| THE COMMONWEALTH OF TOIL
In the gloom of mighty cities
Mid the roar of whirling wheels,
We are toiling on like chattel
slaves of old,
And our masters hope to keep us
Ever thus beneath their heels,
And to coin our very life blood into
gold.
CHORUS:
But we have a glowing dream
Of how fair the world will seem
When each man can live his life
secure and free;
When the earth is owned by labor
And there's joy and peace for all
In the Commonwealth of Toil that is
to be.
They would keep us cowed and beaten,
Cringing meekly at their feet.
They would stand between each worker
and his bread.
Shall we yield our lives up to them
For the bitter crust we eat?
Shall we only hope for heaven when
we're dead?
CHORUS:
They have laid our lives out for us
To the utter end of time.
Shall we stagger on beneath their
heavy load?
Shall we let them live forever
In their glided halls of crime
With our children doomed to toil
beneath their goad?
CHORUS:
THERE IS POWER IN A UNION
Would you have freedom from wage
slavery,
Then join in the grand industrial
band;
Would you from mis'ry and hunger
be free,
Then come, do your share, like a man.
(cont.)
|
CHORUS:
There is pow'r, there is pow'r
In a band of workingmen,
When they stand hand in hand,
That's a pow'r, that's a pow'r
That must rule in every land --
One Industrial Union Grand.
Would you have mansions of gold in the
sky,
And live in a shack, way in the back?
Would you have wings up in heaven to
fly?
And starve here with rags on your back?
CHORUS:
If you like sluggers to beat off your
head,
Then don't organize, all unions
despise,
If you want nothing before you are
dead,
Shake hands with your boss and look
wise.
CHORUS:
Come, all ye workers, from every land,
Come, join in the Grand Industrial
Band,
Then we our share of this earth shall
demand.
Come on, do your share, like a man.
CHORUS:
THE UNITED NATIONS
The sun and the stars are all ringing
With song rising strong from the earth
The hope of humanity singing
A hymn to a new world in birth!
CHORUS:
United Nations on the march
With flags unfurled,
Together fight for victory --
A free new world!
Take heart all you nations swept under
By powers of darkness that ride,
The wrath of the people shall thunder,
Relentless as time and the tide!
CHORUS:
|