''Freedom Highway'' is a 1965 album by

The Staple Singers The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February 21 ...

(Epic LN24163/ BN26163). The title song was written for the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights and reflects not only on the actions of the activists but what suffering they had endured to get there, even referencing the murder of

Emmett Till Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African American boy who was abducted, tortured, and lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery ...

Tallahatchie River The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River. The river is navigable for about . At Money, Mississi ...

. The lyrics begin “March up freedom's highway / March, each and every day.” and continue “Made up my mind / And I won't turn around."

Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family's band The Staple Singers (she is the last surviving member of that band). Durin ...

reprised the song in 2008 on '' Live: Hope at the Hideout'', which was released on November 4, 2008, the same day that

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

won the presidential election.Greg Kot -Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers 1451647875 2014 I'll Take You There Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers, and the March up Freedom's Highway "Live: Hope at the Hideout was released on November 4, 2008, the same day that Obama won the election. That night, the ... Mavis reprised the song at the Hideout: “March up freedom's highway / March, each and every day.” Now a black man ... “Made up my mind / And I won't turn around.” She hadn't yet ..."

Track listing

1965 release

The remastered LP was re-issued as ''Freedom Highway Complete - Recorded Live at Chicago's New Nazareth Church'' by Sony in 2015 #"Freedom Highway" - Pops Staples #"What You Gonna Do?" #"Take My Hand Precious Lord" #"When I'm Gone" #"Help Me Jesus" #"

We Shall Overcome "We Shall Overcome" is a gospel song which became a protest song and a key anthem of the American civil rights movement. The song is most commonly attributed as being lyrically descended from "I'll Overcome Some Day", a hymn by Charles Albert Ti ...

" #"

When The Saints Go Marching In "When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as simply "The Saints", is a traditional black spiritual. It originated as a Christian hymn and is often played by jazz bands. This song was famously recorded on May 13, 1938, by Louis Armstron ...

" #"The Funeral" #"Build on That Shore" #"Tell Heaven" #"He's All Right"

1991 compilation

A compilation of the same title was released on CD by SBME in 1991 but preserves only two of the original LP tracks. The other tracks are a "hitlist" of favourites from the other albums made for Epic at the same period. #"

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the cho ...

" (Ada Ruth Habershon, Charles Hutchinson Gabriel) - 2:37 #"Move Along Train" (Roebuck Staples) - 2:25 #"Are You Sure" (Ike Cargill, 1943) - 2:44 #"

Wade in the Water "Wade in the Water" (Roud 5439) is an African American jubilee song, a spiritual—in reference to a genre of music "created and first sung by African Americans in slavery." The lyrics to "Wade in the Water" were first co-published in 1901 in ...

" (J. W. Alexander, Sam Cooke) - 2:57 #"

If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again" (1922) is a popular gospel song written by John Whitfield "Whit" Vaughan (1879–1945), as a tribute to his own mother, Clara Beady Burgess-Vaughan. The words are based on a text by James Rowe, an English set ...

" (James Rowe, John Vaughan) - 2:22 #" Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!" (Traditional; arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:20 #"

The Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...

" (Albert Hay Malotte (1935), arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 3:02 #"Jacob's Ladder" (A. Smith; arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:04 #"Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)" (arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:51 #"Praying Time" (Traditional; arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 3:03 #"

For What It's Worth "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)" (often referred to as simply "For What It's Worth") is a song written by Stephen Stills. Performed by Buffalo Springfield, it was recorded on December 5, 1966, released as a single on Atco Reco ...

" (

Stephen Stills Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American musician, singer and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. As both a solo act and member of two successful bands, Stills has com ...

) - 2:24 #"Hammer and Nails" (A. Schroeder, D. Hill) - 2:25 #"Freedom Highway" (Roebuck Staples) - 2:55 #"What You Gonna Do?" (arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:37 #"

Samson and Delilah Samson and Delilah are Biblical figures. Samson and Delilah may also refer to: In music * ''Samson and Delilah'' (opera), an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns * ''Samson & Delilah'' (album), released in 2013 by V V Brown * "Samson and Delilah" (t ...

" (Traditional; arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:33 #"

Nobody's Fault But Mine "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine" or "Nobody's Fault but Mine" is a song first recorded by gospel blues artist Blind Willie Johnson in 1927. It is a solo performance with Johnson singing and playing slide guitar. The song has been interpreted an ...

" (1927) (arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:48 #"

Be Careful of Stones that You Throw "Be Careful of Stones that You Throw" is a song recorded by Hank Williams. It was written by Bonnie Dodd. Background Bonnie Dodd was a steel guitar player who wrote Tex Ritter's 1945 hit "You Will Have to Pay" and had been recording herself sinc ...

" (Bonnie Dodd) - 2:48 #"

This Train "This Train", also known as "This Train Is Bound for Glory", is a traditional American gospel song first recorded in 1922. Although its origins are unknown, the song was relatively popular during the 1920s as a religious tune, and it became a gospe ...

" (arranged by Roebuck Staples) - 2:38

References

{{Authority control 1965 albums The Staple Singers albums Albums produced by Billy Sherrill Epic Records albums +