- [Dr. Johnson] It's a unifier.

Wade ♪ In the water - When we come together, people can feel it.

It's our mission to amaze and inspire.

(drums beating) ♪ Children go where I send thee ♪ - It's like every moving part of the glee is in action.

The band, Dr. Johnson on the piano.

- Low notes, high notes.

- [Gabriel] The rap element.

- This rhythmic gospely, partnering with a traditional Negro spiritual.

- [Gabriel] Really just makes the entire program come to life.

- That's just too good.

♪ You never got peace ♪ Said you never got peace ♪ Said you never got peace ♪ Fight for the gospel - We have a responsibility to sing the Negro spiritual at its highest level.

- This is our culture, and it's your culture.

And if it's not, it's still beautiful.

(upbeat music) (piano music playing) ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble ♪ Of this world ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble ♪ Of this world ♪ I'm going home to live ♪ Going home to live with ♪ God (audience applauds) (soft music) ♪ Done laid my vow ♪ To the Lord ♪ And I never ♪ Will turn back ♪ Lord I will go ♪ I shall go ♪ To see what ♪ The end will be ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh (audience applauds) - Yeah, Serenbe called and said, "We have this outdoor venue "and we'd like for you guys to do a concert."

And so I came to Serenbe to see it.

My creative juices just explode, just sort of Africa coming to America, being the slave in Georgia narrative singing a Negro spiritual, which would sort of tell that story of matriculation of the African American, from Africa to America.

The songs is the roadmap of how we brought our nation to what we see today.

And so, to me, being a part of maintaining that on a high level is really, that's enough for me to come to work every day.

(upbeat music) ♪ The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace forbearance ♪ ♪ The fruit of the Spirit is ♪ The fruit of the spirit ♪ The fruit of the Spirit is ♪ Kindness goodness faithfulness ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ The fruit of the Spirit ♪ God asked for the fruits and I said ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Yes Lord ♪ My soul says ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes Lord Yes ♪ Ooh ♪ My heart my mind my spirit ♪ Come on come on let's prophesy ♪ ♪ The Lord is my shepherd ♪ I shall not want ♪ He leadeth me ♪ He restoreth my soul ♪ My cup overflows ♪ Ooh Yes Lord ♪ Yea though I walk through the valley of death ♪ ♪ Yes Lord ♪ I fear no evil ♪ Yeah ♪ For thou art with me ♪ Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Yes ♪ Thou prepareth a table before me ♪ ♪ In the presence of my enemies ♪ ♪ You anoint my head with oil ♪ My cup runneth over ♪ Goodness and mercy shall follow me ♪ ♪ All the days of my life ♪ And I will dwell ♪ In the house of the Lord ♪ Forever ♪ And ever ♪ My soul says ♪ Yes Lord Yes ♪ When I didn't know what to do ♪ ♪ My soul says yes ♪ He said that he would ♪ Use my soul ♪ And I said ♪ Yes ♪ When I couldn't find my way ♪ I heard him say ♪ Yes Lord ♪ When I couldn't see the day ♪ My soul says ♪ I didn't know I didn't know I didn't know ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ Use me ♪ Use me ♪ Move me ♪ Move me ♪ Yeah yes yes ♪ Yes ♪ My soul says yes ♪ My soul says yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ My soul says yes ♪ Yes ♪ I made up my mind ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes yes yes yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yeah ♪ My soul says yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ So I made up my mind ♪ I'll die a thousand times ♪ Ooh ♪ Yes Lord ♪ Yes ♪ Yes ♪ Yes Lord ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh ♪ Ooh yes Lord ♪ And I will dwell in the house of the Lord ♪ ♪ Forever and ever and ever with you Lord ♪ ♪ Yes Lord yes (audience applauds) - When we're talking about the dance that led up to the prologue, and I feel like the story she wanted to tell was of a weight on your shoulders, of feeling heavy, of feeling burdened, of trying to shake that, of feeling like you're at your last point in life.

And then we lead into "Yes Lord," the prologue.

And I really feel like that shows that even when you're down, even when you're struggling, and it may not look good, God is with you.

And that is the strength that you need to pick yourself back up and live your life.

