The Staple Singers "When Will We Be Paid", 1971

[SGmom2]

Mavis is so beautiful!! She oozes beauty from her soul!

[jake180289]

I love how her eyes are all glassy and how she sucks her lips in when she takes a breath

[justice4aiyana]

Artists don't even come close to speaking on social issues.

[johncbny]

Talk about goose pimples. That's what happens each and every time I hear this song..Wow, Mavis, what a voice!!!

[billychuck59]

Mavis is the best!

[ChildofGod318]

she reminds me of queen latifah

[sourheartroasie]

@ChildofGod318: That's an insult to Mavis. 

[ChildofGod318]

@sourheartroasie I'm sorry. didn't mean it to be an insult

[ChiknThighTatorPie]

Mavis looks so good singing. They all do, but especially Mavis.

[popomatic1970]

This is beautiful, man... this just rips my heart out.

[tywill10]

Mavis Staples is the perfect definition of "Soul Singer". Her voice is like melted butter on a homemade buttermilk buscuit. I can't help but love her!!!

[jookinmus]

Dat girl mavis is just RAW!

[Candygirl820]

That Mavis has an AMAZING voice. soooo much power and truth in her throat. LOL that man at 3:12 is pissed! LOLOLOLOL

[2blakandbold]

They don't play this on the radio...and that's for sho!

[sheezfreshnexciting]

I am having trouble figuring out how a debate about slavery has even started here. @shoutandshimmy, you should disable the comments on this video, because I am sure that was not your intention when you posted it. If you aren't a decendant of a slave, you don't need to have an opinon about slavery, especially if you ARE a decendant of a slaveowner. Slavery was something you and your ancestors have benefited from. I have not gained anything, only lost my language and culture and dignity.

[realspear]

ZMDELM demonstrates the result of Palin-style ignorance. A few buzzwords and one "knows" history. Slavery in the Arab world was quite different than in the US. Slaves held by Arabs were required to be paid and could buy their freedom, their children were educated. They couldn't be raped, beaten, or killed like they were in the US. Once they were free, they could live normal lives. I've visited slave descendants in their homes in North Africa and heard their life stories. Totally different

[terrybeaton]

I'm a white canadian, 51 yrs. old and it seems to me this song is honoring those who were enslaved and did so much to build America with no thanks or recognition. "When will we be paid" is a rhetorical cry that says what so many feel about that unfair treatment. I think it was also a call to rally together and feel their strength as a people, united and resilient. Hearing Mavis sing and seeing her passion is amazing. Clean outta sight, man!

[ZMDELM]

Some of you seem to think that all whites are the same just because they're white. What about the Arabs who enslaved black Africans long before the Europeans bought you from the African tribal leaders? Stop being a victim and be part of the solution, accept Jesus and renew your spirit in righteousness.

[classyrachel]

Angelic voices 

[mlzielke]

Wow......what a voice Mavis has! Keep p singing, girl!

[TheAndena]

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nomadak47]

Powerful!!!

[judgeshrimp]

wow I thought Prince wrote this !!! good song though... Good song either way....

[Spunion19]

just don't understand who could dislike this..?..

[JOHNBLAZESON]

SING IT GIRL !!!

[prettycountrygirl2]

Sing it Mavis. What a song!!

[Mbogo33]

Its only the Blacksin this country haven't been paid their dues! When they talk about it, most politicians shy away or are angered by it. If everybody else is paid, Jews have been paid for everything they ask for, which is a good thing, some people sue and are paid exorbitantly! Only my black sisters and brothers in USA have been denied their pay. They continue to cry out decade after decade, and they are ignored and shut down profusely! God warns of a danger in not paying fair and due wages.

[madebutante]

@Mbogo33 and this falls over to the mexica people too!They are the ones who are doing the work...blacks have been f'g imprisoned unjustly...this is a racist country. no doubt about it...we need another freedom march!!

See yo on the streets!!

