Lyrics:
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Come all you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell
Which side are you on?
Solidarity forever
Solidarity forever
Solidarity forever
For the union makes us strong
When the union's inspiration
Through the workers' blood shall run
There can be no power greater
Anywhere beneath the sun
Yet what force on earth is weaker
Than the feeble strength of one?
Oh teacher, teacher why are you so poor?
When it comes to unions you’re an amateur
Now, unions are for workers but
A teacher has prestige
Oh unions are for workers but a
Teacher has prestige he can feed his kids on
That old noblesse oblige
Now prestige is fine but so is bread and meat
Prestige is fine but so is bread and meat
What good is that white collar
When you cannot еat?
We leave our homes in the morning
We kiss our children goodbye
While we slave for the bosses
Our children scream and cry
And when we draw our money
Our grocery bills to pay
Not a cent to spend for clothing
Not a cent to lay away
And on that very evening
Our little son will say
I need some shoes mother
And so does sister May
How it grieves the heart of a mother
You everyone must know
But we can't buy for our children
Our wages are too low
It is for our little children
That seem to us so dear
But for us nor them dear workers
The bosses do not care
But understand all workers
Our union they do fear let's stand together
And have a union here
Solidarity forever
Solidarity forever
Solidarity forever
For the union makes us strong
When the union's inspiration
Through the workers' blood shall run
There can be no power greater
Anywhere beneath the sun
Yet what force on earth is weaker
Than the feeble strength of one?
What a comfort to the widow
A light to the child
There is power in a Union
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
Together we will stand
There is power in a Union
There is power in a Union
What a comfort to the widow
A light to the child
There is power in a Union
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
Together we will stand
There is power in a Union
There is power in a Union
What a comfort to the widow
A light to the child
There is power in a Union
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
Together we will stand
There is power in a Union
No class distinction, no slums or poverty,
So workers of the nation unite,
Workers of the nation unite,
People of the nation unite
Come all you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell
Which side are you on, boys?
Nobody gives a damn any more.
The politicians, unions, workers and the militants,
The fact of it is nobody gives any more.
Vanzetti docked here in 1908;
He slept along the dirty streets,
He told the workers ?Organize?
And on the electric chair he dies.
All you people ought to be like me,
And work like Sacco and Vanzetti;
And every day find some ways to fight
On the union side for workers' rights.
Graveyard people with graveyard minds
Peeking out through half-drawn blinds
Desperate people with desperate minds
Only live amongst straight lines
Scorning the gypsies camped out in the fields
What do they know of the warrior's shield?
Go-slow workers with Union minds
Striking out for better times
Sunshine people with sunshine minds
Living in these troubled times
Follow shop stewards like so many sheep
Sowing the seed that our children will reap
Go-slow workers with Union minds
Striking out for better times
Sunshine people with sunshine minds
Living in these troubled times
Get it together, no one knows how we feel
Sowing the seed that our children will reap
All you have to do is sit and wait
Keeping out of everybody's way
We'll...you'll be handed power on a plate
When the ones who matter have their say
And with chaos installed
You can reluctantly agree to be called
(Peron:)
There again we could be foolish not to quit while we're ahead
For distance lends enchantment, and that is why
All exiles are distinguished, more important, they're not dead
I could find job satisfaction in Paraguay
(Eva:)
This is crazy defeatist talk
Why commit political suicide, there's no risk
There's no call for any action at all
When you have unions on your side
(Workers:)
A new Argentina, the chains of the masses untied
A new Argentina, the voice of the people
Cannot be denied
(Eva:)
There is only one man who can lead any workers' regime
He lives for your problems, he shares your ideals and your dream
He supports you, for he loves you
Understands you, is one of you
If not, how could he love me?
Now, if you want higher wages let me tell you what to do
You got to talk to the workers in the shop with you.
You got to build you a union, got to make it strong,
But if you all stick together, boys, it won't be long.
Just worn-out boots and worn-out miners
And your children growing pale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
Union miners stand together
Heed no operator's tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
In conclusion, bear in memory
Keep this password in your mind
God provides for every worker
When in union, they combine
Then by honest weight, we labor
Union miners will prevail
So keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
Union miners stand together
Heed no operator's tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
Our father was a union man some day I'll be one too.
The bosses fired daddy what's our family gonna do?