And so when we go from that song then into "Young, Gifted and Black," that's just too good.

- When I was first talking to Dr. Johnson about like, okay, "What's the set list gonna be?

What's next?"

I was like, "Young, Gifted and Black."

Because that's the only obvious, like next song.

Like it has to follow.

We can't just like throw a party and then shut it down.

Like we have to follow with "Young Gifted and Black" - In the beginning of "Young Gifted and Black," Dr. Johnson plays leading tones up into the tonic.

It's like a, ♪ Da dum if you've heard it, and it really just moves the audience.

It moves me as well and it allows me to get into that mood of encouraging people.

I often use my arms when I'm performing the spoken word and speaking Maya Angelou's words because I fully believe them in my spirit.

And I'm able to really get into a mood where I can encourage others in that song.

It is so just fun to sing that song because it's so true.

We're a group of young gifted Black women.

So it's more of like telling a story than it is singing because we're just speaking kind of our truth.

(drums beating) Leaving behind night of terror and fear, I rise into a daybreak that's wondrously clear.

I rise bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave.

I am the dream and the hope of the slave I rise Hmm I rise I rise ♪ Young gifted and Black ♪ Oh what a lovely precious dream ♪ ♪ To be young gifted and Black ♪ Open your heart ♪ Open your heart to what I mean ♪ ♪ In the whole world you know ♪ There's a million boys and girls ♪ ♪ Who are young gifted and Black ♪ ♪ And that's a fact ♪ And that's a fact ♪ To be gifted ♪ Gifted ♪ Oh to be young ♪ You are young gifted and black ♪ ♪ See we must tell all young ♪ We must begin to tell our young ♪ ♪ There's a world waiting for you ♪ ♪ And yours is the quest ♪ Yours is the quest that's just begun ♪ ♪ When you're feeling really low ♪ ♪ Yeah there's a great truth ♪ That you should know ♪ When you're young gifted and Black ♪ ♪ Your soul's intact ♪ Your soul's intact ♪ How to be young gifted and Black ♪ ♪ Oh how I long to know the truth ♪ ♪ Oh how I long to know the truth ♪ ♪ There are times when I look back ♪ ♪ And I am haunted ♪ And I am haunted by my youth ♪ See but the joy ♪ But my joy of today ♪ Is that we all can be proud to say ♪ ♪ To be young gifted and Black ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at ♪ It's where it's at (audience applauds) - We have a responsibility to sing the Negro spiritual at its highest level.

If people hear a Negro spiritual being sung by Black people, that we wanna be the standard of what it should be.

So.

And we realize that we are the bearers of its history as well.

So we wanna be using the Negro spiritual to move not only the genre, but you know, the culture forward.

(piano playing) ♪ I thank you God ♪ For most this amazing day ♪ For the leaping greenly spirits of trees ♪ ♪ And a blue true dream of sky ♪ And for everything ♪ Which is natural ♪ Which is infinite ♪ Which is yes ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ For most this amazing day ♪ I who have died am alive again today ♪ ♪ And this is the sun's birthday ♪ ♪ This is the birth ♪ Day of life and of love and wings ♪ ♪ And of the gay ♪ Great happening illimitably earth ♪ ♪ I who have died am alive again today ♪ ♪ I thank you God ♪ How should any human being ♪ Doubt You ♪ Doubt You ♪ How should tasting touching merely human being ♪ ♪ Doubt You ♪ How should tasting touching hearing seeing ♪ ♪ Breathing any merely human being ♪ ♪ Doubt You ♪ Doubt unimaginable You ♪ Lifted from the no of all nothing ♪ ♪ Doubt You ♪ Now the ears of my ears awake ♪ ♪ And now the eyes of my eyes are opened ♪ ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you ♪ Awake ♪ All men ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I who have died am alive again today ♪ ♪ I who have died am alive again today ♪ ♪ I who have died am alive again ♪ ♪ I who have died am alive again ♪ ♪ I'm alive again ♪ Today ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God ♪ For most this amazing day ♪ This day ♪ This day ♪ Hallelujah ♪ I thank you God ♪ I thank you God (audience applauds) - One could possibly make the argument that even in 2023, the Negro spiritual has a unifying effect of all people, it's a unifier where we come together and people can feel it.

