dark as night,
253:Well, I've never been to Heaven
45:needs additional citations for
578:"Keep Your Hand on the Plow".
323:Be nobody there to put me out.
235:Mary wore three links of chain
1:
1424:I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
1386:Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
940:The Times They Are a-Changin'
622:. ed., Hawthorn Books, 1966.
485:Ballads and Mental Breakdowns
1295:Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
1191:It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
773:Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
386:We've Got Some Singing To Do
293:Heard the voice of Jesus say
1511:Girl from the North Country
1264:Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
1121:Subterranean Homesick Blues
895:Talkin' World War III Blues
839:Girl from the North Country
560:Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
478:Keep Your Hands On The Plow
413:his self-titled debut album
364:Hall Johnson Negro Choir -
295:Come unto me, I am the way.
1722:
1618:
867:A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall
582:edited by Robert B. Waltz.
380:The Folksmiths, including
376:1958 Newport Jazz Festival
237:Every link was Jesus' name
190:Keep Your Hand on the Plow
162:Keep Your Hand On the Plow
146:Keep Your Hand On the Plow
1487:I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
1466:I Pity the Poor Immigrant
1417:As I Went Out One Morning
1337:Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
975:Only a Pawn in Their Game
244:Mary, Mark, Luke and John
1431:All Along the Watchtower
1250:Queen Jane Approximately
1142:Love Minus Zero/No Limit
982:Boots of Spanish Leather
1585:If You Gotta Go, Go Now
1358:Temporary Like Achilles
1163:Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
1041:Spanish Harlem Incident
1027:All I Really Want to Do
780:House of the Risin' Sun
510:Slim Cessna's Auto Club
396:Odetta at Carnegie Hall
1635:–related article is a
1602:Songs written by Dylan
1365:Absolutely Sweet Marie
1055:I Shall Be Free No. 10
989:When the Ship Comes In
947:Ballad of Hollis Brown
745:Man of Constant Sorrow
706:songs by album (1960s)
454:Old Crow Medicine Show
342:
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139:
1571:Positively 4th Street
1379:Obviously 5 Believers
961:One Too Many Mornings
138:
1691:Year of song unknown
1518:To Be Alone with You
1473:The Wicked Messenger
1459:I Am a Lonesome Hobo
1257:Highway 61 Revisited
1243:Ballad of a Thin Man
1215:Like a Rolling Stone
1069:Motorpsycho Nitemare
954:With God on Our Side
665:. 28 September 2012.
404:and Her Singers 1962
194:Roud Folk Song Index
54:improve this article
1525:I Threw It All Away
1480:Down Along the Cove
1410:John Wesley Harding
968:North Country Blues
832:Blowin' in the Wind
787:Freight Train Blues
738:In My Time of Dyin'
596:, 2015, pp. 70–93.
547:Our Singing Country
458:Greetings from WAWA
257:Are lined with gold
18:Hold On (folk song)
1701:Songwriter unknown
1564:Mixed-Up Confusion
1309:Visions of Johanna
1170:Mr. Tambourine Man
534:Published versions
464:The Hackensaw Boys
184:" (also known as "
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1344:Just Like a Woman
1156:On the Road Again
1128:She Belongs to Me
1090:Ballad in Plain D
1048:Chimes of Freedom
1003:Restless Farewell
881:Bob Dylan's Dream
860:Bob Dylan's Blues
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1445:Drifter's Escape
1302:Pledging My Time
1097:It Ain't Me Babe
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902:Corrina, Corrina
853:Down the Highway
820:The Freewheelin'
731:Talkin' New York
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69:"Gospel Plow"
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65:Find sources:
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43:This article
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19:
1641:expanding it
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1532:Lay Lady Lay
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1149:Outlaw Blues
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640:. Retrieved
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620:Movin' on Up
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52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1398:John Wesley
888:Oxford Town
766:Gospel Plow
501:Moses Hogan
495:Gospel Plow
207:Cecil Sharp
182:Gospel Plow
1680:Categories
1323:I Want You
1203:Highway 61
808:Highway 51
642:2018-07-01
566:References
540:Alan Lomax
402:Clara Ward
359:Recordings
173:media help
110:March 2017
80:newspapers
1633:folk song
1499:Nashville
1283:Blonde on
1205:Revisited
1111:Back Home
1062:To Ramona
1017:Bob Dylan
822:Bob Dylan
714:Bob Dylan
704:Bob Dylan
420:Peggy Lee
408:Bob Dylan
160:Tune for
554:See also
468:Look Out
1501:Skyline
1400:Harding
662:YouTube
526:(2008)
436:Hold On
374:at the
337:Hold on
335:Hold on
309:Hold on
307:Hold on
288:Hold on
286:Hold on
281:Hold on
279:Hold on
188:" and "
186:Hold On
94:scholar
1285:Blonde
516:(2000)
497:- 2012
487:- 2008
480:- 2011
470:- 2007
460:- 2000
392:Odetta
368:- 1930
225:Lyrics
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1595:Lists
1549:Other
201:9:62.
101:JSTOR
87:books
1637:stub
542:and
450:1996
447:Dust
438:1978
428:1968
416:1962
398:1961
388:1958
198:Luke
73:news
410:on
394:on
56:by
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