Chris Oti knew nothing about it until it happened. Ever since then he has been linked to a piece of English rugby lore.
‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ was first belted out, en masse, at Twickenham back in 1988 as England came back from 3-0 down at half-time to defeat Ireland 35-3.
Oti ran in a second half hat-trick and became an instant hit with the home fans. The song, which was popular on the club rugby circuit in Wales and England, rung out as Oti shredded the Irish defence.
Five years later, a discussion on the seminal moment was described as ‘slightly racist but in the best possible taste’ in the letters section of The Independent.
The Wasps winger’s international career last only three years and 13 caps but the song has lived on.
American academics were interviewed for a piece on the song, which was first performed internationally by the Fisk University Jubilee Singers in the 1870s. It was in existence long before the words were committed to paper and toured.
The spiritual has strong links with slavery in the United States and a New York Times article has looked into how it became an anthem for England’s rugby team. The article quotes Josephine Wright, a professor of music and black studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio, who says:
“Such cross-cultural appropriations of US slave songs betray a total lack of understanding of the historical context in which those songs were created by the American slave.”
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a cherished African-American spiritual. Thousands now belt it out in England. https://t.co/DOJ1HF4Vhf
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 8, 2017
Telegraph rugby reporter Daniel Schofield broached the subject with England prop Mako Vunipola. He said:
“I’ve always taken it as just the English song really, I’ve never thought of it as any more or any less than that.
“Watching games when I was younger, when you hear it come on it’s obviously something special and when you’re on the field and hear it, it gives you a bit of a lift, so never really thought about the meaning or if it’s from slavery.
“I had no idea about that, and now that you’ve told me it’s kind of… I don’t know if it’s relevant. If the fans want to sing it then let them sing it, but obviously if people find it offensive then sorry.”
England take on Scotland at Twickenham in this weekend’s Six Nations championship. Expect to hear ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ ringing out.
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SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT
Well, now I looked over Jordan and what did I see
Comin’ for to carry me home
There was a band of angels a comin’ after me
Comin’ for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Comin’ for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Comin’ for to carry me home
Well, I’m sometimes up and I’m sometimes down
Comin’ for to carry me home
But I know my soul is heavenly bound
Comin’ for to carry me home
(Chorus)
Well, now if you get there before I do
Comin’ for to carry me home
Tell all of my friends that I’m a comin’ too
Comin’ for to carry me home
(Chorus)…
Well, now they’re comin’ for to carry me home