And to amplify the hope that those people sang about to sing it, you know, in a new age with young people, with the Serenbe community listening and perhaps seeing something for the first time that they'd ever seen in this space.

♪ Even ♪ After ♪ All this time ♪ Even ♪ After ♪ All this time ♪ All this time ♪ Even ♪ Even ♪ After ♪ All this ♪ Time ♪ The ♪ Sun ♪ Never ♪ Says ♪ To ♪ The ♪ Earth ♪ You owe me ♪ You owe me ♪ The sun ♪ Never ♪ Says ♪ You owe me ♪ Look ♪ What happens ♪ With a love ♪ Like that ♪ What happens with a light ♪ Like that ♪ What happened with a light ♪ Like that ♪ What happens with a light like that ♪ ♪ Like that ♪ It lights ♪ The whole sky ♪ A light like that ♪ It lights ♪ The whole ♪ Sky ♪ Lights the sky ♪ It lights ♪ The whole ♪ Sky ♪ Sky ♪ Lights the sky ♪ The light ♪ The light ♪ Lights the sky ♪ The whole ♪ Sky ♪ With a light like that ♪ The whole ♪ Sky (audience applauds) - I think it's important to see fresh young faces carry on a legacy of generations and generations and generations of people.

Because while, you know, Negro spirituals may be something of the past, it is part of our story.

So it's kind of our duty to perform these songs to whoever wants to listen.

When we sing Negro spirituals, we try to make them more engaging and receptive, because when we sing, we're singing to a mixed crowd.

We're singing to older generations, but we're also singing to our peers.

And as young women, we want to make sure that people are hearing what we're singing and they know that this is our culture and it's your culture.

And if it's not, it's still beautiful and it's still something that is a part of history.

- Now, "One Heart One Mind" is inspired by Acts of the apostles.

After Jesus died, they would all gather in one place and they would sell all their possessions and live together.

Nobody had anything of their own, but everything was in common.

So that's where the text came from.

And it's also inspired, if you listen to that piece, inspired by Earth Wind & Fire, the Chi-Lights, some seventies group, you know, like the seventies funk, that Earth Wind & Fire, harmony.

We had everything except for the horns that the Earth Wind & Fire would've had.

(upbeat music) ♪ One heart one mind ♪ One heart ♪ One mind ♪ Community of believers ♪ Community of believers ♪ No one had his own ♪ No one had his own ♪ But everything in common ♪ Community of believers was of one heart and mind ♪ ♪ And no one paid anything for themselves at any time ♪ ♪ But they had everything in common ♪ ♪ Everything in common ♪ And with great power the apostles Paul witnessed ♪ ♪ The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ And with great favor ♪ Ooh ♪ One heart one mind ♪ One heart one mind ♪ Community of believers ♪ Community of believers ♪ No one had his own ♪ No one had his own ♪ Everything in common ♪ Ooh ♪ There is no need ♪ Among them ♪ Those who own property ♪ Would sell them ♪ Then they'd bring ♪ The proceeds for sell ♪ Ooh ♪ And with the proceeds ♪ Feed all the apostles ♪ Feed all the apostles ♪ And they would distribute it ♪ According ♪ To ♪ Their needs ♪ Ooh ♪ Their needs ♪ Needs ♪ One heart one mind ♪ One heart ♪ One mind ♪ Community of believers ♪ Community of believers ♪ No one had his own ♪ No one had ♪ His own ♪ But everything in common ♪ Ooh ♪ But everything in common ♪ The community of believers was of one heart and mind ♪ ♪ And no one kept anything for themselves at any time ♪ ♪ But they had everything in common ♪ ♪ Everything in common ♪ And with great power ♪ The apostles Paul witnessed ♪ The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ And with great favor ♪ With great favor ♪ One heart one mind ♪ One heart one mind ♪ Community of believers ♪ Ooh ♪ Community of believers ♪ No one had his own ♪ No one had his own ♪ But everything in common ♪ No one had his own ♪ No one had his own ♪ But everything in common (audience applauds) - "Soon I Will Be Done," it's a well-known Negro spiritual.

But I wanted to, like, I've done on a number of Negro spirituals, I wanted to put piano on it.

