Q,

Thanks for posting that Oh! ain't I glad; I ain't a gonna die no more" song.

It seems obvious that the line "I ain't a gonna die no more!" does not refer to reincarnation ;O)

My take is that the experiences of living through slavery or other horrible times are being compared to dying since that is what some people think of as the most terrible thing that can happen to a person.

When something horrendous has happens or people fear that it will happen, they say that they "die a thousand deaths". IMO, that is what the song composer was thinking about.

In what some might consider a "pie in the sky" mode of thinking, the song composer basically gives up on the possibility of being free from and grief down here on earth and instead focuses on being happy in heaven [since he/she is "going to meet those happy Christians [in heaven]sooner in the morning".

I like the creativity of the made up word "sooner". This word means means "sooner than soon" or "very soon". The same concept is used in one of my favorite African American spiritual {gospel?} songs
"Soon and Very Soon" [we're goin to see the King]. The song composer is basically longing for release from his/her 'trials & tribulations' as soon as possible.

I wouldn't be surprised if this song was sung uptempo. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a very sad song which was probably sung by folks who were all but defeated by terrible hardships.

That said, I guess "all but" is the crucial point.

I give honor and praises to these unnamed folks for preservering in spite of it all.