Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966

This double-CD reissue documents a central aspect of the cultural environment of the Civil Rights Movement, acknowledging songs as the language that focused people's energy. These 43 tracks are a series of musical images, of a people in conversation about their determination to be free. Many of the songs were recorded live in mass meetings held in churches, where people from different life experiences, predominantly black, with a few white supporters, came together in a common struggle. These freedom songs draw from spirituals, gospel, rhythm and blues, football chants, blues and calypso forms. The enclosed booklet written by Bernice Johnson Reagon provides rare historic photographs along with the powerful story of African American musical culture and its role in the Civil Rights Movement. "The music of the spirit with the history of the flesh." New York Daily News
RELATED LESSON PLANS
"South Africa, Free At Last: The Freedom Songs of South Africa and the Civil Rights Movement in America"
"Singing for Justice:
Following the Musical Journey of “This Little Light of Mine"
RELATED VIDEOS
We Are Soldiers in the Army
Track Listing
101
|
Freedom Medley: Freedom Chant / Oh Freedom / This Little Light of Mine | The Freedom Singers | 1:57 | |
102
|
This Little Light of Mine | Betty Fikes | 4:17 | |
103
|
If You Miss Me from the Back of the Bus | Betty Fikes | 3:03 | |
104
|
Lord Hold My Hand While I Run This Race | n/a | 2:49 | |
105
|
Get on Board Children | Willie Peacock | 2:10 | |
106
|
Calypso Freedom | Willie Peacock | 6:29 | |
107
|
Freedom Now Chant | n/a | 0:25 | |
108
|
Oh Freedom | Hollis Watkins | 3:08 | |
109
|
Ain't Scared of Nobody | Amanda Bowens Perdew and Virginia Davis | 1:50 | |
110
|
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms | n/a | 1:13 | |
111
|
Sermon | Lawrence Campbell | 6:35 | |
112
|
We are Soldiers in the Army | n/a | 3:24 | |
113
|
Go Tell it on the Mountain | Fannie Lou Hamer | 3:03 | |
114
|
Wade in the Water | Fannie Lou Hamer | 2:32 | |
115
|
Come Bah Ya (Kumbaya) | Willie Peacock | 5:25 | |
116
|
Walk with Me Lord | Fannie Lou Hamer | 1:38 | |
117
|
Jesus on the Mainline | Sam Block | 3:33 | |
118
|
Freedom Train | Sam Block | 4:36 | |
119
|
Don't You Think It's About Time That We All Be Free | Mabel Hillary | 3:30 | |
120
|
We're Marching on to Freedom Land | Carlton Reese | 2:31 | |
121
|
We Shall Overcome | n/a | 3:03 | |
201
|
We Will Never Turn Back | The Freedom Singers | 3:30 | |
202
|
We Shall Not Be Moved | The Freedom Singers | 2:11 | |
203
|
Certainly, Lord | The CORE Freedom Singers | 2:05 | |
204
|
Get Your Rights, Jack | The CORE Freedom Singers | 3:49 | |
205
|
Which Side are You On? | The Freedom Singers | 1:57 | |
206
|
Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Freedom | The Freedom Singers | 2:31 | |
207
|
Been in the Storm So Long | Bernice Johnson Reagon | 3:54 | |
208
|
Dogs | The Freedom Singers | 2:33 | |
209
|
The A&P Song | The Integration Grooves | 2:28 | |
210
|
Oh Prichett, Oh Kelly | The Freedom Singers | 2:15 | |
211
|
I Told Jesus | Bertha Gober | 3:21 | |
212
|
99 1/2 Won't Do | The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Choir | 2:28 | |
213
|
I'm on My Way | The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Choir | 3:38 | |
214
|
City Called Heaven | Cleo Kennedy | 9:15 | |
215
|
In the Mississippi River | The Freedom Singers | 3:38 | |
216
|
I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round | The Freedom Singers | 2:15 | |
217
|
Will the Circle Be Unbroken | Jimmy Collier and the Movement Singers | 3:08 | |
218
|
Governor Wallace | The Freedom Singers | 2:36 | |
219
|
Ballad of Medgar Evers | The Freedom Singers | 4:32 | |
220
|
Uncle Tom's Prayer | Cordell Reagon | 1:09 | |
221
|
Oginga Odinga | The Freedom Singers | 2:50 | |
222
|
We Shall Overcome | The Freedom Singers | 3:20 |