I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy is a beautiful contemporary song that expresses how we will feel when we reach heaven.
The song was written by Nettie {Neith} Dudley Washington and the music was written by E.M. Dudley Cantwell. The tune is known as Cried Holy.
Washington was born March 31, 1881 and died in January 1963. Information available is limited on her, other than she lived in Tennessee.
My original research showed this song was published in 1977. A reader reached out to stated it had a 1954 copyright and published in Heavenly Highway Hymns in 1956. So, I conducted more research and Hymnary.org showed a copyright of 1923 and 1925 to Unichappel Music, Inc.
This song has much more history than I ever realized.
The sheet music has at the top Isaiah 6:3, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.”
The song has been published in the New National Baptist Hymnal and the African American Heritage Hymnal.
A popular version of this song is by the contemporary Christian artists, Michael English and Jimmie Davis.
I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy expresses our reaction when we reach heaven #songstory Share on X
I’m afraid your information is wrong. This hymn has a 1954 copyright and was published in Heavenly Highway Hymns in 1956.
Thank you for contacting me. Additional research shows it’s even an older song than 1954. I’ve updated the post.
So who sang the original version???
I’m not sure. Research hasn’t turned up that information yet.
I HEARD THIS SONG IN TENT REVIVALS IN THE MID TO LATE 1950s….ALWAYS MOVED THE CONGREGATION TO TEARS OF WORSHIP…..SUNG ALSO AT MANY FUNERALS…..WISH WE KNEW MORE ABOUT THE WRITERS….THEY WERE VERY MUCH INSPIRED BY GODS SPIRIT…..
Thank you for sharing!
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I was singing ‘I believe in a hill called Mt. Calvary and noticed striking comparisons.
Mahailia Jackson recorded this song long before she died!
Thank you for sharing. She died in early 1972.
Wally Fowler originator of the Oak Ridge Quartet/Boys always said from stage, and interviews he wrote the song. He had written hundred of country and gospel hits. Including I think several of Eddy Arnolds first hits. I worked and toured with him for over twenty years and he would always tell the story about how the song came about before we sung it. JD Sumner was often touring on the same shows and and agreed with Fowler store. I don’t remember the name he penned it under, he was going through a divorce at the time he wrote it and didn’t want in in his current library so, he put it in another name. I have seen royalty checks for several of his songs before his death in 94. Including Bowed on my knees, couldn’t believe it was true, Wasted Years, 13 steps, 13 red roses and many others over the years.