Marching Song

"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as simply "The Saints", is a traditional African-American spiritual. It originated as a Christian hymn and became a jazz standard associated with New Orleans, Louisiana, where it is traditionally performed at jazz funerals. One of the most famous jazz recordings of "The Saints" was made on 13 May 1938, by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra. The song is sometimes confused with a similarly titled 1896 composition: "When the Saints Are Marching In" by Katharine Purvis (lyrics) and James Milton Black (music). In June 2026, CBS News included the hymn in its list of the 250 essential American songs of the past 250 years.