Lyr Add: We Shall Not Give Up the Fight (S Africa)

Subject: Lyr Add: WE SHALL NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT (S Africa)
From: bradfordian
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 07:55 PM

One of those that you think would be in the DT but I couldn't find it (fingers crossed)

Given as traditional South African

We shall not give up the fight.
We have only started. We have only started. We have only started
We shall not give up the fight.
We have only started. We have only started. We have only started.

Together we'll have victory,
Hand holding hand, hand holding hand, hand holding hand.
Together we'll have victory,
Hand holding hand, hand holding hand, hand holding hand.

Never ever put to flight,
We're bound to win. We're bound to win. We are bound to win.
Never ever put to flight
We're bound to win. We're bound to win. We are bound to win.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Not Give Up the Fight (S Africa)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 09:36 PM

Not only has this song never been posted at Mudcat before, but there is precious little information about it on the whole freakin' Internet. I am amazed. This is too good a song to be unknown.

It's on the album "Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Protest and Praise from South Africa," by Fjedur, a Swedish choral group whose director apparently collected the song in Africa. There is a 30-second sound sample at last.fm. I also found a complete mp3 file: click to play..

(I found that mp3 with AltaVista Audio Search.)

There is also a songbook with the same title as the album.

It seems to have been recorded mainly by non-commercial groups such as:
The Solidarity Choir of Sydney, Australia.
The Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington DC
The Minnesota Boychoir
etc.

A few organizations have adapted it: "We shall not give up on peace...We'll put an end to bigotry..."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Not Give Up the Fight (S Afr
From: JennyO
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 10:26 PM

As Jim says, it is sung by the Sydney Solidarity Choir - one of our favourites. It is the title track of Solidarity's latest CD, which is about to be released this Saturday.

We often add in a verse that is relevant to whatever event we are singing at. A new verse that we always sing - written by Penny Harrington, goes:

Refugees are welcome here,
Lets be open-hearted, lets be open hearted, lets be open hearted.
Refugees are welcome here,
Lets be open-hearted, lets be open hearted, lets be open hearted.

Unfortunately, although you can listen to some of the songs on the website - here - you can't listen to that one :-(

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: We Shall Not Give Up the Fight (S Afr
From: JennyO
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 10:35 PM

By the way, Solidarity's arrangement is pretty much the same as the sound files that Jim linked to. I'm usually one of the sops that does the high bit on the last verse (when I'm there - haven't been able to get to practices much lately - in spite of that I still hopefully think of myself as a member.)