IN CELEBRATION OF
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
SONGS
"LIFT EVERY VOICE"
"STAND UP"
"WOKE UP THIS MORNING"
"WE SHALL OVERCOME (in Spanish)"
"THREE NAMES"
"I WISH I KNEW HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO BE FREE"
"VOICE OF THE PEOPLE"
"THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL"
"BOOK INTO WINGS"
"WE ARE THE WORLD"
"WAKE UP, EVERYBODY"
"Young, Gifted, and Black"
Lift Every Voice and Sing
James Weldon Johnson, J. Rosamond Johnson
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list'ning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the day that hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place on which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee,
Shadowed beneath the hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.
"Stand Up"
(from "Harriet" soundtrack)
For now, study the music by listening to Cynthia Erivo while reading the lyrics.
I been walking
With my face turned to the sun
Weight on my shoulders
A bullet in my gun
Oh I got eyes in the back of my head
Just in case I have to run
I do what I can when I can while I can for my people
While the clouds roll back and the stars fill the night
That's when I'm gonna stand up
Take my people with me
Together we are going
To a brand new home
Far across the river
Can you hear freedom calling?
Calling me to answer
Gonna keep on keepin' on
I can feel it in my bones
Early in the mornin'
Before the sun begins to shine
We're gonna start movin'
Towards that separating line
I'm wadin' through muddy waters
You know I got a made up mind
And I don't mind if I lose any blood on the way to salvation
And I'll fight with the strength that I got until I die
So I'm gonna stand up
Take my people with me
Together we are going
To a brand new home
Far across the river
Can you hear freedom calling?
Calling me to answer
Gonna keep on keepin' on
And I know what's around the bend
Might be hard to face 'cause I'm alone
And I just might fail
But Lord knows I tried
Sure as stars fill up the sky
Stand up
Take my people with me
Together we are going
To a brand new home
Far across the river
Can you hear freedom calling?
Calling me to answer
Gonna keep on keepin' on,
I can feel it in my bones.
I go to prepare a place for you
I go to prepare a place for you
Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
I'm walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
I'm walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
I'm walking and talking with my mind
stayed on freedom
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
Ain't nothing wrong with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Oh, there ain't nothing wrong with my mind
Stayed on freedom
There ain't nothing wrong with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
I'm singing and praying with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Yeah, I'm singing and praying with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Woke up this morning with my mind
Stayed on freedom
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah.
We Shall Overcome
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome, some day.
Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe
We shall overcome, some day.
We'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand, some day.
Oh, deep in my heart I do believe,
We'll walk hand in hand some day.
We shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace, some day.
Oh, deep in my heart I do believe,
We shall live in peace, some day.
We shall all be free,
We shall all be free,
We shall all be free, some day.
Oh, deep in my heart I do believe,
We shall all be free, some day.
We are not afraid,
We are not afraid,
We are not afraid, TODAY
Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe we are not afraid today.
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome, some day.
Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe
We shall overcome, some day.
– version en español
traducido por la clase C202 ©2020
Nosotros venceremos
Nosotros venceremos
Nosotros venceremos un dííííííía
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
Nosotros venceremos un día
Caminaremos mano en mano
Caminaremos mano en mano
Caminaremos mano un díííííía
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
Caminaremos mano en mano un día
Viviremos en paz
Viviremos en paz
Viviremos en paz un dííííííía
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
Viviremos en paz un día
Seremos libres
Seremos libres
Seremos libres un dííííííía
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
Seremos libres un día
No tenemos miedo
No tenemos miedo
No tenemos miedo…¡hoy dííííííía!
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
No tenemos miedo hoy díaaaaa
Nosotros venceremos
Nosotros venceremos
Nosotros venceremos un dííííííía
En mi corazón
yo sí creo
Nosotros venceremos un díaaaaaaa
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome someday
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome someday
Three Names, George Washington Carver (from Flocabulary)
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
The dude knew his stuff!
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
The dude knew his stuff!
I said, 3 names, George Washington Carver,
Inventor, teacher, friend to farmers,
Crop rotation with sweet potatoes and peanuts,
When it came to farming George was a genius.
He was the first black student to graduate,
from a science and tech college called Iowa State,
He was a teacher at Tuskegee,
A historical black school, he made a mark like grafitti.
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
The dude knew his stuff!
Instrumental Break
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
The dude knew his stuff!
