Angel Rolled the Stone Away

a cappella SATB – traditional – arr. Peter Amidon

In Amidons’ book/CD ‘Fifty-five Anthems for the Small Church Choir‘. Tony Barrand gave Peter a copy of this song with a very simple harmonization. Peter kept the melody intact and came up with this harmonization, one of his first for the Guilford Community Church “9 0-Clock Choir”, who often sing this at their Easter morning worship services. This Easter spiritual has its roots in the African American church. Here is another version of the spiritual, arranged by Jester Hairston.

LYRICS

The Angel Rolled the Stone Away
traditional

CHORUS
The angel rolled the stone away.
The angel rolled the stone away.
‘Twas on a bright and shiny morn
When the trumpet began to sound
The angel rolled the stone away.

Sister Mary came a runnin’ at the break of day.
Brought the news from heaven, the stone is rolled away.

I’m a’lookin’ for my Savior, tell me where he lay.
High up on the mountain, the stone is rolled away.

Soldiers there a’plenty, standing by the door,
But they couldn’t hinder, the stone is rolled away.