Which Side Are You On?
Seeger Glazer Wood & Gilbert Lyrics
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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 song that was originally written by Florence Reece, an activist and wife of a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Kentucky. This version of the song was composed by Seeger Glazer Wood & Gilbert and became a popular protest song during the labor movement in the 1930s.
The song is a call to action for workers to decide which side they are on - either with the unions fighting for workers' rights or with the companies employing them. The lyrics make it clear that there is no room for neutrality in this struggle for fair working conditions, and the choice must be made between being a union man or a "thug" working for the corporations. The husband of the writer of the original song, Sam Reece, was a union organizer who was fighting against the mine owners in Harlan County, Kentucky. His wife Florence Reece wrote the first version of "Which Side Are You On" in 1931 during a violent coal mine strike.
The verses of the song convey a strong sense of solidarity among union workers, with the singer declaring that they will stand with their fellow workers until the battle is won. The lyrics also suggest that crossing the picket line to work as a scab is a choice that is both shameful and cowardly. The final verse of the song offers hope by celebrating the good news of the union's arrival, implying that the workers' struggle has been successful.
Line by Line Meaning
Which side are you on boys?
Asking which group you identify with during a conflict.
Which side are you on?
Asking which group you identify with during a conflict.
They say in Harlan County
There is a place where neutrality is not an option.
There are no neutrals there.
You must take a side.
You'll be either a union man
You'll be either for the collective of workers.
Or a thug for J. H. Blair.
Or for the employers who use violence to control labor.
My dady was a miner,
I have a family history in this fight.
And I'm a miner's son,
My identity is wrapped up in this job and industry.
He'll be with you fellow workers
I'll stand with my colleagues.
Until this battle's won.
Until we see victory.
Oh workers can you stand it?
Can you bear this hardship, this injustice?
Oh tell me how you can?
How can you keep going?
Will you be a lousy scab
Will you betray your own class?
Or will you be a man?
Or will you show integrity in your actions and values?
Come all you good workers,
Calling on the workers who share this call to action.
Good news to you I'll tell
There is a reason to be hopeful.
Of how the good old union
The union we belong to, with its values and mission.
Has come in here to dwell.
Has arrived and taken hold in this place.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: FLORENCE REECE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@uwebde
Solidarität !
@PetrSilie
freaking love this song!
@stravosokaki
Ζήτω το ΚΚΕ. Ζήτω το ΠΑΜΕ. Για την νίκη και την μεγάλη ανατροπή. Για τον εργάτη!
@av8tor17b
Remember UNION!