“Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a classic Christmas carol. Over the years, countless artists have recorded and released versions of the song. Lainey Wilson and Zach Williams will perform the song tonight during CMA Country Christmas.
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“Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a religious song about the birth of Jesus Christ. However, that hasn’t stopped it from being a part of the overall Christmas celebration for religious and secular artists alike. So, the pairing of country star Wilson and contemporary Christian singer Williams on the song tonight highlights its mass appeal.
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The list of artists who have recorded “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is long and eclectic. For instance, Bob Marley, Dolly Parton, Kirk Franklin, Jim Nabors, Allison Moorer, Smokey Robinson, and countless others have recorded the song over the years. However, some may not realize just how old this holiday classic is.
The Origin of “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
The first known publication of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is attributed to John Wesley Work, Jr. He published the song in his 1901 book New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. However, Work likely didn’t write the song.
According to Gaither Music, Work earned a Master’s in Latin and taught ancient Latin and Greek. But, the Nashville native’s true passion in life was music. When he wasn’t teaching, Work was what some refer to as a song catcher.
He collected folk songs, transcribed them, and published them. More specifically, Work was the first Black collector of African-American spirituals. These songs originated with enslaved people in the American South. They would pass them orally from plantation to plantation. As a result, Work, like other song catchers, had to go out into the world and find people who knew the songs and learn them first-hand.
This was not an easy task. However, Work was born in 1871, just six years after the abolition of slavery in the United States. Growing up in Tennessee, Work likely knew many formerly enslaved people and was able to collect spirituals from them.
In short, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is well over 100 years old. However, there is no way to know when, where, or with whom it originated.
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