When the Saints Go Marching in” Is often referred to as “The Saints” or “Oh when the Saints” is a Black spiritual song.
“When the Saints Go Marching in” Is often referred to as “The Saints” or “Oh when the Saints” is a Black spiritual song. It originated as a Christian hymn and is often played by jazz bands. It was famously recorded in 1938 by Louis Armstrong. The origins of this song are unclear but it evolved in the early 1900’s. The tune is particularly associated with the city of New Orleans. As a jazz standard, it has been recorded by a great many jazz and pop artists, such as Elvis Presley, Harry James, Bing Crosby, Jerry Lee Lewis and the politically influenced folk singer, Woody Guthrie, who did an anti-war version called “When the Yanks Go Marching in”
This particular arrangement seeks to tell the story of this tune in New Orleans culture. Starting with a spiritual passage it then moves through a more uplifting gospel mood, with a hint of what Jelly Roll Morton called the "Spanish Tinge". The piece bursts into life with a classic dixie style presentation concluding with a funkier edge in the manner of the present-day New Orleans brass bands.
