Let's Pray Together
1964 | Gospel
“We are not afraid today. -- The truth shall make us free, the truth shall make us free. -- The truth shall make us free someday; oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, the truth shall make us free someday. -- We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace. -- We shall live in peace someday; oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall live in peace someday.”
Trivia
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recited the words from "We Shall Overcome" in his final sermon delivered in Memphis on Sunday, March 31, 1968, before his assassination.
- She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as "the single most powerful black woman in the United States".
- The modern version of the song was first said to have been sung by tobacco workers led by Lucille Simmons during a 1945 cigar workers strike in Charleston, South Carolina.
THE HOT TAKES
Luke Tatum
Isn't it strange that the US culture idolizes people who "fought for equality" during the civil rights movement, like Mahalia Jackson, but then turns a blind eye to the suffering that is inflicted on a daily basis? Equal treatment under the law, equal opportunity, I'm for things like that. But when you get the state involved, that's not how things work out at all. Look at the state of things today. A granular view, one that considers individual cases. It's barbarism only barely concealed. Slavery exists today, we just stopped calling it that. And it's certainly not something that only affects one race, or even only minorities. There is an active effort to oppress all people. The tactics may vary, but the goal is the same.
Sherry Voluntary
Oh, the voice of Miss Mahalia! Like being wrapped in a warm blanket. In the great tradition of the old Spiritual, this song looks forward to a day of freedom. Sometimes all the slaves had to ease their burden was the songs, and the words of freedom and hope of better days. Beethoven said, music can change the world, and I think he was right. This little project of ours is a testament to just that. The music we’ve chosen helps to bring some aspect of freedom to mind, and hopefully change people’s perspectives to a more libertarian way of thinking.
Nicky P
The song doesn't say much but i'll be damned if it's not listenable. Reminds me of "Please, Please, Please" by James Brown content-wise. Doesn't have to say much to make you feel what they're saying. Which isn't that the real key to the control progressives have had on culture. Economics isn't easy to put on bumper stickers. I think my favorite point is in that last verse where it says basically the same thing Dr. Paul always said: "No one can stop an idea whose time has come." followed by a call for peace. Isn't that the hope all libertarians have for the world.