“Give Me That Old-Time Religion,” often shortened to “Old Time Religion,” is a traditional gospel song with roots in the African American spiritual tradition. It appeared in print as early as the 1870s through publications tied to the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and the song leader Charles D. Tillman, having heard it sung at a South Carolina revival, copyrighted a published version in 1891.
The song is a simple, repeated declaration of faith. Each verse keeps the same refrain — that the old-time religion is good enough — and adds that it was good for those who came before and will do for the singer now. Its strength is in that plainness and repetition.
Long a staple of revivals and camp meetings, the song passed naturally into bluegrass gospel.
Assisted by AI.
Spot something off? Help us fix it.
