“Up Above My Head, There’s Music in the Air”

“Up Above My Head, There’s Music in the Air”

Gospel Choir:  Over My Head

“Up above my head (up above my head),

there’s music in the air (music in the air).

Up above my head (above my head),

there’s music in the air (music in the air).

Up Above my head (above my head),

there’s music in the air (music in the air). 

I really do believe (really do believe),

There’s a heaven somewhere (a heaven somewhere).

[alternative last lines… “There must be a God somewhere;” “There must be a Joy somewhere“].

Americana Roots: The Wood Brothers “Up Above My Head”

This classic call-and-response gospel song, sometimes entitled “Over My Head,” is based on a traditional slave-era spiritual from the 19th century, and as most spirituals is anonymous. It was popularized in the 1940’s by a brilliant Pentecostal musician who was way ahead of her time, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, as she pioneered rock and roll and rhythm and blues with her amazing use of the electric guitar in her gospel singing. This wonderful ode to music and the Creator of music has enjoyed one cover after another through the decades, in every style and genre of music that can be imagined.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Up Above My Head I Hear Music In the Air – Gospel

The lyrics are timeless, and suggest that the mere existence of music gave hope to the enslaved in their misery. Since there’s such an awesome thing as music in this life, there must be a God somewhere. The beauties of music didn’t just appear by accident out of thin air. Music is so elevated above this world that there must have been a heavenly author, so inspired there must have been a Holy Spirit. Music is so perfectly designed, there must be a perfect Designer somewhere who put it all together. Music surely came from another world, and it seems the most likely and most worthy candidate is Heaven. I can see with my mind’s eye a million angels clapping their hands, lifting their arms, and dancing in rhythm. And I can hear with my mind’s ears their singing around God’s throne. So there’s got to be some truth to that vision, or else how else could I have even imagined such a wondrous thing? Even if, from all appearances, life seems empty and hopeless and troublesome, the fact that music exists gives us hope that there is something beyond all this. Since music exists, there must be a God in heaven watching over us, and so there is always hope. For most of those enslaved, music was proof of God’s existence and love. The same could go for us.

Blues: Ruthie Foster: Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)

Jazz: Rhiannon Giddens Perform ‘Up Above My Head’ In Honor Of Rosetta Tharpe

Contemporary Funk: Up Above My Head

Traditional Rhythm and Blues: Up Above My Head

Church Male Chorus: Over My Head song by the Men’s Chorus

Country: The Blind Boys of Alabama – Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air) (feat. Randy Travis) (2009)