WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED: What songs lift you up?
Vincent Harding, a friend, mentor, and veteran of the southern freedom movement, talks a lot about the importance of songs. Songs like "we shall not be moved", "we who believe in freedom", and of course " we shall overcome" and even "kum ba ya" were, in his opinion, vital. In my opinion, here are some of the reasons why:
1. They reminded people why they were enduring such harsh conditions
2. They unified people
3. They passed the time
4. They lifted people's spirits
5. They humanized the protestors in the eyes of the police, press, bystanders, and everyone else who witnessed them.
6. They are complex enough that they can be sung over and over with new parts, new rhythms, and interesting harmonizing.
I think our generation is sorely lacking in chants and songs that do the same thing. I think a lot of ours are too simple, too angry, or just plain tiring and repetitive. In the antiwar march with Rage last week, my favorite chant/songs were:
"We're not going to take it" (started by Zach De La Rocha) It was fun adn playful, but also on message.
and
"They're our brothers they're our sisters
We support war resistors"
(started by the Iraq Vets Against the War)
I liked this one because it's what the IVAW folks wanted us to say, and it was long enough that we could play around with it a bit.
For a while at the end of the march we tried "we shall not be moved" and "we who believe in freedom can not rest until it comes "(the chorus from 'Ella's song' by Sweet Honey And the Rock). They were slow to start, I think because they felt so old and perhaps we felt out of our element, but they worked and we got the crowd going.
What chants/songs do other people know that are uplifting and fun to do for a LONG time?!
1. They reminded people why they were enduring such harsh conditions
2. They unified people
3. They passed the time
4. They lifted people's spirits
5. They humanized the protestors in the eyes of the police, press, bystanders, and everyone else who witnessed them.
6. They are complex enough that they can be sung over and over with new parts, new rhythms, and interesting harmonizing.
I think our generation is sorely lacking in chants and songs that do the same thing. I think a lot of ours are too simple, too angry, or just plain tiring and repetitive. In the antiwar march with Rage last week, my favorite chant/songs were:
"We're not going to take it" (started by Zach De La Rocha) It was fun adn playful, but also on message.
and
"They're our brothers they're our sisters
We support war resistors"
(started by the Iraq Vets Against the War)
I liked this one because it's what the IVAW folks wanted us to say, and it was long enough that we could play around with it a bit.
For a while at the end of the march we tried "we shall not be moved" and "we who believe in freedom can not rest until it comes "(the chorus from 'Ella's song' by Sweet Honey And the Rock). They were slow to start, I think because they felt so old and perhaps we felt out of our element, but they worked and we got the crowd going.
What chants/songs do other people know that are uplifting and fun to do for a LONG time?!
Views: 4
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth on -
I really like your song "One Love", but it doesn't necessarily have a political tone...it's incredibly uplifting though...it reminds me that we are never alone...we can't forget that. I love how positive it is! But, I'll have to do some brainstorming on this one...keep the wheels turning...
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Permalink Reply by Traveling Zach on -
I don't know how to turn this into a chant or anything but this song is amazing, i still almost cry every time i hear and and remember the movie. I would like to think of this as our unofficial anthem, but i'll keep brainstorming on more too..
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Permalink Reply by Jimbo on -
Waltzing Matilda is fun because it's in another dialect, also a song about social justice.
Steve Earle, namely:
The Revolution Starts Now-http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/earle-steve/the-revolution-start...
and Jerusalem-http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/earle-steve/jerusalem-2199.html
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Permalink Reply by blubberypanda on -
I love cloud cover, but I can't find it anywhere. How do I get it on my itunes?
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Permalink Reply by Jonny 5 on -
I put a live version of cloud cover up from a few years back. it features a few verbal flubs, but I can swallow my pride on this one...
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Permalink Reply by Becky Schafer on -
I'm not sure of what the title of the song is, but one of my favorite pick-me-ups is by the amazing RX Bandits. The chorus goes like this:
We've had enough of the politician's wars
What we need right now is love
We've had enough of the military scoreboards
What we need right now is love
It's a great reggae song and it gets you motivated!
Of course, one of my favorite rhymes from the Flobots is in The Same Thing, when they list all those leaders and activists who were overthrown and/ or assassinated. Some of those people I had never heard of, so when I heard this song I researched every one of them and found some sad stories. I had heard of Leonard Peltier but not Mumia, Oscar Romero but not Salvadore Allende, etc. Speaking of Peltier and Mumia really makes me want to go out and protest until they're freed! What happened to Oscar Romero should never be forgotten and should inspire us all to stand up and fight.
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Permalink Reply by Cat on -
I also researched all of the activists and leaders in The Same Thing. I was truly amazed at how obvious these wrongful killings and removals of office were. How we are obviously targeting those who stand in the way of, or challenge, our private agenda. How can we as citizens just stand by and allow this to happen???
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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Wow...isn't it sad that with today's technology we have the capability to spread weath to people in need, but we don't? We have the ability to research what we buy and how it's made, but how many people do? We spend billions...trillions of dollars on war, but what about starving children or disease prevention? Thought provoking....
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