I didn't wanna do it acapella.

So that ended up doing is 'cause I was born in the seventies, I got that funk thing in me, and I've been a church musician, we're blurring the lines between genres again, which is, I love it.

I wanted Glee Club to be forward looking in our choice of repertoire.

So that one is, it's like, ♪ Ti da ti da ti ♪ Ta da ♪ Du du du tia pa pa So it's gospel, it's a little jazzy.

(piano playing) ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble of this world ♪ ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ With the trouble of this world ♪ ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble of this world ♪ ♪ I'm going home to live ♪ Going home to live ♪ With God ♪ Soon ♪ Soon one morning ♪ It won't be very long ♪ You're gonna look for me ♪ You're gonna look for me ♪ And I'll be gon on home ♪ I'm going up to glory ♪ Going up to glory ♪ Gonna sing and shout ♪ Oh they'll be nobody there ♪ There will be nobody there ♪ That's gonna bring me down ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ Oh ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble ♪ Of this world ♪ I'm going home to live ♪ To live with God ♪ I want to see my mother ♪ I want to see my mother ♪ I really want to see my mother ♪ ♪ Going to live with God ♪ I want to see my father ♪ I want to see my father ♪ I want to see my father ♪ Going to live with God ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ With the trouble ♪ Trouble of this world ♪ Oh ♪ Soon I will be done ♪ With the trouble of this world ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ Going home ♪ To live with God ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ See my Jesus ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ See my Jesus ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ See my Jesus ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ No more wailing ♪ No more weeping ♪ Soon I'll ♪ Will be done ♪ Done with the troubles ♪ With the trouble ♪ Of ♪ Of this world ♪ Soon I'll be done ♪ Troubles away ♪ Soon I'll be done ♪ Troubles away ♪ Soon I'll be done ♪ Troubles away ♪ Soon I'll be done ♪ Troubles away ♪ Away (audience applauds) - I think for me, probably the whole civil rights era is caught up in, "Don't You Let Nobody Turn Around."

♪ I keep on walking keep on You know, that's King is marching then.

I think there was a little marching going on during Covid, but nobody was singing.

But back in the sixties, they were singing, and "Don't You Let Nobody Turn You Around," was one of the main songs that were being sung.

♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you around ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep it straight ♪ And the narrow way ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep the straight ♪ And the narrow way ♪ Ooh ♪ Twas at the river Jordan ♪ Turn you round ♪ Baptism was first began ♪ Turn you round ♪ John baptized the multitude ♪ But he sprinkled ♪ Oh my Lord ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep the straight and the narrow way ♪ ♪ Oh my Lord ♪ The baptized they go by water ♪ ♪ Turn you round ♪ The Methodist ♪ They go by land ♪ Turn you round ♪ When they get to heaven ♪ They're gonna shake ♪ Each other's hands ♪ Oh my Lord ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep the straight and the narrow way ♪ ♪ You may be a good Christian ♪ Or a good who's lame as well ♪ Ooh ♪ If you wedge the pure of heart ♪ ♪ You're gonna rock the gates of hell ♪ ♪ Oh my Lord ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Don't you let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep the straight and the narrow ♪ ♪ Way ♪ Don't you ♪ Let nobody ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Turn you round ♪ Keep the straight and the narrow ♪ ♪ Way ♪ Keep the straight and the narrow ♪ ♪ Way (audience applauds) - If you hear the earlier versions of the same Negro spiritual, you'd be like, "Oh, okay.

I see."

It's sort of like, we wanna be history, but we also wanna be future.

So we are trying to be cutting edge on our stylistic approach.

Ready go.

- But I think "Children Go Where I send thee," really has so many layers to it.

I feel like that piece really encompasses what the Glee Club is.

It's like every moving part of the Glee is in action.

It's the band, it's Dr. Johnson on the piano, it's the soloist at the end, it's the rap element.

It's us moving to the beat of the song.

I think there's a lot of elements, and I think from an audience perspective, it really just makes the entire program or just that specific point in the program come to life.

