Sarah Mitchell
Just a Closer Walk with Thee is a traditional gospel song that has been performed and recorded by numerous artists. It is perhaps most well-known for its use in New Orleans jazz funerals, where it is played as a dirge during the procession from the church to the cemetery. The song's origins are unknown, but it is strongly associated with African-American culture and history. The song's lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, We walk by faith, not by sight, and James 4:8, Come near to God and He will come near to you. Just a Closer Walk with Thee has become a standard in gospel, jazz, and American folk music, and its emotional range has made it a popular choice for choral arrangers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Gospel song, Jazz standard, Hymn, Dirge, Folk music |
| Lyrics | I am weak, but thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to thee. Just a closer walk with thee, grant it, Jesus, is my plea, daily walking close to thee: Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. |
| First known recording | Selah Jubilee Singers in October 1941 |
| First published | 1885 by Lankton (pseudonym for Fanny Crosby) with music by William Kirkpatrick |
| Popularised | In 1940 by Kenneth Morris |
| Associated with | New Orleans jazz funerals |
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What You'll Learn
- “Just a Closer Walk with Thee is a traditional gospel song
- The song is frequently played at New Orleans jazz funerals
- The song's origins are unknown, but it is associated with African-American churches
- The song's lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7
- The song has been recorded by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley
“Just a Closer Walk with Thee is a traditional gospel song
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song that has been performed and recorded by many artists. It is perhaps the most frequently played number in the hymn and dirge section of traditional New Orleans jazz funerals. The song is performed as either an instrumental or vocal, and the lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We walk by faith, not by sight", and James 4:8, "Come near to God and He will come near to you".
The origins of the song are unknown, but it is believed to date back to southern African-American churches of the nineteenth century, possibly even before the Civil War. Some personal African American histories recall "slaves singing as they worked in the fields a song about walking by the Lord's side". The song became better known nationally in the 1930s when African-American churches held huge musical conventions. In 1940, Kenneth Morris arranged and published the well-known version after hearing a porter singing it on a train trip from Kansas City to Chicago. Morris added some new lyrics and a choral arrangement, and within two years the song became a standard in gospel music and then jazz.
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" has been recorded by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Tumbleweed. It is often performed in concert rather than sung by congregations in worship, and is popular among choral arrangers due to its ability to accommodate varying tempos. The song is also played during New Orleans jazz funerals, where it serves as a sign of respect for the deceased. The band plays it at a slow, mournful tempo as the pallbearers bring the body out of the church, and then at a faster, more joyous tempo after celebrating the life of the departed.
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The song is frequently played at New Orleans jazz funerals
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by numerous artists. The song is often played at New Orleans jazz funerals, perhaps more frequently than any other number in the hymn and dirge sections.
The song's origins are unknown, but it is strongly associated with African-American churches of the nineteenth century, possibly even before the Civil War. Some personal African-American histories recall slaves singing the song as they worked in the fields. The song's lyrics and title allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We walk by faith, not by sight," and James 4:8, "Come near to God, and He will come near to you."
In the context of a New Orleans jazz funeral, the song is played as a dirge—a slow, mournful hymn—as the pallbearers bring the body of the deceased out of the church and place the casket in a hearse or carriage. The band then plays the song at a faster, more joyous tempo to celebrate the life of the departed.
The traditional jazz funeral, with its combination of French, Spanish, and African-American cultural influences, emerged in New Orleans in the early twentieth century. While the Catholic Church initially disapproved of secular music at funerals, the practice spread across social and ethnic boundaries in the 1960s. Jazz funerals became an honour, with musicians participating as a sign of respect for the deceased.
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" remains a staple of New Orleans jazz funerals, its message of closeness to God resonating with mourners and celebrants alike.
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The song's origins are unknown, but it is associated with African-American churches
The origins of the gospel song "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" are unknown. Circumstantial evidence, however, strongly suggests that it originated in southern African-American churches of the nineteenth century, possibly even before the Civil War. Some personal African-American histories recall slaves singing a song about "walking by the Lord's side" as they worked in the fields. In the 1930s, the song became better known nationally when African-American churches held large musical conventions.
In 1940, composer Kenneth Morris published the now-famous version of the song. Morris first heard the song when a train porter sang it during a stop on a train trip from Kansas City to Chicago. The song stuck with him, so he took another train back to the previous station to ask the porter to sing it again. Morris wrote down the lyrics and melody and published the song that year, adding some of his own lyrics. Within two years, the song became a standard in gospel music and later in jazz and American folk music.
Songs with similar choruses were published in the 1800s, including "Closer Walk with Thee" with lyrics by Martha J. Some references in Atchison, Kansas, credit an African-American foundry worker and vocalist, Rev. Elijah Cluke (1907–1974), for the current rendition of the song.
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by many artists. It is often performed instrumentally or vocally and is perhaps the most frequently played number in the hymn and dirge section of traditional New Orleans jazz funerals.
While not exclusively used in the African-American community, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a song strongly identified with African Americans.
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The song's lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a gospel song that has been performed and recorded by many artists. It is a traditional tune most associated with New Orleans jazz funerals. The song's title and lyrics allude to the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, which states, "We walk by faith, not by sight".
The song's message is about invoking Jesus, who is "strong", and walking closely beside him. The singer acknowledges their weakness and the world of "wrong" and "toil and snares". They ask rhetorical questions, such as "If I falter, Lord, who cares?" and "Who with me my burden bears?" The response is a comforting "None but thee".
The third stanza of the song takes on a heavenly tone, as the singer is guided "gently, safely o'er to thy shore". This is a common theme in gospel songs, where the one with whom we walk in life will lead us to heaven.
The precise author of "A Closer Walk" is unknown, but it is believed to have originated in the 19th century, possibly even before the Civil War, as some African American histories recall "slaves singing as they worked in the fields a song about walking by the Lord's side". The song became a standard in gospel music in the 1940s and has since been recorded in many genres by numerous artists.
The song's lyrics, which plead for guidance and strength from Jesus, resonate with the Biblical passage from 2 Corinthians 5:7, encouraging believers to walk by faith and not by sight. The song serves as a testament to the power of faith and the comfort found in a close walk with God, even in times of weakness and uncertainty.
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The song has been recorded by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and
The song became well-known nationally in the 1930s when African-American churches held large musical conventions. In 1940, composer Kenneth Morris arranged and published the now-famous version, adding some new lyrics and a choral arrangement. Morris first heard the song when a station porter sang it during one of the stops on his train trip from Kansas City to Chicago. The song became a standard in gospel, jazz, and American folk music, and in the 1940s, a boom of recordings was made in many genres.
The first known recording was by the Selah Jubilee Singers in 1941. By the end of the 1970s, more than a hundred artists had recorded the song. "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" has been recorded by artists including Tumbleweed, Elvis Presley, and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Presley's studio version can be heard on the 2000 Czech CD "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" on the Memory label.
The song is often performed in concert rather than sung by congregations in worship, and it is popular among choral arrangers due to the range of moods the tune can accommodate with varying tempos.
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Frequently asked questions
'A Closer Walk with Thee' is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by many artists.
'A Closer Walk with Thee' is often played in the hymn and dirge section of traditional New Orleans jazz funerals. It is considered a sign of respect for the deceased.
The origins of the song are unknown. However, it is believed to date back to southern African-American churches of the 19th century, possibly even before the Civil War.
The lyrics of the song include: "I am weak, but Thou art strong, Jesus, keep me from all wrong, I'll be satisfied as long as I walk, let me walk close to Thee."
Notable artists who have recorded this song include Elvis Presley, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Tumbleweed, Selah Jubilee Singers, and more.
