By: Nina Rickett-Green
Rise Again the activist’s mixtape: lyric book
This project was inspired by my love of singing in the shower. I am part of a choir ensemble and I take voice lessons, but I would argue that there’s nothing more satisfying than hitting a high note in the privacy of your own acoustically-sound, tiled studio.
My favorite songs to sing in the shower are those with an empowering message, often demanding change through personal transformation and/or collective movements. My go-to emotional, badass song is Rise Up by Andra Day, and I was curious to see what songs inspired my peers in the same way.
I posed a question on my Instagram story: “what song(s) do you associate with activism? (songs that inspire you to fight for something, encapsulate a movement’s message, and/or are a cry for change)”
I received incredible songs in return; so many that I could not include all of them in this playlist. The songs that were suggested by the public contain an asterisk next to them.
Once I gathered the songs I believed to fit the narrative I wanted to craft, I carefully ordered them to insure a cohesive and transcendent message. Beginning with fierce, loud, and powerful cries for an uprising of the poor and racially oppressed people, the mixtape transitions to the voices of women both crying for help and finding the strength within them to fight. The playlist ends with passionate ballads of hope, redemption, and future victory. This lyric book highlights the words that I believe to be the most moving and encapsulate the song’s purpose.
I hope that those who listen to this playlist find the courage, vulnerability, and strength in themselves to fight for a cause they believe in wholeheartedly. I hope that this music evokes an image of what the future could be: one in which the wealth is equally distributed, racial differences are celebrated and not used to discriminate, and those of all genders can feel loved, safe, and accepted. I hope this music helps its listeners continue to rise, again and again until these dreams are made a reality.
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution - Tracy Chapman Poor people gonna rise up And get their share Poor people gonna rise up And take what's theirs
Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples) - Hozier (*) But I could cry power (Power) 'Cause power is my love when my love reaches to me James Brown cried power Seeger cried power Marvin cried power Yeah ah, power James cried power Lennon cried power Patti cried power Billie, power Dylan, power Woody, power Nina cried power
I Won’t Back Down - Tom Petty (*) Well, I know what's right I got just one life In a world that keeps on pushin' me around But I'll stand my ground And I won't back down
Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley & The Wailers (*) Get up, stand up Stand up for your right Get up, stand up Don't give up the fight
Alright - Kendrick Lamar (*) We been hurt, been down before Nigga, when our pride was low Lookin' at the world like, "Where do we go?" Nigga, and we hate po-po Wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho' Nigga, I'm at the preacher's door My knees gettin' weak, and my gun might blow But we gon' be alright
Assata’s Daughters (Interlude) - Jamila Woods It is our duty to fight for our freedom It is our duty to win We must love each other and support each other We have nothing to lose but our chains
Your Best American Girl - Mitski Your mother wouldn't approve of how my mother raised me But I do, I finally do And you're an all-American boy I guess I couldn't help trying to be the best American girl
Woman - Kesha, The Dap Kings Horns I'm a motherfucking woman, baby, alright I don't need a man to be holding me too tight I’m a motherfucking woman, baby, that’s right I'm just having fun with my ladies here tonight
Casket Pretty - Noname I've been searching for God in the bottle he gave me Ashes to Ashes, dearly departed, regarded as Holy Don't hold me, don't hold me when niggas is dying and dying And I'm afraid of the dark, blue and the white Badges and pistols rejoice in the night And we watch the news, and we see him die tonight Tonight the night his baby said goodbye Roses in the road, teddy bear outside, bullet there on the right Ooh, Child - MILCK Some day, yeah We'll get it together and we'll get it all done Some day When your head is much lighter Some day, yeah We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun Some day When the world is much brighter
Americans - Janelle Monae (*) Hold on, don't fight your war alone Halo around you, don't have to face it on your own We will win this fight All souls be brave We'll find a way to heaven We'll find a way
Energy - Sampa the Great, Nadeem Din-Gabisi (*) Female energy One shot two shot three times sorrows Carry all the weight of the world on your shoulders Give a couple crowns to the women who had bore us Taught us Focus Love and support us Magical, umbilical my universe is radical
Medicine - Rising Appalachia (*) Find your healing in the music that calls you the voice that enthralls you what do you belong to? Eyes out there’s the setting of the sun give thanks to each and everyone
There’s Hope - India.Arie Back when I had a little I thought that I needed a lot A little was overrated, but a lot was a little too complicated You see, zero didn't satisfy me A million didn't make me happy That's when I learned a lesson That it's all about your perception
A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke (*) There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long But now I think I'm able to carry on It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gon' come, oh yes it will
I Was Here - Beyoncé (*) I just want them to know That I gave my all, did my best Brought someone some happiness Left this world a little better just because I was here I was here I lived, I loved
Rise Up - Andra Day And I'll rise up I'll rise like the day I'll rise up I'll rise unafraid I'll rise up And I'll do it a thousand times again
Glory - Common, John Legend (*) We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany Now we right the wrongs in history No one can win the war individually It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy Welcome to the story we call victory