Go Tell It on the Mountain
Traditional African American spiritual. First published in "Folk Songs of the American Negro" by John Wesley Work II (1907). Public domain in all jurisdictions.
Chorus
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
CO-ver the hills and Gev-ery-where
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
That D7Je-sus Christ is Gborn
Verse 1
While Gshep-herds kept their Cwatch-ing
O'er si-lent Gflocks by night
Be-Ghold through-out the Dhea-vens
There shone a Gho-ly light
Chorus
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
CO-ver the hills and Gev-ery-where
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
That D7Je-sus Christ is Gborn
Verse 2
The Gshep-herds feared and Ctrem-bled
When lo a-Gbove the earth
Rang Gout the an-gel Dcho-rus
That Ghailed our Sav-ior's birth
Chorus
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
CO-ver the hills and Gev-ery-where
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
That D7Je-sus Christ is Gborn
Verse 3
Down Gin a low-ly Cman-ger
The hum-ble GChrist was born
And GGod sent us sal-Dva-tion
That Gbless-ed Christ-mas morn
Chorus
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
CO-ver the hills and Gev-ery-where
GGo tell it on the moun-tain
That D7Je-sus Christ is Gborn
Structure
Playing Tips
🎸 Strum Pattern
At 92 BPM in 4/4 this spiritual grooves — and the groove is everything. A syncopated strum pattern works best: down on beat 1, rest, down-up on the and of 2, down on 3, down-up on the and of 4. Or drive a steady eighth-note strum and let the rhythm section carry the syncopation underneath. The chorus G-C-G pattern is the hook of the song — make the C chord feel like an arrival, not just a passing chord. D7 on "Jesus Christ is born" is the tension that makes the G resolution feel like a shout. Give it space to resolve.
🔊 Dynamics
This spiritual is a joyful proclamation and should feel that way from bar one. Full band on every chorus. Verse slightly lighter so the chorus lands bigger each time. The three-verse structure means you have three opportunities to grow: verse 1 chorus is medium, verse 2 chorus is full, verse 3 chorus is the biggest and most joyful of all. If your band can add a repeat of the chorus at the end and build dynamically each time through, the congregation will sing louder with every repetition. That energy is the point.
🎵 Band Direction
Bass is the foundation of this spiritual — a walking bass line under G-C-G-D7 gives it its gospel weight. Drums play a strong 4/4 with a syncopated feel, not a straight hymn pattern. Piano comps with gospel-style chord stabs between phrases. Electric guitar adds fills between the chorus lines. This is the most gospel-oriented hymn in our collection and it responds best to a band that actually leans into that sound rather than playing it like a hymn. The bass player especially sets the feel — if the bass is right, everything else falls into place.
🎤 Vocal
"Go tell it on the mountain" is one of the great call-and-response lines in the Christian tradition. If your worship team has more than one vocalist, split it: one voice leads the line, the other echoes. The congregation picks up the third time naturally. The phrase "that Jesus Christ is born" should feel like a shout of joy, not a formal announcement. We have seen congregations who are barely awake at the start of the service come alive the moment the chorus hits — that is the power of a spiritual with a hook this strong. Let people celebrate it.
→ Transitions
Opens a Christmas set with immediate energy. Also works as a commissioning song or closing hymn any time the message has been about testimony, sharing faith, or the Great Commission — "go tell it" is not just a Christmas command. We have used it at Light Church after baptism services where new believers were sharing their testimonies. The mandate to go and tell connects naturally to any sermon on witness or evangelism. Do not limit it to December.