75 Best Foot-tapping, Hand-raising Gospel Songs

Rooted in the rich tradition of African-American spirituals, here are some of the very best gospel songs.

Author:
Traci Rhoades
Updated:
Dec 13, 2023

Gospel music has evolved over time. The genre's earliest beginnings are found in the music sung, and passed down, by enslaved people in America's South. This musical language consisted of hymns and songs that comprised their oral tradition, often using repetitive phrases, aiding those who longed to worship but couldn't read.

By the end of the 19th century, Southern gospel music had expanded some, including any song noted for its spirituality and rhythm. Gospel music utilizes strong vocals and good harmonies, similar to its cousin, rhythm and blues. With the introduction of the radio, gospel music's popularity took off like never before. Originally serious in tone, gospel music today can instead be upbeat and praise-invoking.

Throughout the years, Black gospel continued to emerge with its own flavor, staying close to its roots. It's known as an early influence on rock and roll, and gospel rap/hip-hop.

Gospel music, then, has made a tremendous impact on music historically. It's a genre treasured by many, and is offered up in a variety of styles today. Here are 75 of the best gospel songs to help you better appreciate its gift to listening ears.

75 Best Gospel Songs

1. "This Train" - Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Popular in the 1930s and 1940s, Sister Rosetta Tharpe introduced the electric guitar to gospel music, paving the way to the earliest days of rock and roll.

2. "This Old House" - Stuart Hamblen

A southern gospel tune and popular country and western song as well, the story goes that Hamblen was hunting with a guide, Monte Wolfe, and fellow marksman, John Wayne. They came across a dilapidated house where a man had passed away, and found his dog still there, on guard.

3. "Amazing Grace" - Harlem Gospel Choir

Many a gospel song is a hymn, and a hymn is a gospel song. And no gospel music song list would be complete without a rendition of "Amazing Grace," written by John Newton.

4. "Blessed Assurance" - CeCe Winans

Beloved by Christians worldwide, American music writer, Fanny Crosby, wrote more than 8,000 hymns. At six weeks of age, Fanny had a minor eye inflammation, and the treatment administered left her blind. Her hymns are still well-known today.

5. "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" - Mahalia Jackson

This gospel song from the 1930s was sung by great American gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson, at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral in 1968. In turn, it was sung by Aretha Franklin at Jackson's funeral four years later.

6. "Lord, Remember Me" - Soul Stirrers

Here, guitar finds its way into gospel music, with the signature background doo-wops adding accompaniment as well.

7. "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" - The Fairfield Four

Adding rhythm to the acapella offering, this is a great example of early gospel music. Note the repetitive course, along with the use of numbers to aid in memory recollection.

8. "Can the Circle be Unbroken" - Carter Family

Born and raised in the Appalachian region, one of the Carter Family's many popular songs included a version of this 1908 hymn, with words by Ada Habershon and music by Charles Gabriel. They made a few signature changes to this song about a singer attending his mother's funeral.

Singing another classic hymn, this group started out as four blind students - Lawrence Abrams, Archie Brownlee, Joseph Ford, and Lloyd Woodard - from Piney Woods School for the Blind near Jackson, Mississippi in 1938. They added Melvin Henderson in 1942.

In the 1930s, another group of boys was attending Talladega Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind near Birmingham, Alabama. They took their singing group on the road in the 1940s. You can still hear this quintet today.

11. "Only Believe" - The Swan Silverstones

Originally called the Four Harmony Kings, this quartet changed its name at the request of Swan Bakery, the sponsor of a program where the group had a 15-minute radio slot. The. Harmonies.

12. "I've Got so Much to Shout About" - Dixie Hummingbirds

Picking up the pace, adding hand claps and background vocals for a solid beat, the Dixie Hummingbirds performed this song at the Newport Folk Festival in 1966.

13. "O Happy Day" - The Edwin Hawkins Singers

In 1968, Edwin Hawkins, and his soprano-singing church pianist, Betty Watson, recruited the Northern California State Youth Choir to add a chorale ensemble to gospel music performances. "Oh Happy Day," originally an 18th-century hymn, remains a gospel standard, and has been covered by hundreds of artists across genres.

14. "I'll Fly Away" - Johnny Cash and June Carter

Joined by the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins and the Tennessee Three, this version of a wildly popular gospel hymn, written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley, aired on "The Johnny Cash" show in 1971.

15. "Midnight Cry" - Gold City

The genre, Southern Gospel, combines the sounds of American folk and gospel music. It has close ties to country and bluegrass, gaining in popularity in the mid-20th century, and never looking back.

16. "Holy Ground" - Geron David with TaRanda & Cana's Voice

A powerful recording of the worshipful song, "Holy Ground," including the story behind the song by its writer, Geron Davis. He is joined by Cana's Voice, a vocal group that includes TaRanda, Doug Anderson, Jody McBrayer and Geron Davis.

17. "Family of God" - Bill Gaither Trio

Here's an early recording of The Bill Gaither Trio, featuring Bill Gaither, Gloria Gaither, and Danny Gaither. The Gaither Family (and friends) have performed gospel music for more than fifty years, and produced more than fifty albums.

18. "I Believe He's Coming Back" - The Happy Goodmans

Recorded for Gaither Music TV, this performance is by The Happy Goodmans, formed by Howard "Happy" Goodman in the 1940s. Various members of the family performed together for decades.

19. "Get Away Jordan" - Hovie Lister and The Statesman

Lead singer and pianist, Hovie Lister, a Baptist minister, led the popular quartet, The Statesman, in the decades of the 1950s and 1960s.

20. "Standing by the River" - The Speer Family

The theme of crossing over the river (often the Jordan) in gospel music is a reference to the Israelites crossing over the Jordan into the Promised Land (see Joshua 4:6-7). It represents deliverance from an old way of life into spiritual freedom, with God's help.

21. "Hallelujah" - The Clark Sisters

This song is sung by the highest-selling female gospel group, the Clark Sisters. Learn more about their story in the Lifetime movie: The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel.

22. "God is Real" - Skip James

A branch of gospel music known as gospel blues, artists like Skip James combined the best of these two genres. Well-known for his guitar playing and melancholy appearances, he was sometimes laborer, a minister and also a blues player or gospel singer.

23. "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" - Eric Bibb

An acoustic version of this old African-American spiritual. It captures the mood of the song well.

24. "My Soul Gonna Live with God" - Josh White

A blues offering or a Gospel offering? Gospel music often fits easily into multiple genres.

25. "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" - Whitney Houston

This gospel hymn, written in 1905, has been performed by many artists, but this one from the late Whitney Houston really captures the soulful feel of a traditional gospel song.

26. "Lord, Look Down On Me" - Bessie Griffin

Bessie, born Arlette B. Broll in New Orleans, Louisiana, was mostly a solo artist. In addition to recording songs, she sang on Broadway, and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.

27. "Look for Me at Jesus' Feet" - The Griffins

Here representing a newer style of gospel music, progressive southern gospel, this trio from South Carolina. They've performed at places like Dollyworld, and the Loretta Lynn Ranch.