Steal Away

Nat King Cole

About Steal Away

"Steal Away" ("Steal Away to Jesus") is an American Negro spiritual. The song is well known by variations of the chorus: Songs such as "Steal Away to Jesus", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "Wade in the Water" and the "Gospel Train" are songs with hidden codes, not only about having faith in God, but containing hidden messages for slaves to run away on their own, or with the Underground Railroad."Steal Away" the song was composed by Wallace Willis, a slave of a Choctaw freedman in the old Indian Territory, sometime before 1862. Alexander Reid, a minister at a Choctaw boarding school, heard Willis singing the songs and transcribed the words and melodies. He sent the music to the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Jubilee Singers then popularized the songs during a tour of the United States and Europe. "Steal Away" the song is a standard Gospel song, and is found in the hymnals of many Protestant denominations. An arrangement of the song is included in the oratorio A Child of Our Time, first performed in 1944, by the classical composer Michael Tippett (1908–98). Many recordings of the song have been made including versions by Pat Boone and Nat King Cole. 


Year:
2006
2:48
398 
#1

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Steal away, steal away,
Steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain't got long to stay here.

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain't got long to stay here.

Steal away, steal away,
Steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain't got long to stay here.

Green trees are bending,
Poor sinners stand a-trembling;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain't got long to stay here.

Steal away, steal away,
Steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain't got long to stay here.

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the lightning;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain't got long to stay here.

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Nat King Cole

Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was a musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. He owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres. He was one of the first black Americans to host a television variety show, and has maintained worldwide popularity since his death. more »

23 fans

Written by: Gordon Jenkins, Nate King Cole

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Genre Classification
"Steal Away" by Nat King Cole is classified as a song in the style of traditional pop and jazz, which are genres the singer is renowned for.
Album Information
The song was included in the album "Every Time I Feel the Spirit," released in 1959.
Content Classification
"Steal Away" is a spiritual song, reflecting on Nat King Cole's religious upbringing.
Performance Facts
This song showcases Cole's ability to express deep emotion through his smooth and distinctive baritone voice.
Legacy Fact
By including songs like "Steal Away" in his albums, Nat King Cole was able to keep African American spirituals alive during a time when rock and roll was popular.
Cultural Impact
The album "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" including the song "Steal Away" was one of the few instances where a major artist of the period released an album of spirituals, highlighting Cole's diverse range.
Technical Detail
Mixing traditional spiritual melodies with a pop-like orchestration, "Steal Away" epitomizes Cole's unique approach to recording music.
Noteworthy Collaboration
Gordon Jenkins provided orchestration for the whole "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" album, including "Steal Away," contributing to the stylistic fusion of gospel and pop elements.
Influence Classification
Nat King Cole’s rendition of "Steal Away," influenced other artists like Harry Belafonte, who later also combined pop and spiritual elements in their music.
Historical Background
"Steal Away" is a traditional African American spiritual song that originated during the era of slavery in the United States. Its rendition by Nat King Cole is indicative of its lasting cultural impact.
Reception Fact
The album "Every Time I Feel the Spirit", including "Steal Away", was well received by jazz and pop audiences for its innovative blend of spiritual and mainstream pop.
Success Classification
Despite the album's commercial success, "Steal Away" is less known in Nat King Cole's discography compared to his mainstream hits. It remains, however, a significant entry due to its unique genre-blending style.

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