Keep Your Lamps!

(Starts at 0:13)

Program Note: "First recorded (and possibly composed) in 1928 by the African American blues singer and guitarist Blind Willie Johnson, this short, mesmerizing spiritual has become a beloved staple of the gospel repertoire. [In the text], the faithful are admonished to 'keep your lamps trimmed and burning' in preparation for the Day of Judgment, for, as the refrain reminds us, 'the time is drawing nigh.' 

In André Thomas’s skillful arrangement for chorus and conga drums, the vocal writing is mostly homophonic, with the four parts marching in lockstep. In contrast, the middle section ('Children, don’t get weary') is characterized by overlapping phrases and a smoother, less syncopated style." - Yale University

Arrangement: Hear the Original Melody of "Keep Your Lamps," here: https://youtu.be/hIK6NpvUdjs

Form: (See Notable Passages below)
A - Refrain x2 [0:13]
B - (Children don’t get weary) x2 [0:43]
C - (Christian journey soon be over) x2 [1:26]
A - Refrain [2:10]
A - Refrain (forte) [2:32]