Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho

Practice energetic, rhythmic spiritual style
Develop strong, march-like articulation
Master call-and-response structure

About This Song

Origin: African-American spiritual (19th century)

Difficulty: Intermediate

Notes Used: E, F#, G, A, B, C (high), D (high), E (high)

Time Signature: 4/4

Key: E Minor

Fingering Review

Full Song

A powerful, energetic spiritual about the biblical story of Joshua conquering Jericho. Play with strength and rhythm!

Practice Tips

Energetic character: This is a battle song - play with strength and conviction
Strong rhythm: The repeated notes create a march-like, driving rhythm
Call-and-response: The structure alternates between statement and response
Minor key: The E minor tonality gives it a powerful, dramatic quality

Practice Exercises

Practice the driving repeated E pattern.

Master the ascending pattern.

Practice the descending phrase from high E.

Practice the E minor scale pattern.

Play the full spiritual with energy and drive.

Historical Context

Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho tells the biblical story from the Book of Joshua, where the Israelites conquered the city of Jericho when its walls fell down after they marched around it and blew their trumpets. For enslaved African Americans, this story of liberation resonated deeply as a metaphor for their own hopes for freedom. The spiritual's driving rhythm and triumphant message made it popular both as a work song and a song of resistance. The energetic, march-like quality reflects the military nature of the biblical story while the minor key adds dramatic power. It remains one of the most recognizable and frequently performed spirituals.

Performance Goal: Play this with strength, energy, and rhythmic drive. The repeated notes should be crisp and powerful, building to the triumphant high E. Make it sound victorious!

Next Steps

Once you can play this confidently, try:

Playing it faster to match an energetic march tempo
Adding dynamic contrasts between sections
Learning "Kumbaya" to complete Chapter 8 with a gentle contrast