(drums beating) ♪ Children go where I send thee ♪ ♪ How shall I send thee ♪ I'm gonna send thee one by one ♪ ♪ One is the little bitty baby ♪ Back to the swaddle clothing ♪ Lay down in the manger ♪ Was born ♪ Born ♪ Born ♪ Born in Bethlehem ♪ Children go where I send thee ♪ ♪ How shall I send thee ♪ I'm gonna send thee two by two ♪ ♪ Two for Paul and Silas ♪ One for the litty bitty baby ♪ Wrapped in a swaddle clothing ♪ ♪ Laid down in a manger ♪ Was born ♪ Born ♪ Born ♪ Born in Bethlehem ♪ Children go where I send thee ♪ ♪ How shall I send thee ♪ I'm gonna send thee ten by ten ♪ ♪ Ten for the ten commandments ♪ Nine are the nine that dressed so fine ♪ ♪ Eight are the eight that stood at the gate ♪ ♪ Seven for the seven came down from heaven ♪ ♪ Six are the six that couldn't get fixed ♪ ♪ Five for the gospel preacher ♪ Four for the four that stood at the door ♪ ♪ Three for the Hebrew children ♪ ♪ Two for Paul and Silas ♪ One for the litty bitty baby ♪ Wrapped in a swaddle clothing ♪ ♪ Laid down in the manger ♪ Was born ♪ Born ♪ Born ♪ Born in Bethlehem ♪ Story that I'm writing is the story never ending ♪ ♪ Everlasting everlasting ♪ And you know it's on the heaven ♪ ♪ You get the God message ♪ And the aim is a lesson ♪ So quit the instamessage ♪ And the message is fest through ♪ ♪ Is stamped and in the heart ♪ In reaching all the people ♪ We do this in the streets ♪ And underneath the sea form ♪ I'd rather talk the talk ♪ But the year was walk the walk ♪ ♪ They're crawling in the dark ♪ My voice is a chord ♪ Lift up your instabeam ♪ Falling at the same speed ♪ The center take a peak ♪ Everybody take a peak ♪ Get the heart of the matter ♪ He's the king of the kings ♪ Married to the church ♪ I got the Lord of the ring ♪ Let's go streets to where I'm dancing ♪ ♪ Father God mentions ♪ Spitting in his image ♪ What do you fathom ♪ Hey what are the star for ♪ Hey hey so its time to go ♪ Hey hey ♪ You wait the story to grow ♪ Love is light ♪ So it's time to go ♪ Hey hey you are at the point to grow ♪ ♪ Love is light so it's time to go ♪ ♪ Ten for the ten commandments ♪ And it's nine for the nine that dressed so fine ♪ ♪ Eight for the eight that stood at the gate ♪ ♪ Seven for the seven that came down from heaven ♪ ♪ Six for the six that never got fixed ♪ ♪ Never got fixed ♪ And never got fixed ♪ And he never got fixed ♪ Said he never got fixed ♪ Five for the gospel preacher ♪ Four for the four that stood at the door ♪ ♪ Three for Hebrew children ♪ Two for Paul and Silas ♪ One for the litty bitty baby ♪ Wrapped all up in swaddle clothing ♪ ♪ Laid down in a manger ♪ Was born ♪ Born to us ♪ Born ♪ A child is born ♪ Born ♪ In the government ♪ Born ♪ Of the under show ♪ And they were caught in ♪ But if I come to light ♪ Almighty God ♪ Everlasting Father ♪ Children go ♪ Where I send thee ♪ How shall I ♪ Send thee (audience applauds) - So after that party time of children go, we go "Wade In The Water," right?

And that's another piece.

Now this version is not the original, right?

The original would be ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade Like you might hear Fist Jubilee sing in the turn of the century, 1910, you might've heard them sing it in the traditional style.

Golden Gate put that beat on it.

And then I take it and I got “Ba-don-choo ” Which is what the Glee Club does.

I was like, "Don't even sing it.

"This holla wide, don't even sing a note.

"Just bang it."

You know, it's a drum, it's like with the piano pumping.

That's my addition.

And it, you know, it kind of ends big.

- My earliest kind of understanding of the cultural history of this song is, you know, I heard the story that this was a song that enslaved people would kind of sing in order to hope and continue to hope for salvation and freedom.

