Pete Seeger, collecting labor union songs, learned "Which Side Are You On" in 1940. The following year, it was recorded by the Almanac Singers in a version that gained a wide audience. More recently, Billy Bragg, Dropkick Murphys, and Natalie Merchant each recorded their own interpretations of the song.
Which Side Are You On?
Florence Reece 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 manOr 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?
Florence Reece's song "Which Side Are You On?" is a protest song about the coal industry and the battle for workers' rights in Harlan County, Kentucky during the early twentieth century. The song poses a question to its listeners, urging them to take a side in the struggle between the labor unions and the coal companies. Reece emphasizes the idea that in Harlan County, there are no neutrals, a phrase repeated throughout the song. The lyrics also underscore the stark contrast between the union men and the thugs employed by J. H. Blair, a coal operator in the region.
The song is a personal one for Reece, as her own father was a miner, and she describes herself as a miner's son in the lyrics. She shows her solidarity with the workers' fight, urging them to stand together and not to become scabs, individuals who cross picket lines and continue to work during strikes. Reece brings a message of hope, telling the workers that the union has arrived and that they have come to stay.
Overall, "Which Side Are You On?" is a passionate and rousing call to action for workers to join the union and stand up for their rights against oppressive bosses.
Line by Line Meaning
Which side are you on boys?
You must pick a side in this conflict.
They say in Harlan County
The conflict is located in Harlan County.
There are no neutrals there
It's not possible to remain neutral in this conflict.
You'll either be a union man
You'll have to join the union's side.
Or a thug for J. H. Blair
Or you'll have to side with the employers.
My daddy was a miner
The singer's father was a miner.
And I'm a miner's son
The singer is also a miner.
He'll be with you fellow workers
The singer's father will support the workers.
Until this battle's won
Until the conflict is resolved.
Oh workers can you stand it?
Can you tolerate the unfair conditions?
Oh tell me how you can?
How can you withstand these difficulties?
Will you be a lousy scab
Will you betray your fellow workers?
Or will you be a man?
Or will you stand up for what's right?
Come all you good workers
All the honest workers are called to join.
Good news to you I'll tell
There's good news to share with you.
Of how the good old union
Here's how the union has arrived.
Has come in here to dwell
The union is here to stay.
Contributed by Julia S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheSoulofsweets
Come all you poor workers
Good news to you I'll tell
How that good old union
Has come in here to dwell
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
We're starting our good battle
We know we're sure to win
Because we've got the gun
Thugs are looking very thin
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
You go to Harlan County
There is no neutral there
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
They say they have to guard us
To educate their child
Their children live in luxury
Our children almost wild
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Gentlemen, can you stand it?
Oh, tell me how you can
Will you be a gun thug or will you be a man?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
My daddy was a miner
He's now in the air and sun
He'll be with you fellow workers
'Til every battle's won
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Now all of you know which side you're on
And they'll never keep us down
@lespaul3d
Our father was a union man some day I'll be one too.
The bosses fired daddy what's our family gonna do?
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?
My daddy was miner and I'm a miner's son
And I'll stick with the union 'til every battles done.
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
Written by Billy Bragg, Florence Reece • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, The Bicycle Music Company
@Labor_Jones
Here are the Lyrics the best I could understand from the recording, so if you know for sure please tell me. Apparently the versions I see on the NET must be from other singers, but I wanted this version instead word wise.... I'm not a purest, but I just wanted here lyrics :)
Which Side Are You On by Florence Reece
(original lyrics)
Come all you poor workersGood news to you, I'll tellOf how the good old unionHas come in here to dwell
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?We’re starting our good battlesWe know we’re sure to winNot Because have the gunsBut cause we’re looking pretty thin
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?They go to Harlan CountyThere are no neutrals thereYou'll either be a union manOr a thug for J. H. Claire
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?They say they have to Guard usTo educate their child Their children live in LUXURYOur Children Almost Wild
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?Oh, gentleman can you stand it?Oh, tell me how you canWill you be a GUN THUGOr will you be a man?
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?My daddy was a minerHe’s now in the air & sunHe’ll be with you Fellow WorkersYou can bet on this mothers son
Which side are you on, boys?Which side are you on?Now all of you know which side your onAnd they’ll never keep us Down.
@scottsagle1261
+Marvin Gershowitz Made a few corrections and revised formatting:
Which Side Are You On by Florence Reece
Come all you poor workers Good news to you, I'll tell
How the good old union Has come in here to dwell
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
We’re starting our good battle We know we’re sure to win
Because we've got the gun thugs a-lookin' very thin
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
If you go to Harlan County There is no neutral there
You'll either be a union man Or a thug for J. H. Blair
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
They say they have to guard us to educate their child
Their children live in luxury Our Children Almost Wild
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
Oh, gentleman can you stand it? Oh, tell me how you can!
Will you be a gun thug Or will you be a man?
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
My daddy was a miner He’s now in the air & sun
He’ll be with you fellow workers 'Til every battle's won
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
Now all of you know which side you're on And they’ll never keep us Down.
@robillionaire
I’m from Appalachia and this is the true history that I continue to embrace and hope to see the return of massive organized labor movements because we need them now more than ever. We have more in common with other oppressed people than we do the coal barons and billionaires
@GSDKXV
SOLIDARITY FOREVER
@naturalhistorynick
Still relevant and still sorely needed! After hearing Musk and Trump laugh about firing union workers...
@losthills
She's a true American hero, and if you did not learn about her in school, then you were deprived of your right to a good, basic education.
@joedefilippo8908
Tribute to Florence & the Harlan County miners https://soundcloud.com/user660132316/hard-to-tell-the-singer-from-the-song
@sanford943
Have to I never heard of her.
@ccarpenter2k
Yo, idiot...
If you had an education you’d know that she was a local hero. Not a nationally hero.
She’s not in the history books nation wide, maybe Kentucky or Harlan at best.
@MicahiLove
Never heard of her as a student. I do teach my music classes this when we do our protest music units.
@MicahiLove
I'm in Mississippi by the way. She's in a few music history books.
@MP-ni7el
My grandmother! My mother was with her when she wrote this song on the back of a calendar.