[Merrida]

God bless Pop Staples,Mavis and The Staples Singers!

[vivascargill]

For Arthur Peter Jim Louise and the woman in WAPC

[LawrenceDavis]

Mavis puts 'em ALL to shame, including Arethra!

Only an old white dude like myself could get away with this comment, but SO BE IT.

Guess I'll never make it to honky heaven fur sayin' this....

[LunaLoca785]

beautiful.

[dfillingham]

This is perfect for the 99th International Womens Day celebration. Yesterday here in Boston, Codepink, Raging Grannies, and my group, Veterans for peace, collected in Copley Square and then marched to Boston Common. We had over 100 people and picked up maybe 25 more onroute. Womens rights, childrens rights, human rights. Justice with Peace. And Mavis stands tall for all this and more. Let's not forget workers rights.

[18185954]

BLACK POWER!

[ShangoJamal]

I've only heard PRINCE's version of this.

Never knew it was originally done by the fabulous STAPLE SINGERS. Right On!

[TigerLikesTail]

Pure & simple & great.

There may be a lot of artists out there with substantially more talent, but that is what makes music so great.

This.. The simplest of tracks has the power to send chills up the spine.

They could be singing this sitting on a porch with homemade instruments & it would still be great.

[onelateafternoon]

I am with you, mostly. I don't know about "substantially more talent" though. Mavis Staples, less talented? Than who? I ain't having it. She is the best.

RIP "Pops" Staples.

Peace.

[tolstoy1]

Well,.... when are we going to answer this question? ... brothers and sisters, we are all Americans, let's come together and pay the workers their due,... this is what I would call Justice.

[KYARADIO1260]

Mavis Staple, what  a voice, never get enough of her,

[dimeclipent]

@KYARADIO1260 YES SHE IS AMAZING THEY DONT MAKE THE LIKE THAT ANYMORE!!!

[bayareamayne]

You know what ? Thats a damn good question !!!

[1milboy]

This made me cry.

[residentplanningeek]

@1milboy yeah. i had a similar reaction.

[spritualdiary]

i think nowadays music doesn have strong statements anymore. i m a white a whtie european guy and this influenced my vieuws on the wolrd forever. This was part of my up bringing

peace to ya all

[alonzo21100]

dis has a hole lot of trouth in it we still aint got the pay we deservied when are they gone pay us blacks, mexicans, cubans, asian, etc

[swdanielson]

much love to sister mavis and family!!!!

[Steakfinger]

To all the people who claim this song is somehow still relevant, isn't that like saying that modern-day Germans owe modern-day Jews something? Maybe I'm wrong, (and I fully admit that could be the case) but that's how it seems to me.

[SisterPGuitar]

Question: have you ever heard of social constuction? Jewish people have done what they needed to do to rise up from centuries of oppression...black people are still trapped because the reigns that was socially put on them is still in place. They are still too passive the way Jewish people historically once was but then became wise and that is the reason they have been paid.

[kives1985]

@Steakfinger

Do you know what white privilege is? It's the benefits that you get from being white. You don't get followed in stores, you don't get stopped unnecessarily by police, you don't have to worry about being a representative of your race, etc. You get the privilege of being white for free, but it's taken from people that aren't white.

Now if you buy stolen merchandise accidentally, and someone claims it and has proof that it's stolen, don't you have to give the merchandise back?

[Steakfinger]

@kives1985 If I were to buy stolen merchandise accidentally, of course I would have to give it back. My point is that most of the people who bought the metaphorical stolen merchandise are dead and buried and we aren't even related. As for white privilege, I think it's something different. When I had long hair and dressed like a heavy metal guy, I was constantly hounded by the police and constantly followed in stores. I think it has to more with class than race these days.

[Steakfinger]

@kives1985 When are the blacks going to be paid by the Africans who sold them to the Europeans? Africans were masters of slavery before the Europeans even got involved. Luckily, I'm not black or white: I belong to the human race. Period.

