Swing Low Sweet Chariot
B.B. Boogie Lyrics

The lyrics of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" by B.B. Boogie is a classic representation of the African American spiritual music genre that dates back to the 19th century. The song is essentially about the journey of the singer, who looks over Jordan, symbolically representing the afterlife, and sees a band of angels coming to carry him home. The words "comin' for to carry me home" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's eagerness to reach the afterlife.

The first verse embodies the anticipation and excitement felt by the singer upon realizing that the angels are coming to carry him home. The line "I looked over Jordan and what did I see?" implies that the singer had a vision or a moment of clairvoyance, which could be interpreted as a showing of pre-death visions, such as near-death experiences. The singer sees a band of angels coming for him, which is again symbolic of the afterlife journey often promised in African American spirituals.

The second verse talks about the singer's current state of mind - "sometimes up, and sometimes down" - and how he still believes that his soul is heavenly bound. This line denotes the singer's faith in the concept of divine salvation and the assurance that his soul is eternally secure in the afterlife.