In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Traditional American Folk Song

"Follow the Drinking Gourd" is an African American folk song first published in 1928. The Drinking Gourd is another name for the Big Dipper asterism. Folklore has it that slaves in the United States used it as a point of reference so they would not get lost. According to legend, the song was used by a conductor of the Underground Railroad, called Peg Leg Joe, to guide some fugitive slaves. While the song may possibly refer to some lost fragment of history, the origin and context remain a mystery. A more recent source challenges the authenticity of the claim that the song was used to help slaves escape to the North and to freedom

Release Date: 1928

Follow the Drinking Gourd

The wistful layered melodies, undulating piano accompaniment and plaintive violin obbligato create a mysterious atmosphere in this accessible work that tells the story of the Underground Railroad.

Voicing: SSA

Songbooks, Arrangements and/or Media

Displaying 1-8 of 8 items.

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - Medium High

This volume of best-loved folk songs for solo voice and piano contains fourteen memorable works arranged by three of Alfred's top writers: Jay Althouse, Mark Hayes and Ruth Elaine Schram. Includes "Camptown Races," "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and more!

Songlist: The Water Is Wide, Cindy, All Through The Night, Poor Boy, Camptown Races, Go 'Way From My Window, Simple Gifts, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, He's Gone Away, Old Dan Tucker, All My Trials, Follow the Drinking Gourd, Fire Down Below, Shenandoah

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - Medium Low

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - Medium High

This volume of 14 best-loved folk songs for solo voice and piano contains memorable works arranged by three of Alfred Music's top writers: Jay Althouse, Mark Hayes and Ruth Elaine Schram. Titles: All My Trials * All Through the Night * Camptown Races * Cindy * Fire Down Below * Follow the Drinking Gourd * Go 'Way from My Window * He's Gone Away * Old Dan Tucker * Poor Boy * Poor Wayfaring Stranger * Shenandoah * Simple Gifts * The Water Is Wide. This title is available in SmartMusic.

Songlist: The Water Is Wide, Cindy, All Through the Night, Poor Boy, Camptown Races, Go 'Way from My Window, Simple Gifts, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, He's Gone Away, Old Dan Tucker, All My Trials, Follow the Drinking Gourd, Fire Down Below, Shenandoah

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - Medium Low

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - High Voice

A new high edition of our popular vocal collection, this volume of best-loved folk songs for solo voice and piano contains fourteen memorable works arranged by three of Alfred Music's top writers: Jay Althouse, Mark Hayes, and Ruth Elaine Schram. Titles: All My Trials * All Through the Night * Camptown Races * Cindy * Fire Down Below * Follow the Drinking Gourd * Go 'Way from My Window * He's Gone Away * Old Dan Tucker * Poor Boy * Poor Wayfaring Stranger * Shenandoah * Simple Gifts * The Water Is Wide. This title is available in SmartMusic.

Jay Althouse : Folk Songs for Solo Singers, Vol. 2 - High Voice

American Spiritual Ensemble : The Spirituals

The American Spiritual Ensemble has grown to 42 members for this memorable recording "The Spirituals." Two powerful pictures in the liner notes, depicting a slave couple at a mean cabin, dreaming of escaping their bondage, and then on the cover, striking out across a fog-shrouded field in the early morning, tell us the story of these 15 authentic songs. "Crossin' Ovah," "Follow The Drinking Gourd," "There Is A Balm in Gilead," "It's Me Oh Lord," "Guide My Feet," "Here's One," "Give Me Jesus," "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" and "We Shall Overcome" speak of the tremendous struggle of African-Americans to gain their freedom and equality. The soulful leads and harmonies of these powerful coded songs actually helped some of the singers find their way out of bondage. Powerful, wonderful stuff from the American Spiritual Ensemble! Some piano accompaniment.

