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These are the songs featured in our Summer 2026 concert programme. Click on a song title to learn more about its history and what it means to Oxford Gospel Choir.

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• How I Got Over

• Let It Be

• Looking for You

• Oh Happy Day

• Ride on, King Jesus

• Rise Up

• Shackles

• When I Get There

• You’re the Voice

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How I Got Over

Clara Ward (1951), Aretha Franklin (1972), written by Rev. William Herbert Brewster Sr

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Background

First recorded in 1951 by Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers, this song became closely associated with the Civil Rights Movement. Mahalia Jackson sang it at the 1963 March on Washington before Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream speech. Aretha Franklin later recorded a powerful live version in 1972. It also reached new audiences through the band Reef in 2018.

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Why we sing it

It’s got a powerful solo and really comes alive when we perform it with the band. Our audiences love to sing and move along with it.

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Let It Be

John Lennon and Paul McCartney (1970)

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Background

It would be a surprise if anyone didn’t know this hugely famous song by The Beatles. The version we sing is from the 2007 musical film Across the Universe. The film is a love story set in the 1960s, moving between the USA, Liverpool and Vietnam against the backdrop of the anti-war movement and social protests of the era.

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Why we sing it

This gospel arrangement shows just how wonderfully written the song is by giving it a completely different feel.

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Looking for You

Kirk Franklin (2005)

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Background

Released in 2005 on the album Hero, this track blends gospel with funk and R&B influences. It strongly samples the Patrice Rushen hit Haven’t You Heard from 1979. The lyrics focus on overcoming adversity through faith and perseverance.

In 2019, Kirk Franklin led a boycott of the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards after comments he made about police violence against Black Americans were removed from the broadcast for the second time.

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Why we sing it

It’s a great groove and always makes us smile when we sing it. The layered harmonies and dynamic drive make it especially satisfying as a full ensemble.

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Oh Happy Day

Edwin Hawkins Singers (1967), based on words by Philip Doddridge

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Background

Originally based on an 18th-century hymn, this song was transformed in 1967 when Edwin Hawkins created a contemporary gospel arrangement. It became an international hit and introduced gospel music to a mainstream global audience. The version we sing is inspired by the arrangement featured in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

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Why we sing it

When people think of a gospel choir, this is often the song that comes to mind. It’s joyful, bold and instantly recognisable. It also happens to be our choir director’s favourite, much to her husband’s amusement after hearing it many hundreds of times.

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​Ride on, King Jesus

Traditional spiritual

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Background

Like many traditional spirituals, Ride on, King Jesus has uncertain origins. It was first published in 1872 by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University, a group of students, many of whom had previously been enslaved, who toured to raise money for their school.

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Why we sing it

Oxford Gospel Choir first learnt a version of this song at a workshop led by gospel leader Colin Vassell more than ten years ago and it quickly became a choir favourite. This term we’ve brought together our favourite elements from different arrangements we’ve sung over the years.

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Rise Up

Andra Day (2015)

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Background

Released in 2015, Rise Up became associated with resilience and social justice movements in the United States. In 2016, Andra Day performed the song at the Democratic National Convention following appearances by mothers connected to the Black Lives Matter movement. She also performed it at the 2021 presidential inauguration.

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Why we sing it

This song is about quiet strength. It brings a reflective moment into our programme and reminds us that power doesn’t always have to be loud.

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Shackles (Praise You)

Mary Mary (2000)

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Background

Released in 2000, Shackles helped redefine contemporary gospel by blending R&B production with gospel lyrics. It remains one of the defining crossover gospel songs of the early 21st century.

Why we sing it

The groove is infectious and instantly lifts the energy in a room. It brings a contemporary gospel sound into our repertoire and encourages a bold, fun performance.​

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When I Get There

Kirk Franklin (2002)

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Background

Kirk Franklin is one of the most influential figures in contemporary gospel music. He is known for leading pioneering gospel choirs and creating a style that blends traditional gospel with contemporary sounds. When I Get There appears on his 2002 live album The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin.

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Why we sing it

It’s full of energy and strong choir layering. The call-and-response sections help us build confidence and really listen to each other.

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You’re the Voice

John Farnham (1986), written by Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta and Maggie Ryder

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Background

This song was written in response to anti-nuclear demonstrations in the mid-1980s and released by Australian singer John Farnham in 1986. Its message of collective action and using your voice for change has helped it remain relevant for decades.

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Why we sing it

You’re the Voice reminds us that we can all play a part in making change happen. It’s an uplifting finale and a powerful song to sing together.