While hitchhiking in Northern Idaho in the Spring of 1975, I was told this story by my ride. It's about his family, union organizers, their opposition to WW1 and the violence they experienced.
antiwar
union
Story behind the song
While hitchhiking in Northern Idaho in the Spring of 1975, I was told this story by my ride. It's about his grandfather and mother. Both were union organizers around 1919.
Lyrics
Grandpa played his concertina
Singin', "If we go & fight this war
The rich folks just get richer.
That's what this war is for."
Those Oklahoma farmers picked green corn
For their march on Washington
The working class, opposing the draft
And corporate use of trhe gun.
Green corn rebellion
Was sent to Oklahoma jailers.
In Boston streets on the 1st of July
We were beat up by soldiers and sailers.
Hard times in the city,
Company men comin' round.
Mama didn't come home after work,
Granpa's tears were flowin' down.
Hard times in the country,
Red scare runnin' wild
Grandpa left in the middle of the night
Carryin' a child.
Out to a mouontain, grandfather and me.
Take what you can carry
With a child and your history.
Sacco was a good man.
I knew Vanzetti too.
I never thought when they picked you up
They'd turn the juiice on you.
Free speech has no season,
Penalty is up to 20 years,
Union is another word for treason
Says the Ministry of fear.
Out on a mountain,
Grandfather and me.
Turn every rock and boulder
To feed your family.
Grandpa never lost his humor,
But some days he'd hold his head and cry.
He taught me what life was like to struggle.
And sing me to sleep with a lullabye.
Come out of the mountain,
Grandfather and me.
Turn every rock and boulder
To free your family.