Spiritual as a noun is used to denote songs created by American slaves, and the style in which they were sung. The term is often broadened to include subsequent arrangements into more standard American hymnodic styles, and to include post-emancipation songs with stylistic similarities to the original spirituals. Most Negro spiritual melodies can be played on the Pentatonic scale. Historical spirituals The term spiritual is derived from spiritual song. The King James Bible's translation of Ephe… (More on Spirituals)