[kives1985]

@Steakfinger

You are white and privileged. Denying that you are not white and that you aren't privileged doesn't change the fact that you are. There are still problems with race in America. You also seem to think that after the civil war, black people were free to do with their labor what they wanted. That's untrue. Sharecropping made it so that black people were still kind of stuck farming for the plantation owners in slave-like condition, and that system was not a free labor market.

[kives1985]

@Steakfinger

Not to mention that a lot of complaints that she lists are still applicable. Maybe not on the scale that they were in 1971, but they're still there in some form.

[Steakfinger]

@kives1985 I don't disagree with you, but saying that innocent people need to be punished for things they didn't do makes no sense. That's ALL I'm saying. I don't owe anyone anything except the love and respect they are due as a human beings. My comments have nothing to do with race in any way. I don't think anyone is inferior to anyone else because of anatomy. Do you understand I'm trying to have a real exchange of ideas? I'm not here to cause trouble or make enemies.

[mfalmekali]

@Steakfinger Lol!! Is that how you try to clear your evil conscious?the guilt of ur devil slave master forefathers eats u up so u try to cleans their sins by saying Africans were responsible for slavery? U r a descendant of evil and hate, it flow thru ur veins like raging river u cracker and there aint nothing u can say or do that will change that whitey.

[Steakfinger]

@mfalmekali Hilarious. This has got to be a joke. If it's real, you're the only one who seems to have hate in the veins. I am NOT descended from slave owners. Even if I was, what would it matter. Do YOU need to feel guilty because your grandfather raped someone? Does that make YOU a rapist? No. Everything I expressed was opinion and I stated it as such. I was having a civil conversation. You show up cause shit. Unless, of course, you are sarcastically supporting my opinions.

[imthrowed94]

@Steakfinger shut up cracker

[Steakfinger]

@mfalmekali If you are a black man who feels that all white people are devil cracker whiteys and you like to judge people without knowing anything about them I think you are probably the ONLY racist in the room. So suck on that. Also, you said "evil conscious" when you meant "guilty conscience". There is a difference in both meaning AND spelling. If you can't even say what you mean how can you make a valid argument? You sound like a fool and color has nothing to do with that, asshole.

[mfalmekali]

@Steakfinger LOL!!! did i hurt ur feelings cracker? or should i say ur evil conscience? don't try and group urself with "all" white pple, am talking about racist slave master descendants like YOU. The rest r fine.Where do u come off blaming Africans for slavery?Did Africans own slave ships and cotton plantations in the south? Were the slave set free once the got to the U.S? I guess ur going to say Africans are also to blame for the sex slavery thats rampant in the U.S today? IDIOT!!

[Steakfinger]

@mfalmekali This has got to be a joke. Very good. Either you're "culture jamming" or you're a troll looking to start shit regardless of your beliefs. What the fuck would YOU know about slavery that I don't? Where did you get your education? If you grew up in this country you probably went to the aame shitty public school sI went to. How would you know what Africans did or did not do? Stating fact is not placing blame. This must be a joke. No one is that ignorant.

[bagmac357]

@Steakfinger Hay it's not placing blame it's seeing the facts I'm older then you Black and white Communities have never crossed so we both never new how the other was living yes we do and say things out of entitlement and anger whites do expect first cut Jobs first at government Programs and when they don't got what they wont it's affirmative action some whites hate The president whether they belive it or not

[mfalmekali]

@Steakfinger Btw, people still go to jail for handling stolen goods despite the fact that its not them who stole the goods in the first place. Am happy you are trying as hard as possible to clear your EVIL guilty conscience by lying blame on slavery on someone else other than your forefathers. In Africa there is a saying that goes "the child of a snake is a snake".

