Once in a blue moon, diving into an internet rabbit hole pays off.
This video by Genie Deez tells the story of the song, tying 1960’s Pete Seeger to a Sicilian mariner’s hymn from the 1790’s.
That lead to a flurry of searches, my favorite being this lively congregational call and response from South Carolina.
To go deeper, here is the published hymn by Charles Albert Tindley, a teacher’s guide about the song, and a lovely rendition by Caroline Disnew and Annastasia Victory.
11 Apr 2023