“Go Down Moses” is an old African American spiritual song dating back to the 18th century. It was the first spiritual to be recorded in sheet music and published in 1853 by Reverend Lewis Lockwood under the title “Oh! Let My People Go: The Song of the Contrabands”. The “call-and-response chant form” is used, where the leader states a theme that is taken by the chorus.
The song propagates a powerful message of hope for the oppressed African American slaves; the Biblical story of Moses from the book of Exodus was adopted to express the unquenchable desire for freedom felt by the African Americans held in captivity. It was sung by slaves while they worked but it is also said to have been sung by abolitionists to signal escape or rebellion. Therefore the song was outlawed by many slave holders throughout southern America.
On this page you can find lyrics, a printable lyrics PDF file for free download and two sing-along videos with lyrics of the song.
Contents
Printable Lyrics PDF
Click on the button to download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.
Lyrics
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell all Pharaohs
to let my people go!
When Israel was in Egypt land
Let my people go
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go
So the lord said,
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell all Pharaohs
to let my people go!
So Moses went to Egypt land
Let my people go
He made old Pharaoh understand
Let my people go
Yes, the Lord said,
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell all Pharaohs
to let my people go!
Thus spoke the Lord, bold Moses said
Let my people go
If not, I’ll smite your firstborns dead.
Let my people go
God, the Lord said,
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Way down in Egypt land
Tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go
Lyrics (extended version)
1. When Israel was in Egypt’s Land,
Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt’s Land.
Tell ol’ Pharoah,
Let my people go.
2. Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said,
Let my people go,
If not, I’ll smite your first-born dead,
Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt’s Land.
Tell ol’ Pharoah,
Let my people go.
3. No more shall they in bondage toil,
Let my people go,
Let them come out with Egypt’s spoil,
Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt’s Land.
Tell ol’ Pharoah,
Let my people go.
4. We need not always weep and mourn,
Let my people go,
And wear these slavery chains forlorn,
Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
5. Your foes shall not before you stand,
Let my people go,
And you’ll possess fair Canaan’s land,
Let my people go.
Chorus
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land
Tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
6. O let us all from bondage flee,
Let my people go,
And let us all in Christ be free,
Let my people go.
Animated Sing-along Video
Sing-along Video with Lyrics (extended version)
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