"Leave It There" is a Christian hymn composed in 1916 by African-American Methodist minister Charles A. Tindley.[2][3] It has become popular enough to have been included in 12 hymnals; and even to be attributed to "traditional" or "anonymous". The title is sometimes given as "Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There" or as "Take Your Burden to the Lord" or as "Take Your Burden", words taken from the song's refrain; the plurals "burdens" and "them" are sometimes used, and "God" instead of "the Lord":[3]
"Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There" | |
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SinglebyWashington Phillips | |
Recorded | Dallas, Texas, December 2, 1927 |
Genre | Gospel blues |
Length | 3:10 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Charles A. Tindley |
Producer(s) | Frank B. Walker[1] |
"Leave It There" | |
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SinglebyPace Jubilee Singers | |
Recorded | Chicago, June 30, 1928 |
Genre | Gospel |
Length | 3:07 |
Label | Victor (21551-B) |
Songwriter(s) | Charles A. Tindley |
"Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There" | |
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SinglebyBlind Willie Johnson | |
Recorded | New Orleans, Louisiana, December 11, 1929 |
Genre | Gospel blues |
Length | 2:57 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Charles A. Tindley |
Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
The song relates to Psalm 55:22:
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
and to Christ's words in the Gospel of Matthewat11:28-30:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
It also relates to the Gospel of Matthewat6:26:
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
On December 2, 1927, the song was recorded in gospel blues style by Washington Phillips (vocals and zither).[4] According to the book Country Music Records : A Discography, 1921-1942: A Discography, 1921-1942, on December 13, 1927, it was recorded by Frank and James McCravy. On June 30, 1928, it was recorded in gospel style by the Pace Jubilee Singers (chorus, singing in close harmony) with Hattie Parker (vocal soloist) and piano accompaniment.[5] On December 11, 1929, it was recorded in gospel blues style by Blind Willie Johnson (vocals (using his "growl" (false bass) voice throughout) and guitar) and Willie B. Harris (vocals), who is thought to have been his first wife.[6][7] Despite their closeness in time both to each other and to the date of composition, those three early versions are stylistically very different.
The song has since been recorded many times in a wide variety of styles; mostly gospel-based, but a few blues- or country-based. Some recordings misattribute authorship to Johnson or to Phillips instead of to Tindley; some artists have even claimed that it was their own composition.
This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2015)
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This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2015)
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These songs have related titles to the Tindley song, but differ from it and from each other: