Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Feat. China Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Swing low, sweet chariot,
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,

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.

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.

Overall Meaning

The song "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a traditional African American spiritual that speaks to the hope for salvation and freedom. The lyrics convey the idea of a person longing to be carried home on a chariot, which is believed to be a reference to the chariot in the Bible that took the prophet Elijah to heaven. The metaphor of the chariot represents the idea of freedom and escaping from the challenges of life on earth. The repetition of the chorus "Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home" throughout the song emphasizes this yearning for salvation and freedom.

The line "I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?" is a reference to the Jordan River, which is mentioned in the Bible as a place of spiritual significance. The "band of angels" mentioned in the next line represents the idea of divine intervention and protection, further highlighting the theme of hope for salvation. The verses that follow speak to the uncertainty and struggles of life, but the promise of salvation that the chariot represents provides comfort and strength. The song ends with the idea that the brightest day is when Jesus washes away our sins, indicating that ultimate salvation comes through faith in him.

Line by Line Meaning

Swing low, sweet chariot,
The singer is asking for a sweet chariot to come and carry him home.

Coming for to carry me home,
The chariot is coming to take the singer home.

I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?
The singer is looking over the river Jordan and sees something.

A band of angels coming after me,
The singer sees a group of angels coming to take him to heaven.

If you get there before I do,
The singer is asking someone to tell his friends he's coming.

Tell all my friends I'm coming, too.
The singer wants his friends to know that he's also coming to heaven.

I'm sometimes up and sometimes down,
The singer has good and bad days.

But still my soul feels heavenly bound,
The singer feels that his soul is destined for heaven.

The brightest day that I can say,
The singer remembers the happiest day of his life.

When Jesus washed my sins away,
The singer believes that Jesus forgave his sins.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRADITIONAL, FRANCESCO MOCCHI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS