Black History Month: God Has Smiled on Me

Another song I had to learn pronto when I began playing for an urban congregation was "God Has Smiled on Me."

"Do you know this one, Iggy? We sing it here ALOT!"

"I am sorry, but I haven't heard it, so give me a week or two to work it out!"

To make matters a little more complicated, there are about as many arrangements of this song as there are congregations that sing it.

This recording is about as close as I could find to the way it is sung at my congregation. We take it a little faster, though.

I like this song as a Lutheran because it clearly places the Christian's conversion in God's power.

God has smiled on me;
He has set me free.
God has smiled on me;
He's been good to me.

Occasionally you find that someone picks up the refain and puts their own twist on the stanzas. Here's Mary Mary with their own take on this gospel classic.

Here's an a capella arrangement that works in "Amazing Grace" as the stanzas while the melody from the refrain is hummed underneath. Unfortunately the recording cuts out a bit early, but at least the creative aspect is captured.

And finally, this song was written by Rev. James Cleveland, and here is his arrangement.