Which Side Are You On?
The Almanac Singers Lyrics

The Almanac Singers’ “Which Side Are You On?” is a protest song that was originally written during the 1930s in Kentucky, USA, during the unionization of coal mining workers. The lyrics are a rallying call for the workers to choose which side they are on, either joining the union to fight for better working conditions and wages, or to side with the mining company and be called a scab or a thug. The song was traditionally sung around campfires and union halls across America as a means of encouraging workers to take up the cudgels against their employers. The opening lyrics are an invitation to the listener to take a stand, which side of the issue do they stand? Are they with the union workers or the mining company owners?

The song portrays a clear distinction of what side workers should be on by calling on their conscience to do the right thing. The second verse highlights the issue of neutrality, which isn’t an option in Harlan County since the workers are either with the union or against it. The third verse brings in a personal narrative of following in the footsteps of the singer’s father, who was also a miner, and the final verse caps off the song with a call-to-action, encouraging workers to unite in the struggle for better working conditions. Overall, the song “Which Side Are You On?” is a significant anthem for workers' rights and enforces the message that the system is rigged against the working-class, and it is only through collective action that they can achieve justice.