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Transcription: [00:04:39]
{SPEAKER name="Betty Mae Fikes"}
means participation and we have to give something in order to get the fill
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all we ask for you to give right now is your lips to say the words
[00:04:51]

Monday morning we want you to be down at the courthouse
[00:04:54]

but if you make the effort here to sing these songs then you wont have any fear or your fear will be minimized Monday
[00:05:03]

so now lets everybody open there mouths and say these words
[00:05:06]
we've been Buked and we've been scorned we've been talked about soon as you're born
[00:05:17]

isn't that true don't they talk about us Negros all the time all right so this is our song
[00:05:24]

but we'll never turn back no we'll never turn back until we've all been freed and we have equality.
[00:05:40]

isn't that what were struggling for here in Selma we're not gonna turn back are we.
[00:05:45]
all right then so then is our song its not just Mississippi's song it's Selma song too.
[00:05:51]
now here's the second verse we've served our time in jail with no money for to go our bail.
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now that's the way it is for some of those people down there in jail right now
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in other words to get into freedom clubs sometimes you have to go to jail or your children has to go to jail.
[00:06:15]
all right but we'll never turn back no we'll never turn back until we've all been freed and we have equality
[00:06:30]
now listen to this next verse because we do this every time we come to a a mass meeting in southern Alabama
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we have walked through the shadows of death we had to walk all by ourselves but we'll never turn back no we'll never turn back until we've been freed and we have equality.
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This is the stanza who refers to this man we have hung our heads in pride, pride for those like lee who died, died for you, and he died me
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died for the cause of equality, but we'll never turn back no we'll never turn back until we've all been freed and we have equality , and we have equality
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now that's very important because instead of lee that could've been Mecca Evans who died for you and died for me
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and it could've been some of those people down in Wilcox county and Lowns county whom the white people have shot up and killed
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you see what I mean and before it's over with it could be you and it could be me
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so that that song has special meaning for everybody in this audience lets just say those last words again
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we have hung our heads in pride, for those like lee who died, died for you and he died me
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alright now in order to sing this song you know when we sing we should over come we stand up and we hold hands
[00:08:28]
and I think since this is a new song
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and this is a very important-sister I don't know I mean does it bother you to if it bothers you to stand don't stand up
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but you know we can't hardly sing sometimes these new songs siting down
[00:08:42]
but all right sister, I don't want you to stand up, I don't want you to stand up
[00:08:48]
but we oghta stand up and fold our hands and then we'll sit right back down
[00:08:53]
then lets get in the spirit of this song because its Selma's song it's not Mississippi's song
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all right lets stand up and fold our hands and lets all sing out