From the musical THE CROWNING EXPERIENCE, inspired by the life of the African-American educator, Mary McLeod Bethune. It made history when performed in Atlanta, Georgia, when for the first time blacks and whites entered the theatre through the same door. Written in 1957, it was later made into a film.
Lyrics
‘WADE OUT’
I dreamed I saw a beautiful country
And there, I longed forever to be
But dark before my feet a great river
Poured it’s icy waters, between that land and me
I dreamed I plunged deep into the river
Fought, prayed to reach that shore I could see
Till high above the roar of the torrent
Came the sound of voices calling out to me
Wade out, wade out, into the deep waters
Wade out, wade out, on to the far shore
Wade out, wade out, we are your sons and daughters
Wade out, wade out, on to the far shore
(Spoken)
I dreamt I saw a great array of boys and girls
One boy was holding a big ledger, he cried out to me
‘You will never reach this shore until all our names are written here!’
I thank God I’ve begun to write a few of the names in that ledger, but it’s only a beginning!
I can almost hear them……
Wade out, wade out, into the deep waters
Wade out, wade out, on to the far shore
