“Go, tell it on the mountain, / Over the hills and everywhere. / Go, tell it on the mountain / That Jesus Christ is born.”
The upbeat “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” is centered on the proclamation of the gospel, celebrating Jesus’ birth by calling on Christians to tell others about it. Its evangelistic theme makes it a great song for believers to reflect on now that Christmas has passed.
It’s one of the most iconic and recognized Christmas hymns, yet it almost never saw the light of day.
Fear and shame almost kept this song hidden in the hearts of those who were severely oppressed. But the story of those who bravely decided to share the hymn with the world parallels the believer’s commission to share Jesus with those who have never heard His name.
The Story Behind the Song
“Go, Tell It on the Mountain” originated as one of many spirituals, songs that slaves would sing on plantations and small slave churches. Many spirituals did not have the joyful tone of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” instead containing lyrics that were full of lament and mourning, expressing the pain of being unjustly enslaved. These songs were passed down through oral tradition; they were not intended to be shared with others.
Shortly after the Civil War, the American Missionary Association established Fisk University to provide education for former slaves. Included in the school’s array of courses was vocal and instrumental music, and university treasurer George White was tasked with leading Fisk’s choral instruction. The chorus singers’ repertoire included spirituals, which they recited from memory.
Even as White gathered the spirituals and coached the choir to sing in public, he was met with resistance. Ella Sheppard, one of the chorus singers, said the spirituals “were associated with slavery and the dark past, and represented the things to be forgotten. Then, too, they were sacred to our parents, who used them in their religious worship and shouted over them. We finally grew willing to sing them privately.”
When Fisk University faced financial troubles, the school’s chorus—named the Fisk Jubilee Singers—began an 18-month tour to raise $20,000 for the school. The singers encountered many obstacles, including segregated hotels and trains. Despite these challenges, the tour was a huge success, raising tens of thousands of dollars for the university and introducing the world to the spirituals once sung on plantations.
When John Wesley Work II became the director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the late 1880s, he composed musical arrangements for the spirituals, transferring the oral traditions to written form. He eventually published the arrangements and collections of the songs—including “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”—making them available for widespread distribution.
The Believer’s Call to Go and Tell It
If the original choir of Fisk Jubilee Singers had chosen to keep the spirituals in the dark, the world may never have been introduced to well-known songs like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Go, Tell It on the Mountain.” If John Wesley Work II had not compiled the spirituals into musical arrangements, these songs may not be sung in churches today.
But because these individuals stepped out in vulnerability, their songs have been shared with the world and have inspired believers for generations.
The same can happen when believers today follow the lyrics of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain.”
Billions of people around the world celebrate Christmas each year, but billions more don’t know what Christmas is about.
They don’t know that the shepherds feared and trembled when the angel chorus hailed the Savior’s birth. They don’t know that God sent us salvation on that blessed Christmas morn.
The words of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” reflect Jesus’ commission to His followers: “‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations … (Matthew 28:19).’” If we choose to ignore this command and keep silent about the greatest news the world has ever known, more than 3 billion people will never know who Jesus is.
May the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers inspire you to go public with your faith. Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born and came to save the world.
Why Christmas Isn’t Over
The presents are unwrapped, radio stations have stopped playing Christmas music, and the decorations will be put away soon. Another Christmas has come and gone, and people are returning to post-holiday normalcy. But if the spirited celebration ends on December 25, then believers have missed the point of Christmas.