The beauty of the song first, it's a beautiful song, a beautiful arrangement and composition.

And it's just really moving and very powerful.

But just the historical significance of what that song means, especially to Black people, I think it's really beautiful and it's definitely one of my favorite Glee Club songs.

The solo sings, "See that host all dressed in white, "the leader looks like the Israelites.

"See that band all dressed in red "looks like the band that Moses led."

So that brings me back to the way that enslaved people kind of used religion as a way to hold on to hope.

And that's something you can find throughout Negro spirituals, which I think, you know, really ties into the meaning of spirituality and religion in the Black community today.

And just, I think it's a beautiful thing just to see how it's evolved from that point.

But just the idea of wading in the water and God's gonna trouble the water.

♪ Wade ♪ In the water ♪ Wade ♪ In the water ♪ Children ♪ Wade ♪ In the water ♪ God's gonna trouble ♪ The water ♪ Gods gonna trouble ♪ The water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Children ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ God said He's gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Children ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ We see the host all dressed in white ♪ ♪ God's said He's gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ The leader looks like the Israelites ♪ ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Oh see that band all dressed in red ♪ ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Looks like the band that Moses led ♪ ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Oh wade in the water children ♪ ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ Wade in the water children ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Oh wade ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Why don't you wade in the water ♪ ♪ Wade in the water ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Oh wade ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Why don't you wade in the water ♪ ♪ Wade in the water ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Oh wade ♪ God's said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ Why don't you wade in the water ♪ ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Wade in the water ♪ Gods said He gonna trouble the water ♪ ♪ So wade ♪ In the water ♪ Children ♪ Why don't wade (audience applauds) - For me teaching Black women about their musical history, it's not just about music, but it's about their DNA.

It's like, where do you come from, like as a Black person, like what is it in you, what's your genetic disposition as it relates to sort of evolution?

Like where'd you come from?

- Through the Glee Club, I was able to learn about the history of the Black musical tradition.

And that's something that's been really meaningful to me.

It's really beautiful to be able to create this music and kind of learn about our history at the same time through the music.

- Negro spirituals are so meaningful.

It is historical documentation.

It holds like the emotions and the story of what enslaved Africans to be brought to America.

It holds a lot of meaning and a lot of impact in my opinion.

- If you don't teach it, man, that thing will go away, right?

Won't it go away?

I think it'll go away.

And if it goes away, what goes away?

Like for me, sort of like the ability for our students and to understand themselves is to see themselves through the lens of the people, their ancestors, the shoulders we talk about, the shoulders we stand upon never received applause or fame, but in their honor, I live.

So, you know, I'm teaching history.

And so we do all that through music.

And it's a challenge for me Im very picky about what we sing.

And I don't think it's necessarily a Black thing, but I think they see young people on the stage delivering a message on a high level, intentionally on a high level.

Get on the risers quick, they get off the rises quick.

We want to sing things that are clean.

You know, we wanna sing things well.

We wanna look right when our dress is right.

We want to represent this institution in the manner in which Fisk represented their institution at the turn of the 20th century.

So that people don't forget where they come from and who they are.

That's probably why you keep singing them.

♪ In the Lord ♪ In the Lord ♪ My soul's been ♪ Anchored ♪ In the Lord ♪ My soul's been anchored ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord ♪ In the Lord ♪ My soul's been anchored anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord In the Lord ♪ My souls been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ My Lord my soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord.

♪ My souls been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ Before I'd stay in hell one day ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ I'd sing and pray myself away ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord.

♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord in the Lord ♪ My soul's been anchored anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord In the Lord ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord.

♪ ♪ My Lord, my soul's been in the Lord ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ I'm going to shout pray and never stop ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ Until I reach the mountain top ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord my soul's been anchored anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ In the Lord in the Lord ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord my Lord ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord my Lord ♪ ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ Do you love him ♪ Oh yes ♪ Do you love him ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Do you love him oh yes ♪ God almighty ♪ Are you anchored ♪ Are you anchored ♪ Oh yes ♪ Yes I'm anchored ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ Yes will you serve him.

