Sacred Harp, Shapenote Songbook: Start Page and Titles List

550 Christian Hymn & Song Lyrics with PDF from the Sacred Harp Shape Note song book

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Sared Harp Shapenote Songbook

Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in the American South of the United States. The name is derived from The Sacred Harp, a ubiquitous and historically important tunebook printed in shape notes. The work was first published in 1844 and has reappeared in multiple editions ever since. Sacred Harp music represents one branch of an older tradition of American music that developed over the period 1770 to 1820 from roots in New England, with a significant, related development under the influence of "revival" services around the 1840s. This music was included in, and became profoundly associated with, books using the shape note style of notation popular in America in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Sacred Harp music is performed a cappella (voice only, without instruments) and originated as Protestant Christian music.
Sacred Harp singing came into being with the 1844 publication of Benjamin Franklin White and Elisha J. King’s The Sacred Harp. It was this book, now distributed in several different versions, that came to be the shape note tradition with the largest number of participants. B. F. White (1800-1879) was originally from Union County, South Carolina, but since 1842 had been living in Harris County, Georgia. He prepared The Sacred Harp in collaboration with a younger man, E. J. King, (ca. 1821-44), who was from Talbot County, Georgia. Together they compiled, transcribed, and composed tunes, and published a book of over 250 songs. King died soon after the book was published, and White was left to guide its growth. He was responsible for organizing singing schools and conventions at which The Sacred Harp was used as the songbook. During his lifetime, the book became popular and would go through three revisions (1850, 1859, and 1869), all produced by committees consisting of White and several colleagues working under the auspices of the Southern Musical Convention. The first two new editions simply added appendices of new songs to the back of the book. The 1869 revision was more extensive, removing some of the less popular songs and adding new ones in their places. From the original 262 pages, the book was expanded by 1869 to 477. This edition was reprinted and continued in use for several decades.(Ref Wikipedia)

ABOUT THIS COLLECTION: As well as the individual lyrics listed below you can download download the original Sacred Harp books in PDF format. Two versions are provided:

1st edition 1844, and the 1911 edition. To save space these are compressed zips.

SACRED HARP RESOURCES:
For Sacred Harp Singing in the UK check out www.ukshapenote.org.uk
A great collection of resources from Warren Steel at the University of Mississippi
For a demonstration of singing check out this YouTube video.

The transcriptions on this site are made by many different individuals from all over the world for their own research and instruction and as such should not be considered definitive "official" versions, or representative of any particular artist or performance. They are being shared on this site for educational purposes only, please see our copyright page for more info.

For Christian song books and sheet music you can buy, check the
Extensive Christian Music Collection at Sheetmusic Plus


Should you need a print-out of the song, PDF versions (without banners or adverts) are available from the link at the bottom of each song page. Right click and use "Save target as" to download the file.

Available songs in this section, to view the songs choose the required section from the nav-bar at the top of this page.

