I Shall Not Be Moved

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

"I Shall Not Be Moved" (Roud 9134), 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 labor union song and a protest 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":

• Blind Roosevelt Graves (1929)^[5] – reissued on The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of (2006)
• Charley Patton (1929)^[6]
• The Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger on The Original Talking Union and Other Union Songs (1955)^[7]
• The Harmonizing Four (single; Gotham 1954)^[8]
• Lonnie Donegan on Lonnie Donegan Showcase (1956)^[9]
• The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash) (1956)^[10]
• The Freedom Singers at the March on Washington (1963)^[11] in a medley with other songs
• Mississippi John Hurt on The Best Of Mississippi John Hurt (recorded 1965, published 1970)^[12]
• Ella Fitzgerald on Brighten the Corner (1967)^[13]
• Oktoberklub on Der Oktober-Klub singt (1967)^[14]
• The Seekers, on several albums including The Best of The Seekers (1968)^[15]
• Son House on The Real Delta Blues – 14 songs from the man who taught Robert Johnson (recorded 1960, published 1974)^[16]
• Joan Baez ("No Nos Moverán") on her Spanish-language album Gracias a la Vida (1974)^[17]
• Henry Qualls on Blues from Elmo, Texas (1994)^[18]
• Underground Ministries featuring Kenny Bobien (Vinyl, 12", Single, Promo) (1999)^[19]
• Sweet Honey in the Rock on Still the Same Me (2000)^[20]
• This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb on Front Seat Solidarity (2002)^[21]
• Peter, Paul and Mary on In These Times (2003)^[22]
• Johnny Cash on My Mother's Hymn Book (2004)^[23]
• Mavis Staples on We'll Never Turn Back (2007)^[24]
• Public Enemy on Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp (2012)^[25]
• Owen McDonagh & The Bogside Men on Songs of Irish Civil Rights (1970)^[26]
• Rhiannon Giddens on They're Calling Me Home (2021)^[27]
• Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder on GET ON BOARD^[28]

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 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.^[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").^{[citation needed]}

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

See also

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