<… Read Full Bio ↴The definitive Afroamerican gospel group in the jubilee quartet style.
Founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet in Norfolk, Virginia in 1934 by A. C. “Eddie” Griffin, Robert “Peg” Ford, Henry Owens, and Bill Johnson, they began as a traditional jubilee quartet, combining the clever arrangements associated with barbershop quartets with rhythms borrowed from the blues and jazz.
The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups. William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join “The Jubalaires” and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.
The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles—from Owens’ mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name, to the group’s highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group.
Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
The Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A great big wheel turning over
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling way
In the middle of the earth (Great God)
It was a great big wheel rolling
A little bit wheel turning over
A wheel in the middle of a wheel
Rolling way in the middle of the earth
For all, way in the middle of the earth
Well the little wheel ran by the grace of
God, way in the middle of the earth(Great God)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling
A little bit wheel turning over
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling way
In the middle of the earth(Great God)
It was a great big wheel rolling
A little bit wheel turning over
A wheel in the middle of a wheel rolling
Way in the middle of the earth (Great God)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (×4)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling
A great big wheel turning over
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling way
In the middle of the earth (Great God)
It was a great big wheel rolling
A little bit wheel turning over
A wheel in the middle of a wheel
Rolling way in the middle of the earth
Well the little wheel ran by the grace
Of God, way in the middle of the earth
Yes the big wheel ran by the grace of
God, way in the middle of the earth(Great God)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling
A great big wheel turning over
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling way
In the middle of the earth (Great God)
It was a great big wheel rolling
A great big wheel turning over
A little bit wheel turning over
A wheel in the middle of the wheel rolling
Way in the middle of the earth (Great God)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (×4)
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling
A great big wheel turning over
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (Great God)
It was a great big wheel rolling
A little bit wheel turning over
A wheel in the middle of a wheel
Rolling way in the middle of the earth
(End).
The Golden Gate Quartet's "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" is a traditional gospel song that recounts a vision from the Book of Ezekiel in the Bible. The song speaks of a wheel within a wheel, rolling way in the middle of the earth, and tells of how the big wheel ran by faith while the little wheel ran by the grace of God. The imagery is metaphorical and speaks to the nature of faith and grace. The song suggests that faith and grace are fundamental in the workings of the universe and are necessary for comprehension and interpretation of the divine mysteries.
The lyrics imply that Ezekiel, a prophet in the Hebrew Bible, had a vision of a great wheel rolling through the earth with another circle spinning inside it. The song is thought to be derived from the African American spiritual tradition and resonates with themes of hope, perseverance, and faith. The repetition of the wheel motif emphasizes the cyclical nature of time and the eternal workings of the divine.
The Golden Gate Quartet's rendition of "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" is characterized by soulful harmonies, dynamic rhythm, and exceptional vocal range. The gospel quartet style is typified by call-and-response singing, where the lead singer or soloist sings a line that is followed by a response from the group. The song was recorded in the 1930s and has since become a standard of the gospel genre, inspiring several renditions by other artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling
Ezekiel witnessed the movement of a wheel
A great big wheel turning over
A large wheel revolved
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling way
Ezekiel observed the wheel's journey
In the middle of the earth (Great God)
In the heart of the world, O Almighty
It was a great big wheel rolling
A colossal wheel was revolving
A little bit wheel turning over
A small wheel was also spinning
A wheel in the middle of a wheel
A wheel within a wheel
Rolling way in the middle of the earth
Turning in the depths of the world
Well the big wheel ran by the faith
The large wheel moved with the power of belief
For all, way in the middle of the earth
For everyone, in the depths of the world
Well the little wheel ran by the grace of
The small wheel turned through the mercy of
God, way in the middle of the earth(Great God)
God, in the depths of the world, O Almighty
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (×4)
Ezekiel witnessed the movement of the wheel four times
A great big wheel turning over
A large wheel was revolving
A wheel in the middle of a wheel rolling
A wheel within a wheel was moving
Well the little wheel ran by the grace
The small wheel turned through the mercy
Of God, way in the middle of the earth
Of God, in the depths of the world
Yes the big wheel ran by the grace of
Indeed, the large wheel moved through the mercy of
God, way in the middle of the earth(Great God)
God, in the depths of the world, O Almighty
A great big wheel turning over
A large wheel was revolving
A wheel in the middle of the wheel rolling
A wheel within a wheel was moving
Way in the middle of the earth (Great God)
In the depths of the world, O Almighty
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (×4)
Ezekiel witnessed the movement of the wheel four times
Ezekiel saw the wheel rolling (Great God)
Ezekiel witnessed the movement of the wheel, O Almighty
It was a great big wheel rolling
A colossal wheel was revolving
A little bit wheel turning over
A small wheel was also spinning
A wheel in the middle of a wheel
A wheel within a wheel
Rolling way in the middle of the earth
Turning in the depths of the world
(End)
End of the song
Writer(s): Willie T. Johnson, Henry L. Jr. Owens, Orlandus Wilson, Clyde Riddick
Contributed by Camden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.