Concerning your explanation for why Michael is rowing, it is my understanding that it could have been an entreaty for Michael to help the pilgrim cross the river Jordan, which is often used in Christian symbology to represent “crossing over” from this life to the next. This seems especially likely, since a specific mention is made: “Brother lend a helping hand, hallelujah, gonna make it to the Promised Land…,” or something very similar, where Promised Land is also a Christian symbol for heaven.
Would you comment on this further?
Consensus among musicologists (IIRC, it’s been a while since I did that Report) is that the song is basically a rowing song, with religious symbolism/overtone/undertone. Hence, I didn’t go into any of the other religious implications, I just listed a few without elaboration. Your comments are correct, Dirk, I just chose not to cover the meanings of the symbolisms.
By the way, “Promised Land” is certainly a Christian euphemism for heaven, but it was also used in spirituals as an expression of hope for release from slavery (since Moses took the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land.) So, once one starts to interpret religious symbolisms, there’s often layer upon layer.
As a personal aside, I’ve been accused of writing overly lengthy Staff Reports, so I occasionally do some that are short, sweet, and to the point. Hence, in this one, I just answered the question without undue elaboration. I’ll have another one this coming Thursday (14 Dec 2006) that will also be short. Just to prove I can do it, you know.
