Wade in the Water

"Wade in the Water"
"New Jubilee Songs" (1901)
Written by Traditional
Language English
Form Negro spiritual

"Wade in the Water" (Roud 5439) is the name of an African-American spiritual first published in New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901) by John Wesley Work II and his brother, Frederick J. Work (see Fisk Jubilee Singers).

The main chorus is:

Wade in the water.
Wade in the water children.
Wade in the water.
God's gonna trouble the water.

The song relates to both the Old and New Testaments. The verses reflect the Israelites' escape out of Egypt as found in Exodus:14.[1] The chorus refers to healing: see John 5:4, "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."

Many internet sources and popular books claim that songs such as "Wade in the Water" contained explicit instructions to fugitive slaves on how to avoid capture and the route to take to successfully make their way to freedom.[2] This particular song allegedly recommends leaving dry land and taking to the water as a strategy to throw pursuing bloodhounds off one's trail.

"Wade in the Water" was a popular instrumental hit in 1966 for the Ramsey Lewis Trio, which prompted further instrumental recordings by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, and Billy Preston (both 1967). The melody was used for the 1988 Tony Toni Tone hit "Little Walter". The version by The Golden Gate Quartet also appears on the album Nick Cave - Roots & Collaborations (2009), establishing the song as one of the musical sources that have inspired the Australian artist.

"Wade in the Water, Children" is a 2008 American Documentary directed and produced by Elizabeth Wood and Gabriel Nussbaum. It was filmed by a group of 8th grade student at the first school to reopen in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The film offers a shockingly intimate look into life as a child in the ruined city. The film was praised as "Scalding Stuff" by Newsday, and won the audience award at the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival. The film is now available from IndiePix Films.

Contents

Selective list of recordings

In popular culture

'Wade in the Water' is featured in a number of episodes from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, some of which include, but are not limited to;

References

Sources

External links