Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down

“Satan, your kingdom must come down,” is a folk song from African-American church and spiritual traditions. The original lyrics would have been “I heard the voice of Jesus say, Satan your kingdom must come down.” I wanted to expand this sentiment to include our voices, to express how many of us are feeling about the malicious- and yeah, evil- actions of those in power. 

There are many wonderful versions of this American folk song, and I recommend looking first to the older sources. On YouTube, you can listen to a version by Sister Fleeta Mitchell and Rev. Willie Mae Eberhard, and another by Frank Proffitt, of Western North Carolina. One of the oldest recordings is from 1933, from the singing of Adeline Rogers, a member of a Gullah community in Harris Neck, Georgia (scroll down on this page to listen to her version- this is part of a longer article).

Adeline Rogers is standing at right in this picture. Source.

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Lyrics

Satan, your kingdom must come down (2x)

I heard the voice of the people say

Satan your kingdom must come down

I’m gonna shout ‘til they tear your kingdom down

Shout ‘til they tear your kingdom down

I heard the voice of the people say

Satan your kingdom must come down

I’m gonna work ‘til they tear your kingdom down

Work ‘till they tear your kingdom down

I heard the voice of the people say

Satan your kingdom must come down