Come all you good workers good news to you
I'll tell of how the good old union has come in here to dwell.
Come all you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell
Which side are you on boys?
And just like that, way before rap,
Woody Guthrie spread the news
He told it straight, let us relate
This Talking Union Blues:
Well if you want higher wages, let me tell you what to do
You've got to talk to the workers in the shop with you
You got to build you a union, got to make it strong
But if you all stick together, boys, it won't be long
You get shorter hours, better working conditions
Vacations with pay, take the kids to the seashore
Well I remember I was seventeen
I was a Birmingham High School rock and roll king
The paper talked about how I'd strut my stuff
I'd like to read it, but my arms aren't long enough
I kinda like my new senior status
I don't even care what the latest fad is
My g-generation's rediscovered me
And now I'm on the cover of modern maturity
Two, three, four
I left you on the debris
At the Sunday morning market
You were sorting through the odds and ends
You was looking for a bargain
I heard your footsteps at the front door
And that old familiar love song
'Cause you knew you'd find me waiting there
At the top of the stairs
I went there and back
Just to see how far it was
And you, you tried to tell me
But I had to learn for myself
There's more trouble at the depot
With the general workers union
And you said, "They'll never change a thing
Well, they won't fight and they're not working"
Oh, you was my hero
How you are my good friend
I've been there and back
And I know how far it is
But I left you on the debris
Now we both know you got no money
And I wonder what you would have done
Without me hanging around
Mothers against drunk drivers, the Pope is against the pill
The unions against the workers working against their will
The Presidents against the Congress, the Senate is against the House
People are against politicians and I'm against cats in the house
But I'm for love and I'm for happiness
And I'm for if you don't like it, cant you just let it pass
And I'm for turning off the music, turning down the lights
Cause I'm for nothing else but me and you tonight
The cities against the counties, the counties against the state
The state is against the government and the highways still aint paved
The bankers against the farmer, the farmers against the wall
Doctor's against me smoking and the devil is against us all
But I'm for love and I'm for happiness
And I'm for if you don't like it, cant you just let it pass
And I'm for turning off the tube and turning down the lights
Cause I'm for nothing else but me and you tonight
The cops are against the robbers, the laws are against the cops
Justice is against the system and some people are blowing their tops
The horse is against the automobile, the bus is against the train
The train is against the jumbo jet and I'm against fishing in the rain
But I'm for love, I'm all for happiness
And I'm for if you don't like it, cant you just let it pass
And I'm for turning off the tube and turning down the lights
And I'm for nothing else but me and you tonight
Hey, I'm for love, I'm all for happiness
And I'm for not looking for something to make us mad
I'm all for turning off the music and turning down the lights
And I'm for nothing else but me and you tonight
Bloody Thursday was July 6th
The pigs killed three workers harry bridges grabbed the mic
The city shut down July 6th the workers outrage it was a general strike
The media claimed that the commies were taking over and some believed it was true
Three uncompromising strikes was paved the way
Minn Sf and Toledo
Over and over again the doors are locked
And the windows are broken
Eddie worked for general motors and he swore
That he´d never lose his job again
A union man who owned his own home
In beautiful flint Michigan
Eddie lost his job and Eddie lost his wife
So Eddie lost his self esteem
The last time I saw Eddie
He was living in the trailer park again
Over and over again the doors are locked
And the windows are broken
I believe Eddie for gave too much too soon
I got a letter from Eddie and it was bad news
Over and over again the doors are locked
And the windows are broken
I left you on the debris
At the Sunday morning market
You were sorting through the odds and ends
You was looking for a bargain
I heard your footsteps at the front door
In that old familiar love song
'Cause you knew you'd find me waiting there
At the top of the stairs
I went there and back
Just to see how far it was
And you, you tried to tell me
But I had to learn for myself
There's more trouble at the depot
With the general workers' union
And you said they'll never change a thing
Well, they won't fight and they're not working
Oh, you was my hero
Now you are my good friend
I've been there and back
And I know how far it is
But I left you on the debris
Now we both know you got no money
And I wonder what you would have done
Without me hanging around
You keep me in jail and you lock me in prison,
Your hospital's jammed and your crazyhouse full,
What made your cop kill my trade union worker?
You'll hafta talk plain 'cause I sure have to know!
Why can't I get work and cash my big paycheck?
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