England captain Dylan Hartley welcomes the 'feelgood factor' of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Captain Dylan Hartley welcomes the “feelgood factor” generated when Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is sung at Twickenham.
Doubts over the appropriateness of the song, originally an African-American spiritual about the horrors of slavery, being sung at rugby matches were raised this week by Josephine Wright, a professor of music and black studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio.
She told the New York Times: “Such cross-cultural appropriations of US slave songs betray a total lack of understanding of the historical context in which those songs were created by the American slave.”
However, Hartley, who will lead England out at Twickenham tomorrow, insists the song lifts the team.
He said: “I don’t know the history. To me Swing Low is the England rugby song. I’ve knew it like that as a kid, growing up in New Zealand. Should I know the history?
“To us it’s the noise, the sheer atmosphere it generates and the feelgood factor it gives Twickenham.”
The Rugby Football Union, who reference Swing Low’s lyrics by using the hashtag #CarryThemHome on social media, has defended the singing of the song at England matches.
An RFU spokeswoman said: “Swing Low has been associated with rugby and rugby clubs for decades. It is sung by fans to get behind the rugby team.”
