# Heavenly Union



## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

I hardly listen to much non-classical music these days (Sigur Ros every now and then perhaps), but this was a nice surprise I stumbled on, a song by a musician named *Daniel Zott*, called "Heavenly Union."

I had just finished reading Frederick Douglass' (first) slave narrative, and at the very end, Douglass wrote a scathing parody of a hymn that was very popular in the southern US in his day, on slavery, racism and religious hypocrisy he saw in US churches (Douglass was not one to pull punches either-- his speech, "What to the slave is the fourth of July?" still packs a wallop). Douglass ought to be required reading.

Anyway, so I wanted to find out more (via Google) on the original hymn of "Heavenly Union," with no luck. But what I _did _come across was this musician who took the lyrics and set it to music (it certainly is not the original hymn tune).

To add some subtle irony: the chords mostly see-saw between IV and I-- that is, a plagal cadence. Ouch.

Here's the link to the song (with lyrics): Heavenly Union by Daniel Zott.


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## FrederickDouglass (Dec 20, 2018)

Hello,
I too just finished reading Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, wanted to learn more about the hymn, stumbled upon this post, and just wanted to make this correction eight and a half years after it was posted. Frederick Douglass DID NOT write the parody of Heavenly Union. It was written "by a northern Methodist preacher, who, while residing at the south, had an opportunity to see slaveholding morals, manners, and piety, with his own eyes." Douglass vouches for its accuracy and concludes the appendix with it, but he was not the author. It was actually a google search for the identity of the author which led me here. I just wanted to clear this up for anyone else who may want to look this up.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

More about Frederick Douglass......

https://www.talkclassical.com/groups/book-chat-d1688-another-hero.html


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