Steal Away to Jesus

This is an Afro-American spiritual. In most churches which use it today, it is intended to be about having faith in Jesus or a comforting hymn for funerals - although the original meanings were more complex

The words and usual tune were written by Chocktaw freed-man Wallace Willis, sometime before 1852. As with many songs from this era, its origins are complex. Wikipedia has more information about this.

With meter 5.7.9.7 with refrain, it is almost always set to the same tune, which some people call STEAL AWAY.

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Examples

1947 TV show recording, duet with piano:

Classic band version:

Choir with organ:

Single voice with piano - good for learning the basic tune:

Lyrics

Refrain:
Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the thunder;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

Green trees are bending,
Poor sinners stand a-trembling;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.

My Lord, He calls me,
He calls me by the lightning;
The trumpet sounds within my soul,
I ain’t got long to stay here.