Whisper, listen, whisper, listen,
Whispers say we are free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’,
Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, can’t believe it,
But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer,
This is freedom day.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Throw those shacklin’ chains away.
Everybody that I see
Says it’s really true, we’re free.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Free to vote and earn my pay.
Dim my path and hide the way,
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
Whispers say we are free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’,
Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, can’t believe it,
But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer,
This is freedom day.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Throw those shacklin’ chains away.
Everybody that I see
Says it’s really true, we’re free.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Free to vote and earn my pay.
Dim my path and hide the way,
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
Contributed by Carles Viadel - 2008/1/22 - 14:45
Language: English
Freedom Day (New Version)
In Memory of Max Roach who died in the last year.
In Memory of Max Roach who died in the last year.
Whisper, listen, whisper, listen,
Whispers say we are free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’,
Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, can’t believe it,
But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer,
This is freedom day.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Throw those shacklin’ chains away.
Everybody that I see
Says it’s really true, we’re free.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Free to vote and earn my pay.
Dim my path and hide the way,
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
And this is a beautiful day to say
That it’s Freedom day, Freedom day…
And from this day we shall be so gay
Because we know that our Hope is here to stay…
And we shall find many chances in our way…
And Now, we all are ready to pray
And to wish that this wonderful day,
It will be always our Freedom Day…
Freedom day, it’s Freedom day…
And I believe that there’s nothing more to say!
Because it’s Freedom day, Freedom day…
Whispers say we are free.
Rumors flyin’, must be lyin’,
Can it really be?
Can’t conceive it, can’t believe it,
But that’s what they say.
Slave no longer, slave no longer,
This is freedom day.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Throw those shacklin’ chains away.
Everybody that I see
Says it’s really true, we’re free.
Freedom day, it’s freedom day,
Free to vote and earn my pay.
Dim my path and hide the way,
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
But we’ve made it, freedom day.
And this is a beautiful day to say
That it’s Freedom day, Freedom day…
And from this day we shall be so gay
Because we know that our Hope is here to stay…
And we shall find many chances in our way…
And Now, we all are ready to pray
And to wish that this wonderful day,
It will be always our Freedom Day…
Freedom day, it’s Freedom day…
And I believe that there’s nothing more to say!
Because it’s Freedom day, Freedom day…
Contributed by Richard Marot - 2008/4/11 - 12:30
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
"We Insist! Freedom Now", al quale parteciparono musicisti del calibro di Abbey Lincoln, Coleman Hawkins e Olatunji, è un disco seminale, colonna sonora del movimento per i diritti civili degli afro-americani che nel 1960 era nel periodo di massimo fulgore:
"[...] Nel 1960 Roach compose e incise per la Candid 'We Insist! Freedom Now Suite', un lavoro basato sui testi del poeta e cantante Oscar Brown, Jr e scritto in occasione del centenario della "proclamazione di emancipazione" di Abraham Lincoln. Un'operazione così esplicita, per l'epoca (anche per quanto riguarda la copertina del disco, veramente provocatoria), contribuì all'inserimento di Roach nella 'lista nera' dell'industria discografica americana nella seconda metà degli anni Sessanta, e lo costrinse a diradare la sua presenza in studio d'incisione. [...]"
(La citazione in questa introduzione è tratta da it.wikipedia).
Original liner notes
1. "Driva Man" – 5:10
2. "Freedom Day" – 6:02
3. "Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace" – 7:58
4. "All Africa" – 7:57
5. "Tears for Johannesburg" – 9:36
FREEDOM DAY, another collaboration of Brown and Roach, communicates the vibrant expectancy and wonderment and nagging disbelief in the period immediately following the Emancipation Proclamation. The song, particularly in Abbey Lincoln’s surging performance, projects a bursting impatience. The celebratory instrumental solos are by Booker Little (trumpet); Walter Benton (tenor saxophone) in one of his best performances so far on record; Julian Priester (trombone); and Max Roach. Roach arranged the backgrounds throughout the record as well as having composed the melodies.
original liner notes by Nat Hentoff