The band took its name from the different backgrounds of its members. Fung, who is British-Chinese ('China') and Reid, who has Jamaican heritage ('Black').
Their music is typified by heavy, lush string arrangements, gospel choirs, a dance/pop/reggae beat, pizzicato strings and mostly minor chord arrangements on piano.
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
China Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?
Coming for to carry me home,
A band of angels coming after me,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
If you get there before I do,
Coming for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends I'm coming, too.
Coming for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
I'm sometimes up and sometimes down,
Coming for to carry me home,
But still my soul feels heavenly bound,
Coming for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
The brightest day that I can say,
Coming for to carry me home,
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Coming for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
"Swing Low Sweet Chariot" is a song with a clear religious and spiritual message, specifically referring to the Biblical story of Elijah going up to heaven on a chariot. The song is a plea for salvation and a wish for the singer's soul to be carried to heaven on a chariot, represented by the phrase "swing low, sweet chariot". The repeated refrain implies a sense of longing and anticipation for the end of earthly life and the hope for eternal peace in heaven.
In the verses, there are clear references to images of angels, Jordan, and a spiritual home. The line "I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?" is a reference to crossing the river Jordan as a metaphor for death and the singer being greeted by a band of angels who have come to take them to their spiritual home. The line "I'm sometimes up and sometimes down" reflects the ups and downs of life, but the singer's soul feeling "heavenly bound" suggests a firm belief in the power of God to guide them through any hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Swing low, sweet chariot,
I am calling out to the heavenly chariot to come and take me away.
Coming for to carry me home,
I am eagerly waiting for the chariot to take me to my eternal home in heaven.
I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?
I have seen the other side of the Jordan river, where heaven awaits me.
A band of angels coming after me,
I see a group of angels approaching me, ready to take me home.
If you get there before I do,
If you reach heaven before me,
Tell all my friends I'm coming, too.
Please let my loved ones know that I will be joining them in heaven soon.
I'm sometimes up and sometimes down,
In life, I have experienced highs and lows.
But still my soul feels heavenly bound,
But despite everything, I am still longing for the eternal peace of heaven.
The brightest day that I can say,
The most joyous and memorable moment in my life,
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Is when I was forgiven and cleansed of my sins by Jesus.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRADITIONAL, FRANCESCO MOCCHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave Mons
I am going to have this at my funeral. I may be Irish, but my heart is reggae, soul, funk, calypso, and African music. I'll have to get a proper score for this from somewhere.
Iain Hamilton
I'm a Scottish rugby fan but this makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand up. Best version of this song there is!
Nancy Jemutai
Your comment made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Thank you for your acknowledgement.
CR D
As it is THE English rugby song I am not surprised! :-)
Iain Hamilton
I would love to see these guys pull off a "Flower of Scotland" that would be quite interesting to hear. But until that ever happens this version aces it for me.
Paul Coleman
Absolutely
Lee Phillips
Regardless of who performed the best version, I think it's important to remember that this is actually a slave song asking God to take them from there torturous existence on earth and deliver them to heaven. I'm not a christian, but understanding the meaning behind the song makes the lyrics so much more powerful.
GrumpyTinashe
True that
Sibusiso Ndlovu
Tjoe! Heavey and touching narrative or ...tion
jon
Very true.and in the end it was the British crusade against slavery that ended the slave trade and cost the British government many millions