"Up Above My Head" is a gospel song of traditional origin, first recorded in 1941 (as "Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air") by The Southern Sons, a vocal group formed by William Langford of the Golden Gate Quartet.

[1] In the version that is now the best-known, it was recorded in 1947 by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight as a duo.

Civil rights leader Bernice Johnson Reagon changed the traditional words of the song in 1961, to "Over my head / I see freedom in the air...".

She comments that "especially in the driving instrumental bridge between verses, 'Up Above My Head' leaves the Sanctified Church behind and charts a straight course toward rhythm and blues," adding that the song "had an undeniable energy that paralleled the collective optimism of black people in the post-war years.

[13] A roots reggae version also exists recorded by the British act Matumbi on their 1978 album Seven Seals, which was produced by Dennis Bovell.

The line "Up above my head / I hear music in the air" was later used by The Trammps in their 1977 hit "Disco Inferno".