Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac

Dizzy Gillespie performed “Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac” from at least the mid-1960s. It parodies the opening verse of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”: “I looked over Jordan and what did I see, / Comin' for to carry me home! / A band of angels comin' after me, / Comin' for to carry me home!” The Eldorado referred to in Gillespie’s lyrics was one of Cadillac’s most luxurious and expensive models. Introduced in 1953, it was discontinued in 2003. The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado is pictured below.

Swing low, sweet Cadillac,
Comin’ for to carry me home.
Swing low, sweet Cadillac,
Comin’ for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?
Comin’ for to carry me home.
Oh, an Eldorado, comin’ after me.
Comin’ for to carry me home.

Images: From the Collections of The Henry Ford. 1) B114118 and the actual automobile is in the collection of The Henry Ford 86.48.1

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