Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about The Freedom Singers and showcase a video and a sound file of the 1963 Freedom Singers performing the civil rights song "We Shall Not Be Moved".
This post also includes my transcription of the lyrics to these renditions of this song and additional lyrics of this song from the 2009 album "Soundtrack For A Revolution".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who participate in non-violent movements for freedom and justice in the United States and throughout the world.
-snip-
Click http://civilrightssongs.blogspot.com/2015/02/we-shall-not-be-moved-lyrics-videos-and.html to visit my civil rights song blog for a post about the song "I Shall Not Be Moved". That post includes a different lyric version of that song than those featured here. That post also included four additional YouTube videos of "We Shall Not Be Moved".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FREEDOM SINGERS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Freedom_Singers
"The Freedom Singers originated as a student quartet formed in 1962 at Albany State College in Albany, Georgia. After folk singer Pete Seeger witnessed the power of their congregational-style of singing, which fused black Baptist acapella church singing with protest songs and chants, their performances drew aid and support to SNCC during the emerging Civil Rights Movement.[1] Seeger suggested The Freedom Singers as a touring group to the SNCC executive secretary James Forman as a way to fuel future campaigns.[1] As a result, communal song became essential to empowering and educating audiences about civil rights issues and a powerful social weapon of influence in the fight against Jim Crow segregation.[2][3] Without the music force of broad communal singing, the Civil Rights Movement may not have resonated beyond of the struggles of the Jim Crow South.[4]...
The original group consisted of four, then known as Negro, members all under the age of 21, including Rutha Mae Harris (soprano), Bernice Johnson Reagon (alto), Cordell Reagon (tenor), and Charles Neblett (bass). After witnessing the power of song as a veteran of the sit-in movement in Nashville, Tennessee and as a field secretary for SNCC, Cordell Reagon was the founding member of the group. He recruited Albany natives and local singers in the black church Rutha Mae Harris and Bernice Johnson, whom he later married. Reagon recruited Charles Neblett, a veteran of civil rights demonstrations in Cairo, Illinois.[1] Together, they traveled over 50,000 miles in a Buick station wagon performing in over 40 cities culminating in a performance at the March on Washington in their first year.
Later, in 1965, they were joined by Bill Perlman,[5] a young, white guitarist whose parents were SNCC field secretaries in New York City....
The Freedom Singers toured the South, sometimes performing as many as four concerts a day. The songs were mostly spirituals and hymns, with "characteristic call-and-response" and improvisation. Venues included around 200 college campuses, churches, house parties, demonstrations, marches, and jails. Often, the Freedom Singers were jailed for refusing to leave an area, while supporters and sympathizers also risked police brutality.[7]...
Bernice Johnson Reagon once stated that the Freedom Singers were, in fact, "a singing newspaper."[7] Singing together gave protesters strength to participate in demonstrations and freedom rides—and to endure jail time, verbal and physical assaults, police dog attacks, and high-pressure fire hoses aimed at them. Singing these songs united the protesters in their common goal: freedom and equality.[16]"...
****
Click http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/2014/12/03/freedom-singers/ for more information about the Freedom Singers.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED"
Quoting my comments in this 2013 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/mississippi-john-hurt-i-shall-not-be.html Mississippi John Hurt - "I Shall Not Be Moved" (with lyrics)
"I Shall Not Be Moved" is a late 19th century or early 20th century African American Gospel song. This song and other African American early Gospel songs & Spirituals have a words that can easily be exchanged which facilitate their use for multiple situations. These types of compositions are known as "zipper songs". Because of that characteristic, the title of the religious song "I Shall Not Be Moved" was changed to "We Shall Not Be Moved" and different adaptations of this song were sung at pro-union rallies and at civil rights rallies & marches.
Similarly, the religious song "I'll Overcome" was retitled "We Shall Overcome" and versions of that song were sung at union rallies & at civil rights marches & rallies. The tunes for those religious song were retained. But often the tempo of the religious song became faster for its secular adaptations.
Click https://austinbhebe.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/i-shall-not-i-shall-not-be-moved/ for more comments about the song "I Shall Not Be Moved". My only disagreement with the editor of that blog is that he or she describes "I Shall Not Be Moved" as an American folk song. That said, technically all African American Spirituals and early Gospel songs which have no known composers can be considered American folk songs."...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: We Shall Not Be Moved
The Freedom Singers - Topic Published on Nov 8, 2014
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
-snip-
Basic Lyrics (without lyrical embellishments)
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
Segregation is our enemy
and It must be removed
Segregation is our enemy
and it must be removed
Just like a foe that’s vanquished by the army
It must be re__
It must be removed.
I ain’t scared of nobody*
cause I want my freedom
I want my freedom
I want my freedom
I ain’t scared of nobody*
cause I want my freedom
I want my freedom now
-snip-
This is my transcription of this video. Words written in italics mean that I'm not sure about. Additions and corrections are welcome.
*The singers may be saying the names of noted segregationists.
****
Example #2: The Freedom Singers perform "We Shall Not Be Moved" at the March on Washington
Boston University Published on Nov 5, 2015
The Freedom Singers perform "We Shall Not Be Moved" at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.
-snip-
The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom was where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech.
-snip-
Basic Lyrics (without lyrical embellishments)
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
We’re on our way to victory
and we shall not be moved
We’re on our way to victory
and we shall not be moved
just like a tree that’s planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
Segregation is our enemy
and It must be removed
Segregation is our enemy
and it must be removed
Just like a foe that’s vanquished by the army
It must be re__
It must be removed.
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
-snip-
This is my transcription of this video. Words written in italics mean that I'm not sure about. Additions and corrections are welcome.
****
ADDITIONAL LYRICS FOR "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED" FROM "SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION" ALBUM (2009)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/soundtrack-lyrics/#moved
"General Article: Lyrics of the Freedom Songs: Soundtrack for a Revolution
"Soundtrack for a Revolution" is a window into the musical and lyrical soul of civil rights movement, as well as the men and women that used song to give them the strength and solidarity to stand up for justice in the face of staunch, often violent injustice and bigotry. These songs and chants of freedom, sung by protestors, activists, and civil rights leaders during the 1950s and 1960s, have now been taken up anew in "Soundtrack" by such contemporary performers as Joss Stone, John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, Wyclef Jean, The Roots, Richie Havens, and others.
We Shall Not Be Moved
Performed by Lynda Lowery
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
Wallace is our enemy
He must be removed
Wallace is our enemy
He must be removed
*****
Performed by Mary Mary
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
On our way to victory
We shall not be moved
We're on our way to victory
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
[first lines for additional verses]
I'm not going to move y'all
I want my freedom
And I'm gonna get my freedom
We're on our way to victory
I believe we're gonna set it free
Yes, I believe we're gonna get there
We're gonna get there
-snip-
I added the note about the additional verses and I reformatted those lines accordingly.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides information about The Freedom Singers and showcase a video and a sound file of the 1963 Freedom Singers performing the civil rights song "We Shall Not Be Moved".
This post also includes my transcription of the lyrics to these renditions of this song and additional lyrics of this song from the 2009 album "Soundtrack For A Revolution".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who participate in non-violent movements for freedom and justice in the United States and throughout the world.
-snip-
Click http://civilrightssongs.blogspot.com/2015/02/we-shall-not-be-moved-lyrics-videos-and.html to visit my civil rights song blog for a post about the song "I Shall Not Be Moved". That post includes a different lyric version of that song than those featured here. That post also included four additional YouTube videos of "We Shall Not Be Moved".
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FREEDOM SINGERS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Freedom_Singers
"The Freedom Singers originated as a student quartet formed in 1962 at Albany State College in Albany, Georgia. After folk singer Pete Seeger witnessed the power of their congregational-style of singing, which fused black Baptist acapella church singing with protest songs and chants, their performances drew aid and support to SNCC during the emerging Civil Rights Movement.[1] Seeger suggested The Freedom Singers as a touring group to the SNCC executive secretary James Forman as a way to fuel future campaigns.[1] As a result, communal song became essential to empowering and educating audiences about civil rights issues and a powerful social weapon of influence in the fight against Jim Crow segregation.[2][3] Without the music force of broad communal singing, the Civil Rights Movement may not have resonated beyond of the struggles of the Jim Crow South.[4]...
The original group consisted of four, then known as Negro, members all under the age of 21, including Rutha Mae Harris (soprano), Bernice Johnson Reagon (alto), Cordell Reagon (tenor), and Charles Neblett (bass). After witnessing the power of song as a veteran of the sit-in movement in Nashville, Tennessee and as a field secretary for SNCC, Cordell Reagon was the founding member of the group. He recruited Albany natives and local singers in the black church Rutha Mae Harris and Bernice Johnson, whom he later married. Reagon recruited Charles Neblett, a veteran of civil rights demonstrations in Cairo, Illinois.[1] Together, they traveled over 50,000 miles in a Buick station wagon performing in over 40 cities culminating in a performance at the March on Washington in their first year.
Later, in 1965, they were joined by Bill Perlman,[5] a young, white guitarist whose parents were SNCC field secretaries in New York City....
The Freedom Singers toured the South, sometimes performing as many as four concerts a day. The songs were mostly spirituals and hymns, with "characteristic call-and-response" and improvisation. Venues included around 200 college campuses, churches, house parties, demonstrations, marches, and jails. Often, the Freedom Singers were jailed for refusing to leave an area, while supporters and sympathizers also risked police brutality.[7]...
Bernice Johnson Reagon once stated that the Freedom Singers were, in fact, "a singing newspaper."[7] Singing together gave protesters strength to participate in demonstrations and freedom rides—and to endure jail time, verbal and physical assaults, police dog attacks, and high-pressure fire hoses aimed at them. Singing these songs united the protesters in their common goal: freedom and equality.[16]"...
****
Click http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/2014/12/03/freedom-singers/ for more information about the Freedom Singers.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED"
Quoting my comments in this 2013 pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/06/mississippi-john-hurt-i-shall-not-be.html Mississippi John Hurt - "I Shall Not Be Moved" (with lyrics)
"I Shall Not Be Moved" is a late 19th century or early 20th century African American Gospel song. This song and other African American early Gospel songs & Spirituals have a words that can easily be exchanged which facilitate their use for multiple situations. These types of compositions are known as "zipper songs". Because of that characteristic, the title of the religious song "I Shall Not Be Moved" was changed to "We Shall Not Be Moved" and different adaptations of this song were sung at pro-union rallies and at civil rights rallies & marches.
Similarly, the religious song "I'll Overcome" was retitled "We Shall Overcome" and versions of that song were sung at union rallies & at civil rights marches & rallies. The tunes for those religious song were retained. But often the tempo of the religious song became faster for its secular adaptations.
Click https://austinbhebe.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/i-shall-not-i-shall-not-be-moved/ for more comments about the song "I Shall Not Be Moved". My only disagreement with the editor of that blog is that he or she describes "I Shall Not Be Moved" as an American folk song. That said, technically all African American Spirituals and early Gospel songs which have no known composers can be considered American folk songs."...
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: We Shall Not Be Moved
The Freedom Singers - Topic Published on Nov 8, 2014
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
-snip-
Basic Lyrics (without lyrical embellishments)
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
Segregation is our enemy
and It must be removed
Segregation is our enemy
and it must be removed
Just like a foe that’s vanquished by the army
It must be re__
It must be removed.
I ain’t scared of nobody*
cause I want my freedom
I want my freedom
I want my freedom
I ain’t scared of nobody*
cause I want my freedom
I want my freedom now
-snip-
This is my transcription of this video. Words written in italics mean that I'm not sure about. Additions and corrections are welcome.
*The singers may be saying the names of noted segregationists.
****
Example #2: The Freedom Singers perform "We Shall Not Be Moved" at the March on Washington
Boston University Published on Nov 5, 2015
The Freedom Singers perform "We Shall Not Be Moved" at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.
-snip-
The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom was where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech.
-snip-
Basic Lyrics (without lyrical embellishments)
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
We’re on our way to victory
and we shall not be moved
We’re on our way to victory
and we shall not be moved
just like a tree that’s planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
Segregation is our enemy
and It must be removed
Segregation is our enemy
and it must be removed
Just like a foe that’s vanquished by the army
It must be re__
It must be removed.
We shall not
We shall not be moved
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
We shall not be-
We shall not be moved
-snip-
This is my transcription of this video. Words written in italics mean that I'm not sure about. Additions and corrections are welcome.
****
ADDITIONAL LYRICS FOR "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED" FROM "SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION" ALBUM (2009)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/soundtrack-lyrics/#moved
"General Article: Lyrics of the Freedom Songs: Soundtrack for a Revolution
"Soundtrack for a Revolution" is a window into the musical and lyrical soul of civil rights movement, as well as the men and women that used song to give them the strength and solidarity to stand up for justice in the face of staunch, often violent injustice and bigotry. These songs and chants of freedom, sung by protestors, activists, and civil rights leaders during the 1950s and 1960s, have now been taken up anew in "Soundtrack" by such contemporary performers as Joss Stone, John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, Wyclef Jean, The Roots, Richie Havens, and others.
We Shall Not Be Moved
Performed by Lynda Lowery
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
Wallace is our enemy
He must be removed
Wallace is our enemy
He must be removed
*****
Performed by Mary Mary
We shall not
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
On our way to victory
We shall not be moved
We're on our way to victory
We shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters
We shall not be moved
[first lines for additional verses]
I'm not going to move y'all
I want my freedom
And I'm gonna get my freedom
We're on our way to victory
I believe we're gonna set it free
Yes, I believe we're gonna get there
We're gonna get there
-snip-
I added the note about the additional verses and I reformatted those lines accordingly.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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