♪ Will you serve him ♪ Oh yes ♪ Will you serve him ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Will you serve him oh yes ♪ God almighty ♪ Are you anchored ♪ Are you anchored ♪ Oh yes ♪ Yes I'm anchored ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Will you praise him ♪ Will you praise him ♪ Oh yes ♪ Will you praise him ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Will you praise him oh yes ♪ God almighty ♪ Are you anchored ♪ Yes I'm anchored ♪ Lord I'm anchored ♪ Oh yes ♪ Lord I love you ♪ Oh yes ♪ Yes I'll serve you ♪ Oh yes ♪ God I'll praise you ♪ Oh yes hallelujah ♪ My soul's been anchored in the Lord ♪ ♪ God almighty ♪ My soul is anchored ♪ In ♪ The ♪ In ♪ The ♪ Lord (audience applauds) - Okay.

Some of them are here on a full scholarship and some of 'em parents pay cash, you know.

Some of 'em coming from, our glee club president is from the British Virgin Island, she has a total different story than our librarian who grew up in Mexico, you know, and you see 'em all in the group.

You say, "Oh, they're just all Black people."

But no, it is like, people think we're all the same.

And it couldn't be farther from the truth.

It's like a bouquet of beautiful flowers.

And so their stories vary, you know, situations so some people are here because their grandmother and their mother went here and you know.

Some people are the first generation college student here.

So, you know, it's a variety of stories and appreciation I'm sure.

- My mom is a graduate of Spelman, class of 94 and my grandmother also came to Spelman.

So throughout my whole life, the beauty of the Spelman sisterhood was kind of imbued into me.

And so, you know, my college decision journey was a long one.

But ultimately I did choose Spelman and it's one of the best decisions I've made.

- I could only see myself at Spelman.

I was nervous about college for many reasons, but when I thought about my life at Spelman, I didn't feel that anxiety.

It felt like the only place for me, the perfect place for me.

- The second I got my acceptance letter, I was like, "This is where I'm going.

"This is where I have to go."

'Cause a place full of smart Black women that are thriving it makes so many of the world's doctors and lawyers.

And I was like, "I have to be part of that."

(audience applauds) - Thank you so much.

At this time, I'd like to invite the Glee Club president to the front please.

(choir applauding) - Good evening everyone.

My name is Hunter Christopher.

I currently serve as the president of the Spelman College Glee Club.

On behalf of Dr. Johnson and our president, Dr. Helene Gayle, thank you so much for coming and listening to us.

At this time, I'd like to invite any Spelman students, staff, faculty or alum to the stage for the singing of the Spelman hymn.

(audience applauds) - I always enjoy when we sing the Spelman hymn and invite the alum to sing with us.

That's always so special.

Not only does it make me think, "That's gonna be me one day "and I'm gonna be standing here."

But that moment is always really special because you can see how much they cherish it.

- [Avery] It's a very special bonding experience between the students and everyone that has attended Spelman because we use that song to pull us together and to really commemorate our shared experiences.

So it does get emotional singing those songs.

And I assume on the other side coming on stage and not already being there.

- [Gabriel] The sisterhood and the sibling hood of Spelman College Glee Club is long lasting.

There are Spelman Glee Club alum that still reach out to me, check if I'm okay.

And I plan to do the same for my sisters who are still glee - [Corinne] When we're holding hands that's another powerful thing.

We're a sisterhood no matter how old we are, what's our classification, whether or not we're still at Spelman, we are always a sisterhood.

And so I feel like when we link arms or hold hands and we sing that together generation to generation to generation, that's always very moving for me.

♪ Spelman thy name we praise ♪ Standards and honor raise ♪ We'll ever faithful be ♪ Throughout eternity ♪ May peace with thee abide ♪ And God forever guide ♪ Thy heights supreme and true ♪ Blessings to you ♪ Through years of toil and pain ♪ ♪ May thy dear walls remain ♪ Beacons of heavenly light ♪ Undaunted by the fight ♪ And when life's race is won ♪ Thy noble work is done ♪ Oh God forever bind ♪ Our hearts to thine (crowd cheers) (audience applauds) - Oh yes, amen.

Ladies, did you enjoy yourself?

- [Choir] Yes.

- Yes, yes we did.

We wanna thank you for coming out to see us at the art farm.

