Get on board with the beat! Listen carefully!

Song: “Get on Board!” What might this song be about?

Song: “Get on Board!” What might this song be about? This song is about a train! How do you know? What did you hear?

“ Get on Board” is a slave song. Back in the 1800s when there was slavery, the slaves would sing songs as they worked. Slave life was hard, and some were often mistreated, so they sang songs about freedom and a better life.

“ Get on Board” is a slave song. In this song, the phrase “gospel train” is a code word for the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routs and “safe houses” that would take slaves to freedom. Safe houses were homes where good people who didn’t like slavery would take care of the slaves that were trying to escape. This song invited the slaves to get on board the train to freedom and travel to a better life. A safe house.

Types of Engines Steam engines were used in the 1800s, when “Get on Board” was sung. Steam builds up in the boiler and makes the wheels turn. In the 1930s we started using diesel engines that burn diesel fuel to run.

♫ Get on Board! ♪ Get on board, little children, Get on board, little children; There’s room for many a more. The gospel train’s a-comin’, I hear it close at hand; I hear the carwheels rumblin’ And rollin’ through the land. Get on board, little children, Get on board, little children; There’s room for many a more.

Make a train! As we sing this song, let’s move like little trains with an engine, a car, and a caboose!

What will you be on Halloween? What will you be on Halloween, Halloween, Halloween? What will you be on Halloween? Please show us now.