Michael Row The Boat Ashore - Lyrics

Lyrics

The oldest published version of the song runs in a series of unrhymed couplets:

Michael row de boat ashore, Hallelujah!

Michael boat a gospel boat, Hallelujah!

I wonder where my mudder deh (there).

See my mudder on de rock gwine home.

On de rock gwine home in Jesus' name.

Michael boat a music boat.

Gabriel blow de trumpet horn.

O you mind your boastin' talk.

Boastin' talk will sink your soul.

Brudder, lend a helpin' hand.

Sister, help for trim dat boat.

Jordan stream is wide and deep.

Jesus stand on t' oder side.

I wonder if my maussa deh.

My fader gone to unknown land.

O de Lord he plant his garden deh.

He raise de fruit for you to eat.

He dat eat shall neber die.

When de riber overflow.

O poor sinner, how you land?

Riber run and darkness comin'.

Sinner row to save your soul.

or

Michel, row the boat a-shore

Hallelujah!

Then you'll hear the trumpet blow

Hallelujah!

Then you'll hear the trumpet sound,

Hallelujah!

Trumpet sound the world around

Hallelujah!

Trumpet sound the jubilee

Hallelujah!

Trumpet sound for you and me

Hallelujah!

As this song originated in oral tradition, there are many versions of the lyrics. It begins with the refrain, "Michael, row the boat ashore, Hallelujah." The lyrics describe crossing the River Jordan, as in these lines from Pete Seeger's version:

Jordan's river is deep and wide, hallelujah.

Meet my mother on the other side, hallelujah.

Jordan's river is chilly and cold, hallelujah.

Chills the body, but not the soul, hallelujah.

The River Jordan can be viewed as a metaphor for death. According to Allen, the song refers to the Archangel Michael. In Christian tradition, Michael is often regarded as a psychopomp, or conductor of the souls of the dead.