A present, for Labor Day (second of two) Solidarity Forever - lyrics by Ralph Chaplin, ca. 1915 Tune: John Browns Body (aka Battle Hymn of the Republic) First Appearance: Little Red Songbook, 9th Edition, 1916 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 force of one but The union makes us strong Chorus: Solidarity Forever Solidarity Forever Solidarity Forever For the union makes us strong Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight? For… The union makes us strong (Chorus) It is we who plowed the prairies, build the cities where they trade Dug the mines and build the workshops, endless miles of RR laid Now we stand outcast and starving ‘mid the wonders we have made but The union makes us strong (Chorus) They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn that The union makes us strong (Chorus) In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold Greater than the might of armies magnified a thousand-fold We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old for But the union makes us strong (Chorus) Since the 1970s women have added verses to Solidarity Forever to reflect their concerns as union members. One popular set of stanzas is as follows (the second of which appeared in the 36th edition of the Little Red Songbook, published in 1995 by the IWW Hungarian Literature Fund): Were the women of the union and we sure know how to fight Well fight for womens issues and well fight for womens rights A womans work is never done from morning until night Women make the union strong! (Chorus) It is we who wash dishes, scrub the floors and clean the dirt, Feed the kids and send them off to school - and then we go to work, Where we work for half mens wages for a boss who likes to flirt. But the union makes us strong! (Chorus) A variation from Canada goes as follows: We’re the women of the union in the forefront of the fight We fight for women’s issues, we fight for women’s rights We’re prepared to fight for freedom, we’re prepared to stand our ground Women make the union strong (Chorus) Through our sisters and our brothers, we can make our union strong For respect and equal value we have done without too long We no longer have to tolerate injustices and wrongs For the union makes us strong (Chorus) When racism in all of us is finally out and gone Then the union movement will be twice as powerful and strong for equality for everyone will move the cause along for the union makes us strong (Chorus) The centennial edition of the Little Red Songbook includes these two new verses credited to Steve Suffet: They say our day is over; they say our time is through They say you need no union if your collar isnt blue Well that is just another lie the boss is telling you For the Union makes us strong! (Chorus) They divide us by our color; they divide us by our tongue They divide us men and women; they divide us old and young But theyll tremble at our voices, when they hear these verses sung For the Union makes us strong! (Chorus)
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 07:55:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015