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For the book of poetry by Maya Angelou, see I Shall Not Be Moved (poetry).

"We Shall Not Be Moved", also known as "I Shall Not Be Moved", is a Black slave spiritual, hymn, and protest song dating to the early 19th century American south.[1] It was likely originally sung at revivalist camp-meetings as a slave jubilee. In 1908 by Alfred H. and B. D. Ackley copyrighted a hymn by the name "I Shall Not Be Moved" (i.e. see Pentecostal Hymns Nos. 5 and 6 (1911), song No. 5: https://archive.org/details/pentecostalhymns00date_0/page/n9/mode/2up). The song describes being "like a tree planted by the waters" who "shall not be moved" because of faith in God. Secularly, as "We Shall Not Be Moved" it gained popularity as a protest and union song of the Civil Rights Movement.[2]

The text is based on biblical scripture:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

— Jeremiah 17:7–8

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

— Psalm 1:3

The song became popular in the Swedish anti-nuclear and peace movements in the late 1970s, in a Swedish translation by Roland von Malmborg, "Aldrig ger vi upp" ('Never shall we give up').[3]

The Spinners set the musical tone of the 1975 Thames Television comedy about a Liverpool working class family, The Wackers.[4]The opening medley featured them singing "In My Liverpool Home",[5][circular reference] "Faith Of Our Fathers", "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "Liverpool Lullaby",[6][circular reference] while "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" closed it.

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.[citation needed]

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 first person plural, "No Nos Moverán".[7] That version was part of the soundtrack of the well-known popular tv series Verano azul, which popularized the song among the Spanish youth.[8]

Recorded versions[edit]

Among others, the following artists recorded "I (We) Shall Not Be Moved":

  • Blind Roosevelt Graves (1929)[9]
  • Charley Patton (1929)[10]
  • The Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger on The Original Talking Union and Other Union Songs (1955)
  • Lonnie Donegan on Lonnie Donegan Showcase (1956)
  • The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash) (1956)
  • The Freedom Singers at the March on Washington (1963) in a medley with other songs
  • Mississippi John Hurt on The Best Of Mississippi John Hurt (1965)
  • Ella Fitzgerald on Brighten the Corner (1967)
  • The Seekers, on several albums including The Best of The Seekers (1968)[11]
  • Oktoberklub on Aha (1973)
  • Son House on The Real Delta Blues – 14 songs from the man who taught Robert Johnson (1974)
  • Joan Baez ("No Nos Moverán") on her Spanish-language album Gracias a la Vida (1974)
  • Henry Qualls on Blues from Elmo, Texas (1994)[12]
  • Underground Ministries featuring Kenny Bobien (Vinyl, 12", Single, Promo) (1999)[13]
  • Sweet Honey in the Rock on Still the Same Me (2000)
  • This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb on Front Seat Solidarity (2002)
  • Peter, Paul and Mary on In These Times (2003)
  • Johnny Cash on My Mother's Hymn Book (2004)
  • Mavis Staples on We'll Never Turn Back (2007)
  • JB Burnett featured in the episode, "The Magnificent Seven," on Supernatural.
  • Public Enemy on Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp (2012)[14]
  • Owen McDonagh & The Bogside Men on Songs of Irish Civil Rights (1970)[15]

See also[edit]

  • Civil rights movement in popular culture
  • Christian child's prayer § Spirituals

References[edit]

  1. ^ Spener, David (2016). We Shall Not Be Moved: Biography of a Song of Struggle. Temple University Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-439-91299-7.
  2. ^ Wells, Robert V. (2009). Life flows on in endless song: folk songs and American history. University of Illinois Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-252-07650-3.
  3. ^ Pettersson, Louise (2010). "På jakt efter miljörörelsens sångtradition" [In search of the Swedish environmental movement's song tradition] (in Swedish). Retrieved 2019-03-25. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "The Wackers". IMDB. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  5. ^ "In My Liverpool Home". Peter McGovern. Wikipedia. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Liverpool Lullaby". Stan Kelly-Bootle. Wikipedia. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  7. ^ David Spener. 2016. We Shall Not Be Moved / No Nos Moverán: Biography of a Song of Struggle. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
  8. ^ "¡No nos moverán!". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 2019-08-30. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  9. ^ Thom Owens (1994-06-02). "Complete Recorded Works (1929-1936) - Blind Roosevelt Graves | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  10. ^ "Charley Patton Vol 2 1929 - Document Records Vintage Blues and Jazz". Document-records.com. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  11. ^ Bruce Eder. "The Best of the Seekers - The Seekers | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  12. ^ "Blues from Elmo, Texas - Henry Qualls | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. 1995-11-22. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  13. ^ "Underground Ministries Featuring Kenny Bobien - I Shall Not Be Moved (Stand Still)". Discogs. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  14. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp - Public Enemy". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  15. ^ "Owen McDonagh & The Bogside Men – Songs Of Irish Civil Rights". Discogs. Retrieved 21 January 2021.