Walk Around Heaven All Day: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A 33 1/3 long-playing stereo album record (a) and jacket (b) of "Walk Around Heaven All Day" recorded by The Caravans.

On the front cover of the album jacket (b) is an image of a purple floral field with an open Bible at the center. At the top in large white and green print is: [Walk Around Heaven All Day / The Caravans]. The Vee-Jay Records logo in light grey is displayed on the right. In the bottom right corner is the album release number, [VJ-5058].

The reverse of the album jacket features an off-white background with an album summary, track list, and advertisements. In the top right corner is the album release number [VJLP5058] and the Vee-Jay Records logo.

The notes on the reverse of the album read: [The Caravans dominate their field and eclipse, in the force and perfection of their work, all others who might be treading that same path. The / Caravans are generally regarded as the foremost female group in the / gospel music world. / During the past several years it has become manifestly evident that / the most vigorous of all folk music engaged in the United States at / the present time is the gospel song. From its humble beginning in the / store fronts and loft churches in the south sharing the early days of this / century, gospel music has thrived to such a degree that it now almost / completely dominates negro religious music. / Gospel music assumed much of its present shape during the period / of the great depression when the prototypes of the gospel song were / fashioned by such men as Thomas Dorsey, Justly considered to be the / foremost composer of gospel music, Dorsey had an extensive career in / jazz, and blues, serving for a long period as piano accompanist and musical director for the legendary Gertrude “Ma” Rainey. Dorsey carried / blues and jazz into gospel music with him. / The Caravans are composed of singers Shirley Caesar, Cassietta George, Dolores Washington, Josephine Howard and, of course, the great organizer of the group herself, Miss Albertina Walker. The featured piano accompanist of the group is James Herndon.].

On the left of the album jacket is the record track list in black print: [WALK AROUND HEAVEN / ALL DAY / REVIVE US AGAIN / NOTHING CAN STOP ME / THE LORD TRIED ME / RIGHT NOW GOD / BE SURE / THAT’S THEY WAY THE / LORD WORKS / SOLID ROCK / WITHOUT GOD / I’VE GONE TOO FAR / (I Can’t Give Up Now) / SINCE I’VE BEEN BORN AGAIN / GOING HOME]. At the bottom of the album jacket are five album advertisements also published by Vee-Jay Records.

There is one double-sided record (a) with six tracks on each side. On the record’s labels, below the Vee-Jay Records logo is: [WALK AROUND HEAVEN ALL DAY / THE CARAVANS]. The lower half of the label on Side 1 reads: [VJLP-5058 / 64-4210 / Long Playing / Side I / Microgroove / 1. WALK AROUND HEAVEN ALL DAY / (C. George) / 2. REVIVE US AGAIN / (A. Walker) / 3. NOTHING CAN STOP ME / (C. George) / (C. George) / 4. THE LORD TRIED ME / (C. George) / 5. RIGHT NOW GOD / 6. BE SURE / (C. George)].

The lower half of the label on Side 2 reads: [VJLP-5058 / 64-4211 / Long Playing / Side II / Microgroove / 1. (J. Herndon) / 2. SOLID ROCK (S. Caesar) / 3. WITHOUT GOD / (A. Walker) / 4. I CAN’T GIVE UP NOW / (A. Walker) / 5. SINCE I’VE BEEN BORN AGAIN / (A. Walker) / 6. GOING HOME / (J. Cleveland)

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1965
• Published by: Vee-Jay Records, American, founded 1950
• Recorded by: The Caravans, American, founded 1952
• Recorded by: Albertina Walker, American, 1929 - 2010
• Recorded by: Shirley Caesar, American
• Recorded by: Cassietta George, American, 1929 - 1995
• Recorded by: Delores Washington
• Recorded by: Josephine Howard
• Recorded by: Rev. James Herndon, American
• Type: record covers
• Type: long-playing records
• Medium: (a) vinyl with ink on paper
• Medium: (b) ink on cardboard
• Dimensions: Diameter (record): 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm)
• Dimensions: L x W (jacket): 12 5/16 × 12 3/8 in. (31.3 × 31.4 cm)
• Place made: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Christianity
• Topic: Gospel (Music)
• Topic: Religion
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Soul (Music)
• Object number: 2014.291.19ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Mrs. Eloise Tyler - Woodside, New York
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Concord Music Group, Inc Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.