"I'm on my way (and I won't turn back)" is a traditional Gospel song. It is described a typical "going-to-
Canaan
Canaan (; Phoenician: 𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍 – ; he, כְּנַעַן – , in pausa – ; grc-bib, Χανααν – ;The current scholarly edition of the Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus T ...
" song; and possibly an
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
song.
The lyrics begin ''"I'm on my way and I won't turn back, I'm on my way and I won't turn back, I'm on my way and I won't turn back; I'm on my way, great God, I'm on my way. I asked my brother to come with me..."''
[Mark Kailana Nelson ''Favorite Old-Time American Songs for Dulcimer'' 2011 p. 147 "I'm on my way and I won't turn back, I'm on my way and I won't turn back, I'm on my way and I won't turn back; I'm on my way, great God, I'm on my way. I asked my brother to come with me, I asked my brother to come with"]
Recordings
*
The Carter Family
Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.
...
*
Odetta
Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...
on ''
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues
''Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues'' is the debut solo album by American folk singer Odetta. It was released in November 1956 by Tradition Records.
Like much of Odetta's early work, ''Ballads and Blues'' combines traditional songs (e.g. spirituals ...
'' 1956
* Soundtrack for ''
Elmer Gantry
''Elmer Gantry'' is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. The novel's protagonis ...
'' (1960)
*
The Golden Gate Quartet
The Golden Gate Quartet (a.k.a. The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet) is an American vocal group. It was formed in 1934 and, with changes in membership, remains active.
Origins and early career
The group was founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Singe ...
recorded this song under the title "The Story of Job"
*
Barbara Dane
Barbara Dane (born Barbara Jean Spillman; May 12, 1927) is an American folk, blues, and jazz singer, guitarist, record producer, and political activist. She co-founded Paredon Records with Irwin Silber.
"Bessie Smith in stereo," wrote jazz cri ...
, on her album "On My Way", 1962.
*
The Proclaimers
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
(
1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
)
* Adapted, into a new song "
On My Way"
References
{{authority control
Gospel songs
Year of song unknown