Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Facts for Kids

"Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" is a famous folk song. It became very important during the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. This movement was a big effort to get equal rights for African Americans in the United States. The song is based on an older traditional song called "Gospel Plow." This older song was also known by names like "Hold On" or "Keep Your Hand on the Plow."

The original song, "Gospel Plow," has been around for a long time. It was mentioned in a book by Alan Lomax in 1949. This book talked about a recording from 1937. Other old books from 1917 and 1928 also mention "Gospel Plow." This shows that the song has roots in both English folk music and African-American traditions.

Who Wrote the Song?
- How Folk Songs Change
Famous Performances
Song's Influence
Where to Find the Lyrics
See also

Who Wrote the Song?

The words for the modern Civil Rights version of "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" are often linked to Alice Wine. She was from Johns Island, South Carolina. Mrs. Wine was part of a group called the Moving Star Hall and The Progressive Club on Johns Island. A book called Ain't You Got the Right to the Tree of Life talks about songs from this group and the lives of African Americans there.

It's not likely that Mrs. Wine wrote all the lyrics herself. It's more probable that she heard different versions of the song from people in her community. Folk songs often change as they are passed down. For example, the lines about "Paul and Silas" in "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" were already in older versions of "Keep Your Hand on the Plow." Singer Odetta used these lines in her 1960 concert. Mrs. Wine is mainly credited with changing the title from "Keep Your Hand on the Plow" to "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize."

How Folk Songs Change

Lyrics for traditional American folk songs and African-American spirituals often change. Singers might improvise or borrow parts from other songs. This was especially true in African-American religious music, which often uses a "call and response" style. For example, Mahalia Jackson sang "Keep Your Hand on the Plow" in 1958. She started with the lines, "Mary had three links of chain, Every link bearin' Jesus name." Bob Dylan also sang these words in his version of "Gospel Plow."

These lines actually come from a different song called "Mary Wore Three Links of Chain." This shows how flexible folk music is. Many people, like writer Carl Sandburg and folk singer Pete Seeger, have noted how American and African-American folk music can change. Because of this, no single artist can be fully credited with creating "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize." It's a song that grew and changed with many voices.

Famous Performances

Many artists have performed and recorded "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and its older versions. These recordings help us remember the song's history and its impact.