Which Side Are You On?
Florence Reece/Almanac Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?
They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there.
You'll either be a union man Or a thug for J. H. Blair.
Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on boys?
Which side are you on?
My dady was a miner,
And I'm a miner's son,
He'll be with you fellow workers
Until this battle's won.
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Oh workers can you stand it?
Oh tell me how you can?
Will you be a lousy scab
Or will you be a man?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Come all you good workers,
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell.
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
"Which Side Are You On?" is a protest song written by Florence Reece in 1931 during the Harlan County War, a labor strike in eastern Kentucky coalfields. The song calls on workers to choose a side in the conflict, either with the mining companies or with the union representing the miners. The lyrics emphasize the idea that in Harlan County, there are no neutral parties; individuals must take a stand and support the union or work against it as a "thug" or "lousy scab." The song was sung by labor activists and union organizers in the United States and abroad, serving as an anthem for the labor movement.
The song's use of repetition and simple, direct language makes it emotionally and politically charged. The lyrics are a call to action and present a clear choice for workers: either support the union and stand in solidarity with fellow workers or side with the mining company as a traitor to the labor movement. The song takes on a personal tone when the lyrics reveal that the singer's father was a miner, framing the fight for union rights as a personal struggle for justice and dignity.
Line by Line Meaning
Which side are you on boys?
Asking which position you are in this conflict.
They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there.
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J. H. Blair.
The town is highly polarized and you're either with the union or against them.
My dady was a miner,
And I'm a miner's son,
He'll be with you fellow workers
Until this battle's won.
The singer's father was a miner and she will stand with fellow workers until the end.
Oh workers can you stand it?
Oh tell me how you can?
Will you be a lousy scab
Or will you be a man?
Are you capable of betraying your fellow workers or will you stand up against exploitation?
Come all you good workers,
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how the good old union
Has come in here to dwell.
The union has arrived to help the workers against exploitation.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: FLORENCE REECE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind