"I Shall Not Be Moved" (
Roud 9134), also known as "We Shall Not Be Moved", is an
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
slave
Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
spiritual,
hymn
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
, and
protest song dating to the early 19th century American south.
It was likely originally sung at revivalist
camp-meetings as a
slave jubilee. The song describes being "like a tree planted by the waters" who "shall not be moved" because of faith in
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
. Secularly, as "We Shall Not Be Moved" it gained popularity as a labor union song and a protest song of the
Civil Rights Movement.
[
The text is based on biblical scripture:
In 1908 Alfred H. and B. D. Ackley copyrighted a hymn by the name "I Shall Not Be Moved".
]
Civil rights movement
As "We Shall Not Be Moved" the song gained popularity as a protest and union song of the Civil rights movement.anti-nuclear
The Anti-nuclear war movement is a social movement that opposes various nuclear technologies. Some direct action groups, environmental movements, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, n ...
and peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement which seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war (or wars) or minimizing inter-human violence in a particular place or situation. They are often linked to the goal of achieving world pe ...
s in the late 1970s, in a Swedish translation by Roland von Malmborg, "" ('Never shall we give up').
Recorded versions
Among others, the following artists recorded "I (We) Shall Not Be Moved":
* Blind Roosevelt Graves (1929) – reissued on '' The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of'' (2006)
* Charley Patton
Charlie Patton (April 1891 (probable) – April 28, 1934), more often spelled Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician and songwriter. Considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", he created an enduring body of America ...
(1929)
* The Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger
Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...
on ''The Original Talking Union and Other Union Songs'' (1955)
* The Harmonizing Four (single; Gotham 1954)
* Lonnie Donegan
Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002) was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the " King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scotland and brought ...
on ''Lonnie Donegan Showcase'' (1956)
* The Million Dollar Quartet
"Million Dollar Quartet" is a recording of an impromptu jam session involving Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash made on December 4, 1956 at the Sun Studio, Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. An article about th ...
(Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...
, Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...
, and Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
) (1956)
* The Freedom Singers at the March on Washington
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (commonly known as the March on Washington or the Great March on Washington) was held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to advocate for the civil and economic rig ...
(1963) in a medley with other songs
* Mississippi John Hurt on ''The Best Of Mississippi John Hurt'' (recorded 1965, published 1970)
* Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...
on '' Brighten the Corner'' (1967)
* Oktoberklub on ''Der Oktober-Klub singt'' (1967)
* The Seekers
The Seekers were an Australian folk music, folk-influenced pop music, pop group originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the Unit ...
, on several albums including '' The Best of The Seekers'' (1968)
* Son House on ''The Real Delta Blues – 14 songs from the man who taught Robert Johnson'' (recorded 1960, published 1974)
* Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (, ; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing mo ...
("No Nos Moverán") on her Spanish-language album '' Gracias a la Vida'' (1974)
* Henry Qualls on ''Blues from Elmo, Texas'' (1994)Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American Contemporary folk music, folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival. The trio consisted of Peter Yarrow (guitar, tenor vocals), Paul Stookey (guitar, baritone vocals), ...
on '' In These Times'' (2003)
* Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
on ''My Mother's Hymn Book'' (2004)
* Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel music, gospel singer and civil rights activism, activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving memb ...
on ''We'll Never Turn Back'' (2007)
* Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
on '' Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp'' (2012)Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal ( ; ; ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal Empire, Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his belo ...
and Ry Cooder on ''GET ON BOARD''
The Housemartins on the 12 inch version of their 1985 UK number 1 single "Caravan of Love"
In popular culture
The Spinners set the musical tone of the 1975 Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992.
Thames Television broa ...
comedy about a Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
working-class family, ''The Wackers''. The closing credits medley featured them singing "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "You'll Never Walk Alone
"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical '' Carousel''. In the second act of the musical, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and e ...
". Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...
fans still sing a rendition of the song today.
In Great Britain in the 1980s the song was used by the popular British wrestler Big Daddy as his walk-on music, which would be greeted by cheers from the fans.
David Spener has written a book documenting the history of this song title, including how it was translated into Spanish, changing the first singular to third person plural, "" (meaning "They will not move us"). That version was part of the soundtrack of the well-known popular tv series '' Verano azul'', which popularized the song among the Spanish youth.
JB Burnett covered the song for the first episode of the third season of ''Supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' ("The Magnificent Seven").
Playwright Isaiah Reaves used the name for his show describing his grandmother's experiences as a Freedom Rider.
See also
* Civil rights movement in popular culture
* Christian child's prayer § Spirituals
References
{{Authority control
Gospel songs
African-American spiritual songs
Songs of the civil rights movement