"I Shall Not Be Moved", also known as "We Shall Not Be Moved", is an African-American 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. 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

He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

— Psalm 62:6

In 1908 Alfred H. and B. D. Ackley copyrighted a hymn by the name "I Shall Not Be Moved".[3]


Civil rights movement

As "We Shall Not Be Moved" the song gained popularity as a protest and union song of the Civil rights movement.[2]

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').[4]

Recorded versions

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

The Housemartins on the 12 inch version of their 1985 UK number 1 single "Caravan of Love"

The Spinners set the musical tone of the 1975 Thames Television comedy about a Liverpool working-class family, The Wackers. The closing credits medley featured them singing "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "You'll Never Walk Alone".[29]

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.[30]

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, "No Nos Moverán"[31] (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.[32]

JB Burnett covered the song for the first episode of the third season of Supernatural ("The Magnificent Seven").

Playwright Isaiah Reaves used the name for his show describing his grandmother's experiences as a Freedom Rider.[33]

See also

References

  1. ↑ David Spener (2016). We Shall Not Be Moved: Biography of a Song of Struggle. Temple University Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-439-91299-7.
  2. 1 2 Robert V. Wells (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. ↑ Henry Date; Chas H Gabriel; George C. Stebbins; William J. Kirkpatrick (1911). Pentecostal hymns, nos. 5 & 6 combined : a winnowed collection for young people's societies, church prayer meetings, evangelistic services and Sunday schools. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Music Library. Chicago : Hope Pub. Co. p. 10.
  4. ↑ Louise Pettersson (2010). "På jakt efter miljörörelsens sångtradition" [In search of the Swedish environmental movement's song tradition]. Hgo.diva-Portal.org (in Swedish). Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  5. ↑ Thom Owens (1994-06-02). "Complete Recorded Works (1929-1936) - Blind Roosevelt Graves | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  6. ↑ "Charley Patton Vol 2 1929 - Document Records Vintage Blues and Jazz". Document-records.com. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  7. ↑ "The original talking union and other union songs sound recording / with the Almanac Singers ; with Pete Seeger and chorus". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  8. ↑ "The Harmonizing Four – I Shall Not Be Moved / I'll Go, Lord, Send Me! (1954, Shellac)". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  9. ↑ "Lonnie Donegan Showcase - Lonnie Donegan". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  10. ↑ Fricke, David (1988-02-25). "Million Dollar Quartet: Complete Million Dollar Session : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  11. ↑ Mohdin, Aamna (2020-09-10). "'They couldn't arrest us all': civil rights veteran Rutha Mae Harris on MLK, protest and prison". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  12. ↑ "The Best of Mississippi John Hurt sound recording". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  13. ↑ "Brighten the Corner - Ella Fitzgerald". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  14. ↑ "Oktoberklub". Deutsche Mugge. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  15. ↑ Bruce Eder. "The Best of the Seekers - The Seekers". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
  16. ↑ "An unofficial Blue Goose Records Homepage". Wirz. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  17. ↑ "Gracias a la Vida - Joan Baez". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  18. ↑ "Blues from Elmo, Texas - Henry Qualls | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. 1995-11-22. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  19. ↑ "I Shall Not Be Moved - Underground Ministries". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  20. ↑ "Still the Same Me - Sweet Honey in the Rock". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  21. ↑ "Front Seat Solidarity - This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  22. ↑ "The music - In these times". "Peter, Paul and Mary" official website. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  23. ↑ "My Mother's Hymn Book - Johnny Cash". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  24. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (2007-04-20). "CD: Mavis Staples, We'll Never Turn Back". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  25. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp - Public Enemy". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  26. ↑ McDonagh, Owen; Bogside Men (1970). "Songs of Irish civil rights". Library of Congress. Belfast: Outlet. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  27. ↑ "They're Calling Me Home - Rhiannon Giddens". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  28. ↑ "Get On Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
  29. ↑ "The Wackers, 1975". British Classic Comedy. 2021-03-03. (the song can be heard at the end of the clips embedded in the article). Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  30. ↑ "Big Daddy". Wilde Life: Official Kim Wilde Fansite. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  31. ↑ David Spener. 2016. We Shall Not Be Moved / No Nos Moverán: Biography of a Song of Struggle. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
  32. ↑ "¡No nos moverán!". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 2019-08-30. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  33. ↑ "Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents a Double Bill of I SHALL NOT BE MOVED and YOUR NEGRO TOUR GUIDE". 29 March 2022.
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