I.W.W. Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent

A Facsimile Reprint of the Nineteenth Edition (1923) of the "Little Red Song Book"

Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.), Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.)

• Publisher: PM Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9781604869507
• eBook ISBN:
  9781604869989
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Folk Music

A RADICAL LABOR CLASSIC

Undoubtedly the most popular book in American labor history, the I.W.W.'s Little Red Song Book has been a staple item on picket lines and at other workers' gatherings for generations, and has gone through numerous editions.

As a result of I.W.W. efforts to keep up with the times, however, recent versions of the songbook have omitted most of the old-time favorites, especially the raucous lyrics of the free-spirited hoboes who made up such a large portion of the union's membership in its heyday. For example, recent versions have left out all but a few of the celebrated songs of Joe Hill, T-Bone Slim, Ralph Chaplin, and other pioneer bards of the One Big Union—and many of the few remaining older songs have been abridged or otherwise modified.

The steadily mounting interest in Wobbly history and culture warrants this facsimile edition of a classic Little Red Song Book from the union's Golden Age. Reprinted here is the Nineteenth Edition, originally issued in 1923, the year the I.W.W. reached its peak membership.

Of the fifty-two songs in this book, the overwhelming majority have not been included in the I.W.W.'s own songbooks for many years. Here are such classics as Joe Hill's "John Golden and the Lawrence Strike, " "We Will Sing One Song, " "Scissor Bill, " "The Tramp, " and others; T-Bone Slim's "I'm Too Old to Be a Scab, " "Mysteries of a Hobo's Life, " "I Wanna Free Miss Liberty, " and others; Ralph Chaplin's "All Hell Can't Stop Us, " "Up from Your Knees, " "May Day Song, " and more; and other songs by C.G. Allen, Richard Brazier, Pat Brennan, James Connolly, Laura Payne Emerson, and many others.

Ninety years ago these songs were sung with gusto in Wobbly halls and hobo jungles from Brooklyn to San Pedro. And they're still fun to sing today!

THE REBEL GIRL

Words and Music by Joe Hill

There are women of many descriptions

In this queer world, as everyone knows,

Some are living in beautiful mansions,

And are wearing the finest of clothes.

There are blue blooded queens and princesses,

Who have charms made of diamonds and pearl;

But the only and thoroughbred lady

Is the Rebel Girl.

CHORUS

That’s the Rebel Girl, that’s the Rebel Girl!

To the working class she’s a precious pearl.

She brings courage, pride and joy

To the fighting Rebel Boy.

We’ve had girls before, but we need some more

In the Industrial Workers of the World.

For it’s great to fight for freedom

With a Rebel Girl.

Yes, her hands may be hardened from labor,

And her dress may not be very fine;

But a heart in her bosom is beating

That is true to her class and her kind.

And the grafters in terror are trembling

When her spite and defiance she’ll hurl;

For the only and thoroughbred lady

Is the Rebel Girl.

Words and Music of “The Rebel Girl” may be obtained in popular sheet form by applying to I. W. W. Publishing Bureau. Price 25 cents.

THE INTERNATIONALE

By Eugene Pottier
(Translated by Charles H. Kerr)

Arise, ye prisoners of starvation!

Arise, ye wretched of the earth,

For justice thunders condemnation,

A better world’s in birth.

No more tradition’s chains shall bind us,

Arise, ye slaves; no more in thrall!

The earth shall rise on new foundations,

We have been naught, we shall be all.

REFRAIN

‘Tis the final conflict,

Let each stand in his place,

The Industrial Union

Shall be the human race.

We want no condescending saviors

To rule us from a judgment hall;

We workers ask not for their favors;

Let us consult for all.

To make the thief disgorge his booty

To free the spirit from its cell,

We must ourselves decide our duty,

We must decide and do it well.

Behold them seated in their glory,

The kings of mine and rail and soil!

What have you read in all their story,

But how they plundered toil?

Fruits of the workers’ toil are buried

In the strong coffers of a few;

In working for their restitution

The men will only ask their due.

WE WILL SING ONE SONG

By Joe Hill
(Air: “My Old Kentucky Home”)

We will sing one song of the meek and humble slave,

The horny-handed son of toil,

He’s toiling hard from the cradle to the grave,

But his master reaps the profit from his toil.

Then we’ll sing one song of the greedy master class,

They’re vagrants in broadcloth, indeed,

They live by robbing the ever-toiling mass,

Human blood they spill to satisfy their greed.

Chorus

Organize! Oh, toilers, come organize your might;

Then we’ll sing one song of the workers’ commonwealth.

Full of beauty, full of love and health.

We will sing one song of the politician sly,

He’s talking of changing the laws;

Election day all the drinks and smokes he’ll buy,

While we make the welkin ring with our applause.

Then we’ll sing one song of the girl below the line,

She’s scorned and despised everywhere,

While in their mansions the “keepers” wine and dine

From the profits that immoral traffic bear.

We will sing one song of the preacher, fat and sleek,

He tells you of homes in the sky.

He says, “Be generous, be lowly and meek,

If you don’t you’ll sure get roasted when you die.”

Then we’ll sing one song of the poor and ragged tramp,

He carries his home on his back;

Too old to work, he’s not wanted ’round the camp,

So he wanders without aim along the track.

We will sing one song of the children in the mills,

They’re taken from playgrounds and schools,

In tender years made to go the pace that kills,

In the sweatshops, ’mong...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Index
• Chapter01
• PM Press