A Charge To Keep
A Cross For Me
A Glad New Song
A Thankful Heart
Abbeville
Adoration
Africa
Ainslie
Akers
Akin
Alabama
Albion
Alexander
All Is Well
All Saints New
Amanda Ray
America
Amity
Amsterdam
Animation
Anthem On The Beginning
Anthem On The Savior
Antioch
Arbacoochee
Arkansas
Arlington
Arnold
As We Go On
Assurance
At Rest
Aylesbury
Babels Streams
Babylon Is Fallen
Ballstown
Baptismal Anthem
Beach Spring
Bear Creek
Behold The Savior
Bellevue
Beneficence
Bethel
Big Creek
Bishop
Blissful Dawning
Blooming Youth
Bound For Canaan
Boylston
Bridgewater
Bristol
Burdette
Burk
Calvary
Cambridge
Can I Leave You
Canaans Land
Carmarthen
Carnsville
Chambers
Charlton
Chester
Cheves
China
Christ Our Song
Christian Soldier
Christian Song
Christians Delight
Christians Farewell
Christians Hope
Christmas Anthem
Clamanda
Claremont
Cleburne
Cobb
Columbiana
Columbus
Complainer
Concord
Confidence
Consecration
Consolation
Conversion
Converting Grace
Cookham
Corinth
Corley
Coronation
Coston
Cowper
Cross Of Christ
Cuba
Cusseta
Dartmouth
Davids Lamentation
Day Of Worship
Delight
Delong
Detroit
Devotion
Distress
Done With The World
Duane Street
Dull Care
Dura
Easter Anthem
Easter Morn
Ecstasy
Edgefield
Edmonds
Edom
Elder
Elysian
Emmaus
Enfield
Essay
Ester
Eternal Day
Eternal Home
Eternal Light
Eternal Praise
Evening Shade
Exhilaration
Exhortation (first)
Exhortation (second)
Exit
Expression
Fairfield
Faith And Hope
Family Bible
Family Circle
Farewell Anthem
Farewell To All (first)
Farewell To All (second)
Fatherland
Federal Street
Fellowship
Few Happy Matches
Fight On
Fillmore
Fleeting Days
Florence
Florida
Fredericksburg
Frozen Heart
Fulfillment
Funeral Anthem
Funeral Thought
Gainsville
Garden Hymn
Georgia
Golden Streets
Gospel Trumpet
Grantville
Granville
Green Fields
Green Street
Greenland
Greensborough
Greenwich
Hallelujah
Hampton
Happy Christian
Happy Home
Happy Land
Harmony
harp001
Harpeth Valley
Haynes Creek
Heavenly Anthem
Heavenly Armor
Heavenly Dove
Heavenly Home
Heavenly Land
Heavenly Port
Heavenly Rest
Heavenly Union
Heavenly Vision
Heavens My Home
Hebrew Children
Hebron
Help Me To Sing
Highlands Of Heaven
Holcombe
Holiness
Holly Springs
Holy City
Holy Manna
Home In Heaven
Home Of The Blest
Homeward Bound
Horton
Humility
Huntington
I Want To Go To Heaven
I Would See Jesus
Idumea
Ill Seek His Blessings
Im Going Home
Im On My Journey Home
Imandra
Immensity
Infinite Day
Infinite Delight
Invitation
Invocation (first)
Invocation (second)
Irwinton
Jackson
Jacobs Vision
Jasper
Jefferson
Jerusalem
Jester
Jesus Is My Friend
Jesus Rose
Jewett
Jordan (first)
Jordan (second)
Journey Home
Joyful
Jubilee
Kedron
Kelley
King Of Peace
Kingwood
Laban
Land Of Rest
Lawrenceburg
Leander
Lebanon
Lena
Lenox
Let Us Sing
Liberty
Lisbon
Liverpool
Living Hope
Living Lamb
Living Streams
Lloyd
Logan
Long Sought Home
Look Out
Lord We Adore Thee
Louisiana
Love Divine
Love Shall Never Die
Love The Lord
Lover Of The Lord
Loving Jesus
Loving Kindness
Majesty
Manchester
Mans Redemption
Marlborough
Mars Hill
Martin
Marys Grief And Joy
Mcgraw
Mckay
Mear
Melancholy Day
Mercys Free
Messiah
Milford
Millennium
Ministers Farewell
Mission
Monroe
Montgomery
Morality
Morgan
Morning Prayer
Morning Sun
Morning
Mortality
Mount Desert
Mount Pleasant
Mount Vernon
Mount Zion (first)
Mount Zion (second)
Mulberry Grove
Mullins
Murillos Lesson
Mutual Love
My Brightest Days
My Home (first)
My Home (second)
My Life And Breath
My Rising Sun
My Shepherd Guides
Nashville
Natick
Nativity
Never Part
Never Turn Back
New Agatite
New Bethany
New Bethel
New Britain
New Georgia
New Harmony
New Hope
New Hosanna
New Jerusalem
New Jordan
New Lebanon
New Prospect
New Topia
Newburgh
Newnan