We wanna thank the art farm folks for inviting us out to our very first, I think unless you count the gospel thing we did, our very first real outdoor performance in the middle of nowhere.

(all laugh) Not literally, not nowhere.

But this is lovely.

I mean, I wanna thank WABE for being here.

I know they got every bit of that on film.

And we are just so grateful that we could be part of what WABE is trying to do in terms of highlighting ATL and HBCUs.

(audience applauds) And we hope, and the president didn't say it because it was a little different today, but she usually comes up and says, "We hope that we fulfill our motto, "which is to amaze and inspire."

(audience applauds) All right.

(audience applauds) We wanna leave you with one final song and she'll tell you all about it.

- Greetings, our final song of the night is called "A Choice to Change the World" written by Dr. Kevin P. Johnson.

And it is our school song.

(piano playing) ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ It's my voice ♪ And I speak with pride and courage ♪ ♪ I'll be the change ♪ I want to see you scream out loud and say ♪ ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ Why put off for tomorrow ♪ What I can do today ♪ Why wait for another ♪ When I can pave the way ♪ No matter how young or old ♪ I hold the power to change ♪ Whether large or small ♪ Few or all ♪ My choice remains the same ♪ It's my choice ♪ it's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ Change the world ♪ It's my voice ♪ And I speak with pride and courage ♪ ♪ I'll be the change ♪ I want to see ♪ I'll scream aloud and say ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ In this institution ♪ We are women of change ♪ The shoulders that we stand up on ♪ ♪ Never receive the parts or fail ♪ ♪ But in the long run I will leave ♪ ♪ Each day better than before ♪ To show the world ♪ That it takes a choice ♪ To change and so much more ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ Change the world ♪ It's my voice ♪ And I speak with pride and courage ♪ ♪ I'll be ♪ The change ♪ I want to see ♪ I'll scream aloud and say ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ The change begins today ♪ With every choice that we make ♪ ♪ Let us look around and see ♪ Where the changes need to be ♪ Let's end poverty ♪ And fighting oversees ♪ Another dies from a disease ♪ End hypocrisy ♪ Starting on the streets ♪ And no one dies a single thing ♪ ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ Choose to change the world ♪ It's my voice ♪ And I speak with pride and courage ♪ ♪ Pride and courage ♪ I'll be the change ♪ I want to see ♪ I'll scream aloud and say ♪ It's my choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ Make a choice ♪ Make a choice ♪ Make a choice ♪ So what a choice ♪ So what a choice ♪ What a choice ♪ It's my choice ♪ And I choose to change the world ♪ ♪ Change ♪ The world (audience applauds) (upbeat music) - The sisterhood and the sibling hood of Spelman College Glee Club is long lasting.

- It's just such a unique experience.

It doesn't matter what background you came from, we all have one thing in common and it's the sisterhood that we're all a part of.

We all are so passionate about music, about just being Spelman women, about each other.

So it's deeper than just us loving music, but through singing together, we develop a relationship with one another.

- And it's emotional for a lot of us seniors to think that we won't be able to sing together as a group anymore.

And I plan to keep in contact with every one of them after I graduate.

(soft music) - There truly is no space like the Spelman College School Glee Club and no space that allows Black women to be authentically themselves in whatever way, shape and form that may be.

(soft music) - It's a community.

And I know any club in the organization that you join, there's gonna be some sense of community.

But this is just different.

- It is such an impactful, it's such a endearing relationship that I have with all of the people in Glee.

- Whenever I need anything, I reach out to my glee sisters, they're gonna be there for me.

- I could call any one of my glee sisters right now and say, "I need help.

"I need you to help me do something."

And they'll be there.

- We're always just going to have each other's back.

(upbeat music) - I think of excellence, and I know a lot of people always use the term Black excellence, but truly think Spelman is an example of Black excellence at its finest.

Everyone here is so driven, so determined.

- When I, you know, think of all of these songs, it really just brings me back to the gratitude that I have to be here at Spelman College and to be in the community of so many like powerful Black women who all share the same goal of really digging into what it is to be a Black woman in America.

- You will never find another club like SCGC.

(upbeat music) (soft music) - [Narrator] WABE.