Lift Every Voice and Sing
Words: James Weldon Johnson, 1900 · Music: J. Rosamond Johnson, 1900 · Public domain
Free: the 1-5-6-4 in all 12 keys, on one large-print sheet. Get it free →
Verse 1
Lift ev'ry Abvoice C7and Fmsing, till Dbearth Eband AbHeav-Edim7en Fmring,
Ring with the Bbmhar-Cmo-Dbnies Bbmof Ablib-Ddim7er-Eb7ty;
Let our re-Abjoic-C7ing Frise, high Adim7as the Bbmlis-Cten-C7ing Dbskies,
Ddim7Let Bbit Ddim7re-Absound loud Edim7as Fmthe Eb7roll-Abing sea.
AbSing a Fmsong full of the Dbfaith that the Fmdark past has Eb7taught Abus,
AbSing a C7song full of the hope that the present has Abbrought Eb7us;
Facing the Abris-C7ing Fsun of Adim7our new Bbmday C7be-Dbgun,
Ddim7Let Bbus Ddim7march Abon till Edim7vic-Fmto-Eb7ry Abis won.
Verse 2
Stony the Abroad C7we Fmtrod, bit-Dbter Ebthe AbchastEdim7'ning Fmrod,
felt in the Bbmdays Cwhen Dbhope Bbmun-Abborn Ddim7had Eb7died;
Yet with a Abstead-C7y Fbeat, have Adim7not our Bbmwear-C7y Dbfeet
Ddim7come Bbto Ddim7the Abplace for Edim7which Fmour Eb7fa-Abthers sighed?
AbWe have Fmcome over a Dbway that with Fmtears has been Eb7wa-Abtered,
Abwe have C7come, treading our path through the blood of the Abslaugh-Eb7tered,
out from the Abgloom-C7y Fpast, till Adim7now we Bbmstand C7at Dblast
Ddim7where Bbthe Ddim7white Abgleam of Edim7our Fmbright Eb7star Abis cast.
Verse 3
God of our Abwear-C7y Fmyears, God Dbof Ebour Absi-Edim7lent Fmtears,
Thou who hast Bbmbrought Cus Dbthus Bbmfar Abon Ddim7the Eb7way;
Thou who hast Abby C7Thy Fmight led Adim7us in-Bbmto C7the Dblight,
Ddim7keep Bbus Ddim7for-Abever Edim7in Fmthe Eb7path, Abwe pray.
AbLest our Fmfeet stray from the Dbplaces, our FmGod, where we Eb7met AbThee,
Ablest our C7hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we for-Abget Eb7Thee;
shadowed be-Abneath C7Thy Fhand, may Adim7we for-Bbmev-C7er Dbstand,
Ddim7true Bbto Ddim7our AbGod, true Edim7to Fmour Eb7na-Abtive land.
Chords in the key of A♭
- Ab
- C7
- Fm
- Db
- Eb
- Edim7
- Bbm
- C
- Ddim7
- Eb7
- F
- Adim7
- Bb
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Take it further
Hear how it goes
Hear Lift Every Voice and Sing on piano with these chords, then the Sunday Version with the gospel moves we play in church.
Listen →This hymn in three keys, and 49 more
The 50 Hymns for the Church Pianist collection has this hymn in three keys with every verse, a Sunday Version with gospel moves, and big keyboard pictures. Large print and regular print.
See the collection →Why these chords work
Gospel Piano Chords by Ear is the book behind these charts — how to hear the I, IV and V, and how to move between them without reading music.
About the book →Learn it with Henry
Online lessons, by ear, from the author of the book — a camera on the keys and this hymn ready for Sunday.
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