He even built a school on wheels,
To bring his methods to farmers out in the fields,
He inspired students in science,
George Washington Carver, an agricultural giant.
Carver came up with many inventions,
Like peanut paint and peanut candy,
Peanut soap (clap, clap, clap, clap) it came in handy,
Oo, oo
Three names George Washington Carver,
Inventor, teacher, friend to farmers,
Crop rotation with sweet potatoes and peanuts,
When it came to farming George was a genius,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
3 names, George Washington Carver,
The dude knew his stuff!
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free Nina Simone
I wish I knew how
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains holding me
I wish I could say
All the things that I should say
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear
For the whole round world to hear
I wish I could share
All the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars
That keep us apart
I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That everybody should be free
Well I wish I could be
Like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be
If I found I could fly
Oh I'd soar to the sun
And look down at the sea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know, yea
Then I'd sing 'cause I know
how it feels to be FREE!
VOTP (Voice of the People)
Martin Luther King was a voice of the people,
A voice of the people,
A voice of the people,
Martin Luther King was a voice of the people,
He helped people get their rights!
Repeat with the following
Harriet Tubman
Frederick Douglass
Ida B. Wells,
Malcolm X was a voice of the people,
Shirley Chisholm was a voice of the people,
Cesar Chavez was a voice of the people,
John Lewis was a voice of the people,
Ruth Asawa was a voice of the people,
Harvey Milk was a voice of the people,
Kamala Harris is a voice of the people,
A voice of the people,
A voice of the people,
I am a voice of the people,
We keep dreaming Martin Luther King’s dream,
We keep dreaming Martin Luther Kings’ dream,
We keep dreaming Martin Luther King’s dream,
We keep dreaming Martin Luther King’s….
DREAM!
Greatest Love of All
Music by Michael Masser, Lyrics by Linda Creed, performed by George Benson and Whitney Houston
I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
Everybody searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs
A lonely place to be
And so I learned to depend on me
I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I'll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest
Love of all is happening to me
I found the greatest
Love of all inside of me
I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be
Everybody searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfill my needs
A lonely place to be
And so I learned to depend on me
I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I'll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest
Love of all is happening to me
I found the greatest
Love of all inside of me
The greatest love of all
Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all
And if, by chance, that special place
That you've been dreaming of
Leads you to a lonely place
Find your strength in love
We Are the World. (U.S.A. for Africa)
There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand
to life, the greatest gift of all
We can't go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We're all a part of a great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
When you’re down and out,
There seems no hope at all,
But if you just believe,
There’s no way we can fall.
Well, well, let’s realize, change can only come,
When we stand together as one.
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
Songwriters: Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie
“Wake Up, Everybody”
HAROLD MELVIN AND HTE BLUE NOTES
Wake up everybody
No more sleepin' in bed
No more backward thinkin'
Time for thinkin' ahead
The world has changed so very much
From what it used to be
There is so much anger,
War and poverty, whoa, oh
Wake up, all the teachers
Time to teach a new way
Maybe then they'll listen
To what'cha have to say
'Cause they're the ones who's coming up
And the world is in their hands
When you teach the children
Teach 'em the very best you can, whoa
(Chorus) The world won't get no better
If we just let it be,
The world won't get no better
We’ve got to change it, yeah
Just you and me.
[Verse 2]
Wake up, all the builders
Time to build a new land
I know we can do it
If we all lend a hand
The only thing we have to do
Is put it in our mind
Surely things will work out
They always do in time, whoa
[Chorus]
The world won't get no better
If we just let it be,
The world won't get no better
We’ve got to change it, yeah
Just you and me.
Just you and me,
Just you and me,
We’ve got to change it, yeah!
We’ve got to change it, yeah!
Wake up, everybody!
Wake up, everybody!
Wake up everybody!
Wake up!
Young, Gifted and Black Nina Simone
Young, gifted and black
Oh what a lovely precious dream
To be young, gifted and black
Open your heart to what I mean
In the whole world you know
There's a million boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and black
And that's a fact
"You are young, gifted and black"
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
Yours is the quest that's just begun
When you feelin' really low
Yeah, there's a great truth that you should know
When you're young, gifted and black
Your soul's intact
How to be young, gifted and black?
Oh, how I long to know the truth
There are times when I look back
And I am haunted by my youth
Oh, but my joy of today
Is that we can all be proud to say
"To be young, gifted and black
Is where it's at"
Is where it's at
Is where it's at