Lyrics
(African American Spiritual)
Refrain
Great day! Great day, the righteous marching.
Great day! God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls,
Great day! Great day, the righteous marching.
Great day! God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls.
1. Chariot rode on the mountain top,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls!
My God spoke and the chariot did stop,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls! Refrain
2. This is the day of jubilee,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls!
The Lord has set His people free,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls! Refrain
3. We want no cowards in our band,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls!
We call for valiant-hearted men,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls! Refrain
4. Goin’ to take my breastplate, sword, and shield,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls!
And march out boldly in the field,
God’s goin’ to build up Zion’s walls! Refrain
See also
- Culture: African American Spirituals
- Subject: building
- Form: call and response /Â ABA
- Meter: 4
- Scale: pentatonic
- Tones: drmsl
- Source: American Negro Songs, 230 Folk Songs and Spirituals, Religious and Secular, John W. Work, 1940
YouTube
- Song with chords in 2 keys (PDF)
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song