A great concert-style, art song rendition of Ride Up In the Chariot ABOVE (open in new window to see text) by Jennifer Bynum can be heard HERE.

Other verses can easily be improvised on this pattern.

IMO "sooner" in the text above is a transcription choice made when a singer sang "soon-a" or "soon-er" in order to fill in/move around in the tune. As a singer myself, "soon-a" is easier to sing with this tune than "soo-oon"-- and "soon-er" is actually easier to sing than "soon-a."

~Susan