[Steakfinger]

@mfalmekali I'm not trying to clear my conscience. If you knew anything about the English language you would know that you have to be guilty OF something to feel guilty ABOUT something. A child of a snake? So you're responsible for everything blacks have done BEFORE slavery? Slavery renders all black people blameless? Every bad thing that befalls the black community is somehow the fault of ALL white people? Girl I hate to say it, N@#GA PLEEZ! I feel guilty for nothing. U can axe my black GF.

[bagmac357]

@Steakfinger I sorry you lack the depth of understanding, white privilege that's what the song is about, yes Barack is President but you know where the true power lies finance wall street white men, you for father made a pact with the devil, and your ancestors are guilty they cursed you. black people wont the same uninterrupted access to the institution as you. they would like first cut I tired of here whites talk about how hard they worked to realize the American dream at least they

[bagmac357]

kykm35 I sorry you lack the depth of understanding, white privilege that's what the song is about, yes Barack is President but you know where the true power lies finance wall street white men, you for father made a pact with the devil, and your ancestors are guilty they cursed you. black people wont the same uninterrupted access to the institution as you. they would like first cut I tired of here whites talk about how hard they worked to realize the American dream at least they

[bagmac357]

@mfalmekali I'm amazed at how all this bathroom talk is baby talk if you are a recist Be proud of it and when the day comes when we meat on the true ground I will respect as a warrior not a racist

[mfalmekali]

@bagmac357 Maximum Respect Bro...

[ThomasHankyPank]

@mfalmekali racist ass nigger

[mfalmekali]

@ThomasHankyPank Howdy trailer trash

[gimpyoot]

Still as relevant today as it was in 1971!

[imtroy]

Mavis has such a distinct gift ...my first time hearing this song and i REALLY like it... makes me think of the verse "behold, I come quickly and My reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be... " Rev 22:12.

[twendywilliams]

Hold on Pay Day is Coming...Then we won't have ask for a dime anymore!

[n2purpose]

WOW! We are STILL asking this question today!

[suegreenbar]

This is one BIG CHOOOOOOOOOOOOON

[roanoke703]

This came out before Respect Yourself. Too bad people didn't know them better then. They were doing great stuff before they hit it big.

[wabankik]

...Pops too Cool!,...Real southern boy!,.Did he know Sonny Terry I wonder/?

[sayyes2bull]

way cool.

[bigblackafrika]

the anti-Obama song :O)

[ZMDELM]

That is a powerful song and Mavis nailed it. I will listen and write the words down. post later.

[wsnewton11]

Mavis was and still is the Queen of sou!!!l great song :)

[dunepaul9999]

Great voice and great song 5 stars

[OtherTwin]

we pay you with love and respect love and peace to ya jve

[OtherTwin]

PAID IN LOVE AND RESPECT love and peace to ya jve

[paul1vandoren]

real soul, altijd ok and remember.. when will we be paid..

[furaha9]

does any one have the lyrics for this song. because i need them. just message me back. thank you...

[LittleSpoon87]

I'm pretty much awe struck by this song, what a voice!

[12stringsforme]

I just discovered this group via iTunes. I had no idea there was video.

[cosette2193]

Great song sung with more soul than I could muster in a lifetime.

[dannpenn]

Mavis the queen of gospel

[Twisted19881]

amazing, amazing.

[thyminn]

wow great voice

[mahoward82]

We will never be paid for the chapter in our history in which we shed our sweat and tears, BUT,,,,, WE CAN BUILD TO OUR HISTORY AND WRITE THE STORY OF PERSEVERANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jennclark06]

this song is so true.

[antreese]

who is the third woman??

[yellowgalkrazyredd]

the three women are sisters

Left: Cleotha Staples, middle: Yvonne Staples, and Right: Mavis Staples. And playing the instrument is Their father, Pops Staples.

[notoriousneal]

today

[cooperyahoo]

Sang it Mavis!

[thepowderedclouds]

nice one! classic tune

[tuberhatesonions]

mavis soars in a heart-wrenching summary of reality in America..........