Learn “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” a Traditional Spiritual That’s Perfect for Playing with Others
“Michael” uses a four-chord progression, arranged here in D (D, F#m, G, A7).
It is said that the shore in this song is the shore of the Jordan River, and that Michael is St. Michael, who guides us at least metaphorically, if not at one time literally, to the Jordan shore. I enjoyed “Michael” at age seven, when the Highwaymen made this wonderful spiritual a big hit on the radio. You can hear their version on Michael, Row the Boat Ashore: The Best of the Highwaymen.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Michael” uses a four-chord progression, arranged here in D (D, F#m, G, A7). Progressions can be expressed with Roman numerals. In the key of D major, D is the I chord, F#m, the iii; G, the IV; and A, the V. The I is your home chord, where you begin your journey. You travel to the iii, IV, and V, and when you arrive back at I, your boat has reached the shore!
This arrangement is excerpted from the book Traditional Songs for Beginning Guitar, available at store.acousticguitar.com.
Thank you Mr Penhallow,
I appreciate your detailed article.
It is of great help for a beginner guitarist like me.
I wanted to point out a pressing matter should you wish to revise this piece in the future.
According to Classical-Music.com, African slaves sang the song first.
https://www.classical-music.com/articles/michael-row-the-boat-ashore-lyrics
They were subsequently freed by the Union Navy.
Charles Pickard transcribed it.
The song is included in the 1867 collection: Slave Songs of the United States by Allen, Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison.
Michael Row the Boat Ashore is a Negro Spiritual. (NS)
It is capital to designate this treasure correctly. Negro Spirituals were the unique production of enslaved Africans. Renaming these verbal offerings “Traditional Spirituals”; “American Spirituals”, “African American Spirituals” or “Spirituals” airbrushes their blood, toil and sacrifice. It is a revision of History.
Please give unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s.
Give credit where it is due.
The singers created these beautiful arias from their pain and anguish.
It cost them everything and even their families.
We must remember them.
Here is a lecture that explains the significance of NS. The prof points out that they ended in 1863, the year of Jubilee. After that, we have the beginnings of Gospel Music.
NS are a closed canon.
Best Regards
Mrs Ekaete Utip Udo.
Professor Gwendolyn Brown on Historical Performance