Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow is an African-American Christmas spiritual. It’s about the message that drew the shepherds (well, at least one shepherd) to follow the Christmas star to find the Christ Child.
The spiritual is a “call and response” song – one way it’s been done in many Black churches is to have the soloist sing the “call” lines, and to have the choir reply with the “response” line “rise up, shepherd, and follow”.
You’ll enjoy playing our new arrangment of Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow for twelve handbells!
| CALL | RESPONSE |
| Oh, there’s a star in the East on Christmas morn It will lead you to the place where the saviour’s born Leave your ewes and leave your rams Leave your sheep and leave your lambs Follow, follow Follow the star to Bethlehem Come on now |
Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up shepherd, and follow Rise up shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Follow |
| Now, if you take good heed to the angel’s word You’ll forget your flock, forget your herd You gotta leave your ewes and leave the lambs You gotta leave your sheep and leave your rams Follow, follow Follow the star to Bethlehem |
Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow |
| In a cradle of straw is a babe asleep Born that man no more will weep Leave your burdens, lay them down For you that child will wear a crown Follow, you got to follow Follow the star to Bethlehem |
Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow Rise up, shepherd, and follow |
| There’s a light in the sky shining crystal clear There’s a megaphone singing to my fear Rise and go, you’re being released Born this morning is the prince of peace You got to follow Rise and go, you’re being released (follow) Rise up, rise up, rise up (rise up) |
Rise up, rise up, Move on, move on Rise up, ’cause he’s born, he’s born Rise up, rise up, Move on, move on Rise up, I rise up, I rise up, rise up, Follow Rise up, rise up, rise up, You got to follow You got to follow, You gotta follow, yeah You got to follow, I follow, follow, follow |
| Twelve Handbells, C5-G6 |  |
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| C5-G6 Score Package: | $10.00 US | |
| C5-G6 Practice track:: | $2.00 US | |
| Twelve Handbells, Bb4-F6 |  |
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| Bb4-F6 Score Package: | $10.00 US | |
| Bb4-F6 Practice track:: | $2.00 US | |
| Twelve Handbells, F5-C7 |  |
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| F5-C7 Score Package: | $10.00 US | |
| F5-C7 Practice track:: | $2.00 US | |
Purchasing this 12-bell arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so you only need to pay once. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.
