Glory, Glory, Hallelujah (Lay My Burden Down)
Encyclopedia
"Glory, Glory" is an American spiritual song
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...

, which has been recorded by many artists in a variety of genres, including folk
American folk music
American folk music is a musical term that encompasses numerous genres, many of which are known as traditional music or roots music. Roots music is a broad category of music including bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American...

, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...

, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

, and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....

.

Lyrics

Lyrically, the song has many variations but the best known version of the song (as performed by Odetta
Odetta
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...

 or Roy Acuff
Roy Acuff
Roy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...

) consists of the lyrics:
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I laid my burden down.
Glory glory, hallelujah,
Since I laid my burden down.

All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my sickness will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.
All my troubles will be over,
When I lay my burden down.

Lord, I'm feeling so much better,
Since I laid my burden down.
Lord, I'm feeling so much better,
Since I laid my burden down.

Recordings

  • The Elders McIntorsh and Edwards' Sanctified Singers - "Since I Laid My Burden Down" (recorded Chicago, December 4, 1928)
  • Maddox Brothers and Rose
    Maddox Brothers and Rose
    The Maddox Brothers and Rose, known as America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band from the 1930s to the 1950s, consisted of four brothers, Fred, Cal, Cliff and Don Maddox, along with their sister Rose. Cliff died in 1949 and was replaced by brother Henry...

     - "When I Lay My Burden Down" (recorded between 1946 and 1951 and included on the compilation The Maddox Brothers and Rose - Vol. 1
    The Maddox Brothers and Rose - Vol. 1
    The Maddox Brothers and Rose – Vol. 1; America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band, Their Original Recordings 1946-1951 is a re-issue of recordings by Maddox Brothers and Rose during the years 1946 through 1951.-Track listing:...

    )
  • The Soul Stirrers - "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" (1948)
  • Odetta
    Odetta
    Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...

     - "Glory, Glory" (Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues
    Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues
    Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues is the debut solo album by American folk singer Odetta, first released in 1956.Like much of Odetta's early work, Ballads and Blues combines traditional songs with blues covers...

    , 1956)
  • Mississippi John Hurt
    Mississippi John Hurt
    John Smith Hurt, better known as Mississippi John Hurt was an American country blues singer and guitarist.Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself how to play the guitar around age nine...

     - "Since I've Laid This Burden Down" (The Best of Mississippi John Hurt, 1966)
  • Furry Lewis
    Furry Lewis
    Furry Lewis was an American country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis was one of the first of the old-time blues musicians of the 1920s to be brought out of retirement, and given a new lease of recording life, by the folk blues revival of the 1960s.-Life and...

     - "Lay My Burden Down" (Blues Magician, recorded 1969)
  • Mississippi Fred McDowell
    Mississippi Fred McDowell
    Fred McDowell known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American Hill country blues singer and guitar player.-Career:...

     "When I Lay My Burden Down" (c. 1970)
  • Roy Acuff
    Roy Acuff
    Roy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...

     - "When I Lay My Burden Down" (Night Train to Memphis, 1970)
  • The Byrds
    The Byrds
    The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...

     - "Glory, Glory" (Byrdmaniax
    Byrdmaniax
    Byrdmaniax is the tenth album by the American rock band The Byrds. It was released in June 1971 on Columbia Records at a time of renewed commercial and critical success for the band, due to the positive reception that their two previous albums, Ballad of Easy Rider and , had received...

    , 1971)
  • Larry Sparks
    Larry Sparks
    Larry Sparks is a Bluegrass singer and guitarist. He was the winner of the 2004 and 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year Award. 2005, won IBMA for Album of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year for his album "40," celebrating his 40th year in bluegrass...

     - "Lay My Burden Down" (Transamerica
    Transamerica (soundtrack)
    Transamerica is the original soundtrack, on the Nettwerk America label, of the 2005 film Transamerica starring Felicity Huffman and Kevin Zegers. The album consists of songs from various artists.-Travelin' Thru:...

    , 2005)

In popular culture

  • A version of the song was featured in the film Because of Winn-Dixie
    Because of Winn-Dixie (film)
    Because of Winn-Dixie is a 2005 film adapted from the book of the same name by Kate DiCamillo and directed by Wayne Wang. It was produced by Walden Media and released by 20th Century Fox...

    (2005)
  • The Brisbane Bears
    Brisbane Bears
    The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...

     used the tune as the basis for their club song in the Australian Football League
    Australian Football League
    The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

     from 1994 to 1996.
  • Often sung by Icelandic children during bus trips, with different lyrics dedicated to the bus driver.

External links

  • "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" performed live by Robert Sims
    Robert Sims
    Robert Lewis Sims a lyric baritone who specializes in African American folk songs and spirituals, is known for his rich tone, energetic performances and convincing stage presence....

     and Odetta
    Odetta
    Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...

  • [ Allmusic: review of The Byrds' version of "Glory, Glory"]
  • AMG: All performers of "Glory, Glory", "Glory Glory", "Lay My Burden Down"
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