6. A Dream of Many

Jemma H
Jemma H
Jul 10, 2017 · 3 min read

“You can kill the dreamer, but you absolutely cannot kill the dream,” Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles states in Soundtrack for a Revolution. The dreamer is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in reference to his infamous speech in Washington D.C.

This dream took life, where glimmers of hope shined through fear and uncertainty. It was in the hearts of everyday people like you and me, who held onto this hope for a better place to call home in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and ultimately the U.S.

Group of Marchers during the Selma to Montgomery march (Image and information provided by ABC News)

Singing was an integral part of the nonviolent protests. Harry Belafonte states in the documentary: Soundtrack for a Revolution that singing had a single purpose “…to reach deep into our moments of the greatest anguish and to say ‘we have had worse than this, we can endure.’” It was the voice of the movement when no hardened hearts were open to just words.

Singing Protesters during MLK’s Civil Rights Rally in 1963 (photo and information by: goodnet.org)

We begin by delving into “We Shall Overcome”, which was recognized in Soundtrack for a Revolution. It has become recognized as a civil rights song for the last fifty years. Its roots begin from the slaves working in the fields and also from the hymns of an African-American minister, Charles Tindley. It was fully manifested to what it is today by the artists, Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan, and Pete Seeger. There are many renditions like Johnson-Reagon’s “I Will Overcome” (Adams, 2013). Over the years, it has been sung by large choirs and also soloists, and it has been accompanied by various instruments like the banjo and acoustic guitar. It has been sung by protesters from China to North Korea to Beirut (Adams, 2013).

I find the song to be hopeful, and I believe it urges both the singers and the listeners to move forward through their trying times. It also has a sense of momentum (although not as vivid of an imagery like The Hutchinson Family Singers’ “Get Off the Track” with a charging train). It tells the opposition that the movement will continue to fight, no matter how long it may take.

The following example is sung by Morehouse College Glee Club.

I decided to focus on “We Shall Overcome” to highlight the impact of music during the Civil Rights Movement, although the documentary features many other songs from African-American spirituals, gospels, etc.

I also found Richie Havens rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” to be incredibly moving as we watched the faces of young and innocent lives lost fade in and out in the documentary. It reminded me that although MLK, Rosa Parks, and other important figures left a mark in history, the movement itself would not have been possible without the extraordinary acts of ordinary people. It also saddened me to see how brutally the protesters were treated by authorities.

Overall, Soundtrack for a Revolution was memorable because I was able to see the material that I had learned prior in a musical context.

Citations:

Transcript of Soundtrack for a Revolution

“The Inspiring Force of We Shall Overcome” by Noah Adams of NPR (Aug. 28, 2013)

    Written by

    Jemma H

    Portfolio for MUSI2040E.

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