Song Name: Battle Hymn of the Republic (also sometimes known as "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory")
Year of Release: 1862
Written By: Julia Ward Howe
Released by: No original recording exists, though later renditions are available
Key Lyrics: "As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free/While God is marching on."
Description: Born out of the tune of "John Brown's Body," Howe heard a soldier singing the former while passing by a public review of the Union troops. Howe's companion, the minister James Freeman Clarke, suggested that she write new lyrics for the song. Howe wrote it the next morning after waking up and sold it to The Atlantic Monthly for $4 (worth around $150 in today's money). The song takes the melody of "John Brown's Body" and infuses it with biblical references such as the day of judgment. Interestingly, Howe and her husband were connected to the Secret Six, the group that initially funded John Brown's activities, including the raid on Harper's Ferry.
Why It Was Important: The song took an already popular tune and gave it new meaning. The explicitly religious nature of the lyrics openly showed the spiritual motivation that many abolitionists felt was guiding them towards their goals, and the line, "as He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free" compares the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to the sacrifice of the Union soldiers. The song compares the Union's fight against the Confederacy to God's punishment against sinners in the end times, further adding to its religious message. Because of its spiritual and abolitionist nature, the song remained relevant for decades; in fact, Martin Luther King Jr. wrapped up his final sermon before he died by quoting the first line of the song, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." Additionally, Michael B. Curry quoted the song's chorus, "Glory, glory hallelujah, his truth is marching on," after becoming the first Black Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, showing its continued relevance to major events in Black history.
Recordings:
American Patriotic Song: Battle Hymn of the Republic (YouTube rendition)