What does the the phrase Sweet Chariot mean in this spiritual?
Matthew Harrington
Updated on February 24, 2026
They have argued that “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” was one of the spirituals that conveyed a secret meaning to slaves. According to this theory, slave spirituals did a lot more than offer a promise of eventual redemption; they also offered specific strategies and even maps needed to escape.
What is the secret meaning of Sweet Chariot?
Coming for to carry me home. The most widely-recognised interpretation of Sweet Chariot is that the song is about death and a release from the cares and misery of this world. A “band of angels” coming to take the singer to Heaven.Is Swing Low, Sweet Chariot a funeral song?
Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin' for to carry me home. A lot of rugby fans can edit the song in a low beat and instrumental for funeral ceremonies.What might the chariot represent in religious terms?
For others it could symbolize a chariot of the Lord offering transportation for the soul to heaven. This interpretation has its origin in the Bible, which contains descriptions of chariots used in war as well as to transport honored souls, such as the prophet Elijah's, to heaven.Is Swing Low, Sweet Chariot religious?
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is an African-American spiritual song and one of the best-known Christian hymns.Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer talks about "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
Why do England fans sing Sweet Chariot?
Some think, that it goes back to 1988 when it's believed a group of school boys began singing the song at Twickenham rugby stadium, one of the most famous rugby stadiums in the world. The boys had their own tradition that every time a try was scored, they sang the song.What is the meaning of Wade in the Water?
to walk in water, when partially immersed: He wasn't swimming, he was wading. to play in water: The children were wading in the pool most of the afternoon.What is the most important function of the refrain in Swing Low, Sweet Chariot?
The theme is about crossing over to freedom from slavery and about going to heaven. The refrain of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" uses repetition to emphasize the main theme of the song.What is the double meaning of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot quizlet?
STUDY. swing low. come into slaveholding states. sweet chariot.Which of the following describes spirituals?
Which of the following describes spirituals? They contained coded messages about earthly escape.What does home represent in Swing Low, Sweet Chariot quizlet?
The speaker will travel "home" by the chariot. I think that this vehicle represents the Underground Railroad. Who is coming over Jordan to carry the speaker home?What does Swing Low mean in Swing Low, Sweet Chariot?
They have argued that “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” was one of the spirituals that conveyed a secret meaning to slaves. According to this theory, slave spirituals did a lot more than offer a promise of eventual redemption; they also offered specific strategies and even maps needed to escape.What is the hidden message in Wade in the Water?
Because many slaves knew the secret meanings of these songs, they could be used to signal many things. For example, Harriet Tubman used the song “Wade in the Water” to tell escaping slaves to get off the trail and into the water to make sure the dogs slavecatchers used couldn't sniff out their trail.Which best describes the structure of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot?
Which best describes the structure of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot as sung by the Fisk Jubilee Quartet? A series of verses separated by a refrain or chorus.What does it mean God's gonna trouble the water?
English translation: going to stir up the (healing) watersGLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW) English term or phrase: "(God's') a gonna trouble the water" Selected answer: going to stir up the (healing) waters.