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I Shall Not Be Moved

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"I Shall Not Be Moved" (Roud 9134), also known as "We Shall Not Be Moved", is an African-American spiritual, hymn, and protest song dating to the early 19th century American south.[1][2] 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 labor union song and a protest song of the Civil Rights Movement.[3]

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.

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.

In 1908 Alfred H. and B. D. Ackley copyrighted a hymn by the name "I Shall Not Be Moved".[4]

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Civil rights movement

As "We Shall Not Be Moved" the song gained popularity as a protest and union song of the Civil rights movement.[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').[5]

Recorded versions

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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"

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In the 1964 The Andy Griffith Show episode "Aunt Bee the Crusader", a group of protesting women sing the chorus of this song to declare their intent to remain on the property of a man who's about to be evicted to make way for a highway project.

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". Liverpool F.C. fans still sing a rendition of the song today.[31]

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.[32]

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"[33] (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.[34]

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

Playwright Isaiah Reaves used the name for his show describing his grandmother's experiences as a Freedom Rider.[35]

See also

References

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