Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
“Joshua fit De battle of Jericho” is a well-known African American spiritual that glorifies the power and ingenuity of song. While its origin appears to be lost in time, it is believed that the song was composed in early 19th century America by plantation slaves working in the antebellum South. However, the first known recorded version was done by Harrod’s Jubilee Singers in 1922. The song is based on the Old Testament biblical account in the book of Joshua regarding the conquering of the city of Jericho by the Israelites. Joshua led the Israelite army to silently march around Jericho for six days, and on the seventh day, they blew their trumpets, culminating in the fall of the city walls. It is as if the song alluded to the fact that the enslaved people would ultimately achieve victory over the evil of slavery by singing their songs the same as the Israelites how Israelites achieved victory by blowing their trumpets.
The song is considered to belong to the spiritual genre of music and, as such, holds deeper meanings. According to Cox, “spirituals were created out of, and spoke directly to, the black experience in America prior to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, that declared all slaves free” (2018). The Old Testament accounts of heroes delivering and liberating the Israelites resounded well with the black slaves owing to their cultural and traditional heritage from Africa. The stories about the bravery and victories of specific African ancestors over past hardships served as a source of inspiration for the people to face life challenges. However, these stories faded over time, and the enslaved population appropriated biblical heroes as ancestral equivalents.
Spiritual songs were also often used as a code among the slaves to signify rebellion. In Douglass’ seminal work, published in 1845, he explains this about spiritual songs by slaves, “they were tones loud, long, and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest anguish. Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains” (64). In that case, the reference to the walls of Jericho tumbling down was a metaphor for the slaves describing freedom and escape from slavery. In the midst of oppression and suffering, religious songs like this provided these slaves with support and joy as they expressed religious hope that God will help them through the difficult days they were facing. There are records of Robeson, an abolitionist, who performed this song frequently in his public forums to protest against the institution of slavery.
While spiritual songs were principally functional, it is evident that enjoyment of the sound of words through rhythm was also dominant. In this case, “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” was sung in an upbeat and energetic mood as an allegory of freedom and escape from slavery. Even with the challenge of English, the enslaved people used African musical expression as evident in parts of the song’s text is originally written in the dialects of the slaves. For instance, the title was rendered as “Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho,” or in later versions “Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho.” The melody, rhythm, and lyrics all combine to help the audience understand why the song is a perennial favorite among musicians and listeners alike. It is so wonderful to see and listen to that great spiritual renditions by great musicians over the years after the first recording by Harrod’s Jubilee Singers. My favorite rendition is by The Golden Gate Quartet. Their version of this song is upbeat, but not too fast, just enough to put that extra pulse in your feet. It features a killer melody that will stick with you for days, including a song structure that keeps bouncing along. The song is just predictable enough, but never tiresome or repetitive.