Nidrah
Ninety Fifth
Ninety Third Psalm
North Port
North Salem
Northfield
Norwich
Notes Almost Divine
Novakoski
Ocean
Ode On Lifes Journey
Ode On Science
Odem (first)
Odem (second)
Ogletree
Oh Come Away
Oh Sing With Me
Oh What Love
Old Hundred
Oleary
Olney
Ortonville
Our Humble Faith
Oxford
Panting For Heaven
Parting Friend
Parting Friends (first)
Parting Friends (second)
Parting Friends (third)
Parting Hand
Passing Away
Peace And Joy
Penick
Penitence
Petersburg
Phillips Farewell
Phoebus
Pilgrim
Pilgrims Farewell
Pisgah
Pittsford
Pleasant Hill
Plenary
Pleyels Hymn (first)
Pleyels Hymn (second)
Poland
Portland
Portuguese Hymn
Praise God
Praise Him
Pray Brethren Pray
Present Joys
Primrose Hill
Primrose
Promised Day
Prospect
Protection (first)
Protection (second)
Providence
Ragan
Raymond
Redemption
Reese
Religion Is A Fortune
Repentance
Rest For The Weary
Restoration (first)
Restoration (second)
Resurrected
Return Again
Reverential Anthem
Reynolds
Rockport
Rocky Road
Roll Jordan
Roll On
Rose Of Sharon
Russia
Sabbath Morning
sacred Harp Hymnal
Sacred Mount
Sacred Rest
Sacred Throne
sacredharp 1844
sacredharp Htmgr
sacredharp Srxtxt
Saints Bound For Heaven
Saints Delight
Salem
Samaria
Sardinia
Sardis
Save Lord Or We Perish
Save Mighty Lord
Sawyers Exit
Schenectady
Send A Blessing
Sermon On The Mount
Service Of The Lord
Sharon
Sharpsburg
Shawmut
Shepherds Rejoice
Sheppard
Sherburne
Shining Star
Shouting Song
Showers Of Blessings
Sidney
Silver Street
Sing On
Sing To Me Of Heaven
Sinners Friend
Sisters Farewell
Soar Away
Soft Music
Soldier Of The Cross
Soldiers Delight
Sons Of Sorrow
Sounding Joy
Span Of Life
Spring
St Thomas
Stafford
Still Better
Stockwood
Stony Point
Stratfield
Struggle On
Supplication
Swanton
Sweet Affliction
Sweet Canaan
Sweet Majesty
Sweet Morning
Sweet Prospect
Sweet Rivers
Sweet Solitude
Sweet Union
Symphony
The American Star
The Ark
The Better Land
The Blessed Lamb
The Bower Of Prayer
The Brides Farewell
The Child Of Grace
The Christian Warfare
The Christians Flight
The Christians Hope
The Christians Nightly Song
The Churchs Desolation
The Converted Thief
The Dying Boy
The Dying Californian
The Dying Christian
The Dying Friend
The Dying Minister
The Enquirer
The Fountain
The Golden Harp
The Good Old Way
The Gospel Pool
The Great Day
The Great Redeemer
The Grieved Soul
The Happy Sailor
The Hill Of Zion
The Lamb Of God
The Last Words Of Copernicus
The Lone Pilgrim
The Loved Ones
The Lovely Story
The Marcellas
The Marriage In The Skies
The Mercy Seat
The Messiahs Praise
The Midnight Cry
The Morning Trumpet
The Old Fashioned Bible
The Old Ship Of Zion
The Pilgrims Way
The Prodigal Son
The Promised Land
The Resurrection Day
The Rock That Is Higher Than I
The Royal Band
The Saviors Call
The Saviors Name
The Shepherds Flock
The Spirit Shall Return
The Throne Of Grace
The Traveler
The Trumpet
The Twenty Third Psalm
The Weary Soul
Thou Art God
Thou Art Passing Away
To Die No More
Tolling Bell
Traveling On
Traveling Pilgrim
Tribulation
Turn Sinner Turn
Union
Vain World Adieu
Vale Of Sorrow
Vermont
Vernon
Victoria
Villulia
Virginia
War Department
Warning
Warrenton
Wayfaring Stranger
Weary Pilgrim
Webster
Weeping Mary
Weeping Pilgrim
Weeping Savior (first)
Weeping Savior (second)
Weeping Sinners
Well Soon Be There
Wells
Westford
When I Am Gone
Where Ceaseless Ages Roll
Where Theres No Trouble And Sorrow
White
Whitestown
Windham
Winter
Wondrous Cross
Wondrous Love
Wood Street
Wootten
Worcester
World Unknown
Ye Heedless Ones
Youth Will Soon Be Gone
Zion

There are also many other Christian pieces on this site which are included with other collections, e.g. the Children's Songs section contains quite a few.