Steal Away facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Steal Away (Song)" |
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Page from The Jubilee Singers, 1873
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| Song by Fisk Jubilee Singers (earliest attested) | |
| Written | Prior to 1862 |
| Genre | Negro spiritual |
| Songwriter(s) | Wallace Willis |
"Steal Away" (also known as "Steal Away to Jesus") is a famous American spiritual song. Spirituals are a type of religious folk song. They were created and sung by enslaved African Americans.
The song is well known for its chorus, which goes:
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home, I hain't got long to stay here
Contents
The Song "Steal Away"
"Steal Away" is more than just a religious song. It is one of many spirituals that had hidden messages. These songs helped enslaved people communicate secretly. They contained codes about escaping to freedom. This could mean running away on their own. It could also mean joining the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a secret network. It helped many enslaved people find freedom.
Who Wrote "Steal Away"?
The song "Steal Away" was created by Wallace Willis. He was an enslaved man. He lived in what was then called the Indian Territory. This area is now part of Oklahoma. Willis wrote the song sometime before the year 1862.
How the Song Became Famous
A minister named Alexander Reid heard Wallace Willis singing his songs. Reid was at a Choctaw boarding school. He wrote down the words and music of "Steal Away." Then, he sent the music to the Fisk Jubilee Singers. They were a group from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers helped make "Steal Away" very popular. They sang it during their tours. They performed across the United States and in Europe.
"Steal Away" Today
"Steal Away" is now a standard Gospel song. You can find it in the songbooks of many Protestant churches. It is still sung and loved by many people today.
The song has also been used in classical music. It is part of an oratorio called A Child of Our Time. This musical work was first performed in 1944. It was created by the classical composer Michael Tippett. Many artists have recorded "Steal Away." These include famous singers like Pat Boone and Nat King Cole.
