Which side are you on

Florence Patton Reece schrieb dieses Lied 1932 (nach der Melodie einer baptistsichen Hymne) nachdem ihr Mann vor bewaffneten Streikbrechern flüchten musste, da er einer der Organisatoren des “blutigen” Streiks in Harlan County (Kentucky, USA) war. Ihre Töchter sangen es auf Gewerkschaftstreffen und machten es so weltbekannt.

Come all of you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how that good old union
Has come in here to dwell

Chorus:

Which side are you on?

Which side are you on?

My daddy was a miner
And I'm a miner's son
And I'll stick with the union
Till every battle's won

They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair

Oh, workers can you stand it?
Oh, tell me how you can
Will you be a lousy scab
Or will you be a man?

Don't scab for the bosses
Don't listen to their lies
Us poor folks haven't got a chance
Unless we organize