title: The World's Greatest Gospel Singer
text: # The World's Greatest Gospel Singer
  
  Professional ratings :
  
  | Review scores ||
  | - | - |
  | Source | Rating |
  | AllMusic | |
  | The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
  | The New Rolling Stone Record Guide | |
  
  The World's Greatest Gospel Singer is Mahalia Jackson's debut album on the Columbia label, recorded in 1954.
  
  ## Overview
  
  Original record sleeve, written by George Avakian: "The recordings in this collection were made in the course of two consecutive evenings at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City. For Mahalia's debut on the Columbia Label, Mitch Miller had asked her to prepare some new songs for single record release, and I had hoped to get a start toward making an album of spirituals and gospels songs of her own choice. Mahalia surprised and pleased us mightily. In a few hours, she made half a dozen single sides for Mitch and almost an album and a half for me. The only reason we quit was that there was limit to the amount of material we could absorb all at once."
  
  ## Recording session
  
  November 23, 1954, Columbia, New York City, with The Falls-Jones Ensemble: Mildred Falls (piano), Ralph Jones (organ), Jack Lasberg (guitar), Frank Carroll (bass), Bunny Shawker (drums), and Mahalia Jackson (vocal). Columbia CL 644; Originally Released March 14, 1955.
  
  ## Track listing
  
  | Track | Song Title | Composer | Time |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1. | I'm Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song | Thomas A. Dorsey | 2:37 |
  | 2. | When I Wake Up in Glory | Traditional; arranged by Mahalia Jackson | 4:20 |
  | 3. | Jesus Met the Woman at the Well | James W. Alexander, Kenneth Morris | 2:28 |
  | 4. | Oh Lord Is It I? | Robert Anderson | 2:51 |
  | 5. | I Will Move on Up a Little Higher | Rev. William Herbert Brewster | 5:26 |
  | 6. | When the Saints Go Marching In | Traditional; arranged by Mahalia Jackson | 3:54 |
  | 7. | Jesus | Aaron Coleman | 2:18 |
  | 8. | Out of the Depths | Thelma Gross | 3:43 |
  | 9. | Walk Over God's Heaven | Thomas A. Dorsey | 2:38 |
  | 10. | Keep Your Hand on the Plow | Traditional; arranged by Mahalia Jackson | 2:31 |
  | 11. | Didn't It Rain | Roberta Martin | 2:32 |
  
  ## Footnotes
  
  * ↑ AllMusic review
  * ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 534.
  * ↑ The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 246.
  * ↑ Columbia Record CL 644: The World's Greatest Gospel Singer Archived 2008-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
  