Songlist: Plenty Good Room, Crossin' Ovah, Follow The Drinking Gourd, Steal Away, There is a Balm in Gilead, Follow The Drinking Gourd, It's Me Oh Lord, Guide My Feet, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, Follow The Drinking Gourd, Here's One, Give Me Jesus, Follow The Drinking Gourd, I Want Jesus to Walk with Me, We Shall Overcome

Realtime : Take 5

Based in Vancouver, Canada and Bellingham, WA, a very talented pair of brothers, Tim & Doug Broersma and Mark & Tom Metzger, form four part a cappella quartet Realtime, who have been singing together since 2003. They quickly placed 2nd in the Harmony Sweeps Pacific Northwest Regional in 2004, then they became the 2005 International Quartet Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society in Salt Lake City! Having reached the pinnacle of the barbershop world, they stopped competing in Barbershop contests. However, they continued to compete in the Harmony Sweeps, winning the Pacific Northwest again in 2007, and again in 2010, where this supergroup is an early favorite to win the upcoming National Finals May 15th! Listening to their jazzy, wonderfully arranged rendition of Dave Brubeck's jazz standard "Take 5" underlines the group's determination to "sing and record music of many styles, whatever (we) decide we like!" What Realtime likes includes 13 diverse selections, Lennon/McCartney's pop hits "With A Little Help From My Friends" and "Blackbird," "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, the Tennessee country anthem "Rocky Top," The show tune "On A Clear Day" (You Can See Forever), the scattish jazz favorite "Flight of the Foo Birds," the haunting spiritual "Follow the Drinking Gourd," and the Doobie Brothers' foot-tapping rocker "Listen to the Music." The last two cuts, "Funny Valentine" and "Georgia On My Mind," are harmoniously performed with the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra. "Take 5" is great stuff, the rock-solid harmonies and pure entertainment chops of this gold-medal-winning Barbershop group, joyously applied to some of our favorite tunes in other genres. Listening to it, we can't wait to hear Realtime at the Finals!

Songlist: Take Five, With A Little Help From My Friends, Over the Rainbow, Rocky Top, Blackbird, On A Clear Day, Beautiful Love, Little Boy Lost, Flight of the Foo Birds, Follow the Drinking Gourd, Listen to the Music, Funny Valentine, Georgia On My Mind

Individual Folios

Displaying 1-8 of 8 items.

Greg Gilpin : Follow the Drinking Gourd

A percolating, rhythmic setting of the traditional spiritual that invites exciting minor key singing. Independent lines and stacked ostinatos captivate.The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances.

Arranger: Greg Gilpin | Composer: Traditional

Allen Koepke : Follow the Drinking Gourd

The composer has achieved great notoriety for his spiritual arrangements; his fans will delight to discover another great one. This setting is poignant with its message, and highly rhythmic in its design as it and builds to a dramatic conclusion. The text contains coded lyrics as is typical of many spirituals; their significance and meaning is documented in the printed score.

Composer: Allen Koepke

Dan Davison : Follow the Drinking Gourd

A lively, very effective arrangement of a traditional slave song about the road to freedom. Syncopation and subject matter make this a fine program selection. For SAB high school choir, with piano and various percussion. A popular, well-received work!

Arranger: Dan Davison

Jay Althouse : Follow the Drinking Gourd

An exceptional arrangement of the traditional African-American folk song pertaining to the Big Dipper (the "Drinking Gourd") and how it points north t freedom. Features solid choral writing with a haunting piano accompaniment. Comfortable ranges, no solos, no divisi. Good for multi-cultural programs.

Arranger: Jay Althouse | Country: American Folk

Victor C. Johnson : Follow the Drinking Gourd

Victor Johnson's driving setting of the traditional African-American spiritual conveys a sense of urgency that builds from beginning to end, including a dramatic optional descant in the final chorus. A hardy piano accompaniment propels the arrangement and supports the syncopated singers, who are fully harmonized in all voicings.

Arranger: Victor C. Johnson

Emily Crocker : Follow the Drinking Gourd

The wistful layered melodies, undulating piano accompaniment and plaintive violin obbligato create a mysterious atmosphere in this accessible work that tells the story of the Underground Railroad.

Arranger: Emily Crocker

Rollo Dilworth : Follow the Drinking Gourd

The modal melodies, bluesy piano accompaniment, whispered warnings and layered percussion in this setting of the traditional spiritual create a mysterious atmosphere that dramatically tells the story of the Underground Railroad. Duration: ca. 3:00.

Arranger: Rollo Dilworth

Glenda E. Franklin : Follow the Drinking Gourd

Believed to be written after the Civil War, this American folk song is often credited as a spiritual based on the idea that the words are encoded escape instructions and a map for fleeing slaves on their way north. The supportive and interesting piano accompaniment can be enhanced with ad lib. percussion while the melody, harmony, text, and rhythm combine to create an unforgettable performance.

Arranger: Glenda E. Franklin