Come, children, hear the joyful sound,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Go spread the glad news all around,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Chorus
Oh, the big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
The big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
The big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
I’ve been abused and tossed about,
Ding, Dong, Ding!
But glory to the Lamb! I shout,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
My bruthah jus’ sent word to me,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
That he’d done set his own self free.
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Ole massa said he could not go,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
But he’s done reached Ohio sho’.
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Ise gwine to be real nice an’ meek,
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Den I’ll run away myself nex’ week.
Ding, Dong, Ding.
Chorus
Oh, the big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
The big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
The big bell’s tollin’ up in Zion,
Ding, Dong Ding.
From The Book of American Negro Poetry (Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1922), edited by James Weldon Johnson. This poem is in the public domain.