Joe Hill
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics
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Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.
"The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,
They shot you Joe" says I.
Says Joe "I didn't die"
Says Joe "I didn't die"
"In Salt Lake City, Joe," says I,
Him standing by my bed,
"They framed you on a murder charge,"
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead,"
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead."
And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes.
Says Joe "What they can never kill
Went on to organize,
Went on to organize"
From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
Where working men defend their rights,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill!
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.
The song "Joe Hill" is a tribute to the Swedish-American labor activist and songwriter who became a symbol of the labor movement in the United States. The lyrics describe a dream where the singer sees Joe Hill alive and well, despite the fact that he had been executed ten years earlier by the state of Utah on trumped-up charges of murder. The song implies that Joe Hill's spirit lived on and that his work to organize and advocate for workers' rights continued even after his death.
The first two stanzas of the song deal with the question of whether or not Joe Hill is really dead. The singer insists that Hill has been dead for ten years, but Hill responds that he never died. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea that Hill's legacy and spirit continue to inspire and guide the labor movement. The song goes on to describe how Hill was framed for murder in Salt Lake City and executed, but that his work continued to inspire others after his death. He remains a symbol of hope for workers everywhere who seek to better their lives through collective action.
Overall, "Joe Hill" is a powerful and moving tribute to a man who dedicated his life to fighting for workers' rights. Through the words of the song, Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger remind us that Hill's struggle is not over and that his message of solidarity and justice still resonates today. The song serves as a reminder of the importance of fighting for our values and beliefs, even in the face of great adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
The singer had a dream about seeing Joe Hill, a labor activist and songwriter.
Alive as you and me.
In the dream, Joe Hill appeared to be alive and well, just like the singer.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
The singer pointed out that Joe Hill had been dead for ten years, which seemed odd since he appeared to be alive in the dream.
"I never died" said he,
Joe Hill denied that he had died and insisted that he was still alive in some way.
"I never died" said he.
Joe Hill repeated his claim that he had not died.
"The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,
They shot you Joe" says I.
The singer suggested that Joe Hill had been killed by the Copper Bosses, a group of wealthy businessmen who opposed labor movements and unions.
"Takes more than guns to kill a man"
Says Joe "I didn't die"
Joe Hill disputed the idea that he had been killed by the Copper Bosses, saying that killing someone is not enough to truly destroy them or what they stood for.
Says Joe "I didn't die"
Joe Hill repeated his claim that he had not died, despite what the artist believed.
"In Salt Lake City, Joe," says I,
Him standing by my bed,
The artist imagined having a conversation with Joe Hill while he stood by the artist's bed in Salt Lake City, where Joe Hill was famously executed.
"They framed you on a murder charge,"
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead,"
The artist accused the authorities of framing Joe Hill for murder, but Joe Hill denied that he had been killed and claimed that he was still alive in some way.
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead."
Joe Hill repeated his assertion that he had not died, despite being executed for a crime he claimed he did not commit.
And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes.
In the artist's dream, Joe Hill appeared larger than life and seemed happy and at ease.
Says Joe "What they can never kill
Went on to organize,
Joe Hill claimed that while he may have been killed, the ideas and movements he stood for could never truly be destroyed and would continue to thrive and grow.
Went on to organize"
Joe Hill repeated his belief that his ideas and movements continued to organize and spread even after he was gone.
From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
The singer suggests that Joe Hill's ideas and movements have spread across the country, from San Diego to Maine, and into every workplace where workers fight for their rights.
Where working men defend their rights,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill,
The artist believes that Joe Hill's spirit lives on wherever workers are fighting for better working conditions and greater respect for their rights.
It's there you'll find Joe Hill!
The song concludes with the repeated assertion that wherever workers are fighting, they will find the spirit and legacy of Joe Hill.
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.
The song begins and ends with the singer's dream of Joe Hill, and the repeated assertion that Joe Hill's spirit has not been truly destroyed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALFRED HAYES, EARL ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tuan linh Nguyen
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he.
"The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,
They shot you Joe" says I.
"Takes more than guns to kill a man"
Says Joe "I didn't die"
Says Joe "I didn't die"
"In Salt Lake City, Joe, " says I,
Him standing by my bed,
"They framed you on a murder charge, "
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead, "
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead."
And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes.
Says Joe "What they can never kill
Went on to organize,
Went on to organize"
From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
Where working men defend their rights,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill,
It's there you'll find Joe Hill!
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"
"I never died" said he,
"I never died" said he
sharanya baidya
I always run in tears whenever I hear this song
Long live Joe Hill
Joker 6669
Where working men go on strike, Joe Hill is at their side!
Workers of the world unite! Don’t let the bourgeoisie steal everything from you through wage cuts and austerity! Fight back, always.
Chris Kunzler
One of my favorites. A song memorializing one icon from another. RIP, Pete Seeger
Ricardo Moreno
Here in Brazil I salute the struggle of all workers of the world. Viva Joe Hill !!
Joao Nogueira
De Portugal também! Viva Joe Hill e Lula!
Roxanne Young
Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!
Ricardo Moreno
Now here in Brazil we fight against the extreme right who wants to illegally overthrow the government of the Workers Party (PT).
Skeletal Remains
+Niklas Groop 'Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains, you have a world to win'. Solidarity from somewhere in the UK.
Niklas Groop
+Ricardo Moreno Here in Sweden I do the same.
Andreas Sjögren
R.I.P. Pete, but I guess even you will never die