I'll Hear the Trumpet Sound

musical notation for _I'll Hear the Trumpet Sound_
Midi version of the bar of music.

You may bury me in the East,
You may bury me in the West;
But I'll hear the trumpet sound
In that morning.
In that morning, my Lord,
How I long to go,
For to hear the trumpet sound,
In that morning.

2
Father Gabriel in that day,
He'll take wings and fly away,
For to hear the trumpet sound
In that morning.
You may bury him in the East,
You may bury him in the West;
But he'll hear the trumpet sound,
In that morning. CHO. --
In that morning, &c.;
3
Good old christians in that day,
They'll take wings and fly away, &c.;
4
Good old preachers, &c.;
5
In that dreadful Judgment day
I'll take wings and fly away, &c.


"Flying away" refers to the belief that slaves would fly home to Africa upon their deaths (Sundquist, To Wake the Nations 523). Perhaps this song serves as an elegy of sorts for the fictional John, who dies in the story but will perhaps rise above the veil of racism after death.


Chapter Title of Chapter Chapter's Song Significance of the song Author Title Comment
13 Of the Coming of John I'll hear the Trumpet Sound Fast, toward Africa. The voice of exile. Mrs. Browning "A Romance of the Ganges" Plea for God to calm the unquiet night


[Return to Chapter 13] [Main Page]