Keep your eyes on the prize

The original version of this song is an old gospel song called "keep your hands on the plough" but the Staples singers changed it around to "keep your eyes on the prize"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe0UXSUfvKE

Mavis Staples version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZWdDI_fkns

and Bruce Springsteen also did a version from his Seeger sessions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PqYF6bXIk0

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• mavis
• staples
• bruce
• springsteen
• keep
• your
• eyes
• on
• the
• prize
• gospel
• freedom
• struggle

[matthewvaughan]

That was really good. I'm always surprised at how you manage to make these song sound good in this new context, but you do. Really great job. Compelling, as I think someone already said.

[weegingayin]

@matthewvaughan Thank you Matthew. I eagerly await some old gospel stuff from the Rise up singing songbook or some civil rights songs. Songs are special when rooted in history.

I am awaiting for you to open up a can of Whup-ass on your guitar just like Odetta and sing that old chaingang song "Bring a little water Sylvie"

[DearOldNutjob]

I found this very compelling. The perfect music for looking back at this old footage. Interesting times.

[weegingayin]

@DearOldNutjob Interesting times indeed. I listened to the Mavis Staples version of "Eyes on the prize" and the footage that was used was from the civil rights movement (mines was from the Vietnam war) and then I noticed she had done another song called "99 and a half won't do" and the footage for that video showed police brutality at the 2007 May Day march in Los Angeles.

Everything changes but nothing changes.

[floydbluethereal]

superb Rob!

[weegingayin]

@floydbluethereal Your a winner Ralf:-)

Can't wait to hear you do a solo on that sliding whistle

[lilkr841]

The hose part is sad

[quincydubois]

Just noticed this vid rob .. Great stuff .. Jim white is some serious vibe

[Rutle]

Love the music, nice vocals too.

[floydbluethereal]

@weegingayin Thank you, Rob! :) Yes, there will be a solo...

[weegingayin]

@russbuss415 Well I am into a gospel revival southern gothic Jim White thing at the moment. I've got ten miles to go on a nine mile road.