ADD: We Are Soldiers in the Army

Subject: We Are Soldiers in the Army
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Aug 15 - 02:12 AM

This was one of the most important songs of the Black civil rights movement. I'm surprised it hasn't been posted here.

http://www.folkways.si.edu/we-are-soldiers-army/african-american-struggle-protest/music/video/smithsonian

WE ARE SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY
(songwriter??)

We Are Soldiers in the Army
We are Soldiers in the army
We have [got] to fight, although we have to cry
We have to hold up the bloodstained [freedom] banner
We have to hold it up until we die!

My mother was a soldier
She had her hand on the Gospel [freedom] plow
But one day she got old, she couldn't fight anymore
She said "I'll stand here & fight anyhow!"

My father was a soldier / He had… (as v.1)

I'm so glad that I'm a soldier / I've got my hand…

One day I'll get old & can't fight anymore / & I'll…

Well Mandela, he is a soldier / He's got his hands…
He spent half of his life in prison
But he kept on fighting anyhow

I'm glad that we are soldiers / We've got our hands…
We've spent half of our lives fighting for freedom
But we'll stand here fighting anyhow

——trad. (gospel), new lyrics by Freedom Singers