Remembering Joe Hill , Sheffield, March 2016
On the
On the 12 March Sheffield Socialist Choir invited lots of singers and choirs to join them celebrating the life and songs of
Joe Hill who died 100 years ago this year. Red and Green were excited to go and share a wonderful but difficult Joe Hill song that Liz found called 'What We Want' (Lyrics below). We decided to put actions to the song as it names many trades some of which we have never heard of before! Everyone enjoyed it. The day was wonderful largely thanks to Diane's organisation, Nog's knowledgeable talk about Joe Hill and American Labour History and Janet's teaching and leading of songs! Thank you for a fabulous day!
Lyrics from the songs we leant are below some photos of the day
On the 12 March Sheffield Socialist Choir invited lots of singers and choirs to join them celebrating the life and songs of
Joe Hill who died 100 years ago this year. Red and Green were excited to go and share a wonderful but difficult Joe Hill song that Liz found called 'What We Want' (Lyrics below). We decided to put actions to the song as it names many trades some of which we have never heard of before! Everyone enjoyed it. The day was wonderful largely thanks to Diane's organisation, Nog's knowledgeable talk about Joe Hill and American Labour History and Janet's teaching and leading of songs! Thank you for a fabulous day!
Lyrics from the songs we leant are below some photos of the day
ROUND based on words by Joe Hill
A pamphlet, no matter how good
Is never read more than once
But a song is learned by heart
And repeated over and over and over and over
TRUE BLUE REBEL based on words by Joe Hill
Bass: True, true, true, blue rebel
Tenor: I will die a true, blue rebel
Alto and Soprano: Don’t waste any time mourning
Mourning for me
All: Organise
Fire, go on and fire, go on and fire, fire, fire…
Voices: Joe Hill
BEING OF SOUND MIND
(Words: Joe Hill Tune: Mavis Cook)
My will is easy to decide
For there is nothing to divide
My kin don’t need to fuss and moan
Moss doesn’t grow on rolling stone.
My body, oh if I could choose,
I would to ashes it reduce
And let some merry breezes blow
My dust to where some flowers grow.
Perhaps some faded flower then
Would spring to life and bloom again,
This is my last and final will
Good luck to all of you, Joe Hill.
POWER IN A UNION Joe Hill
Would you have freedom from wage slavery
Then join in the grand Industrial band;
Would you from mis'ry and hunger be free,
Then come, do your share, take a stand.
There is pow'r, there is pow'r, working women, workingmen,
When they stand hand in hand,
That's a pow'r, that's a pow'r
That must rule in every land--
One Industrial Union Grand.
Would you have mansions of gold in the sky,
And live in a shack, way in the back?
Would you have wings up in heaven to fly,
And starve here with rags on your back?
If you've had 'nuff of the "blood of the lamb"
Then join in the grand industrial band;
If, for a change, you would have eggs and ham,
Then come, do your share, take a stand.
If you like sluggers to beat off your head,
Then don't organise, all unions despise.
If you want nothing before you are dead,
Shake hands with your boss and look wise.
Come, all ye workers, from every land,
Come, join in the grand industrial band;
Then we our share of this earth shall demand.
Come on! Do your share, take a stand.
WHAT WE WANT (1913) Joe Hill
We want all the workers in the world to organize
Into a great big union grand
And when we all united stand
The world for workers we demand
If the working class could only see and realize
What mighty power labor has
Then the exploiting master class
would soon fade away.
Come all ye toilers that work for wages,
Come from every land,
Join the fighting band,
In one union grand,
Then for the workers we’ll make upon this earth a paradise
When the slaves get wise and organize.
We want the sailor and the tailor and the lumberjacks,
And all the cooks and laundry girls,
We want the guy that dives for pearls,
The pretty maid that’s making curls,
And the baker and staker and the chimneysweep,
We want the man that’s slinging hash,
The child that works for little cash
In one union grand.
We want the tinner and the skinner and the chamber-maid,
We want the man that spikes on soles,
We want the man that’s digging holes,
We want the man that’s climbing poles,
And the trucker and the mucker and the hired man,
And all the factory girls and clerks,
Yes, we want every one that works,
In one union grand.
CALLING JOE HILL Ray Hearne
Where are the languages we spoke, sparks from the anvil,
When we were music-minded folk?
Calling Joe Hill.
Calling, calling, calling Joe Hill
Calling, calling, calling Joe Hill
Rhymes in the broken beech wood ring, tuneless and chill
Into the darkness echoing.
Calling Joe Hill.
Leaves in the wildernesses fall, fearing no ill,
Down to the deepest note of all.
Calling Joe Hill.
Through the archangel-haunted night,
Whose songs may still
Quicken the dreamer's second sight.
Calling Joe Hill.
Teller of elemental wrong, teach me the skill-
Maker to maker, tongue to tongue.
Calling Joe Hill.
Songs for the hopelessness of friends hauled through the mill.
Songs with a meaning, in the end.
Calling Joe Hill.
These are the heart's imaginings, when there's a will
Even the broken beeches sing
Calling Joe Hill.
THE BALLAD OF JOE HILL Alfred Hayes
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you or me
Says I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead,"
"I never died," says he (RPT)
"In Salt Lake, Joe," says I to him,
Him standing by my bed,
"They framed you on a murder charge,"
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead" (RPT)
"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" (RPT)
And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes
Joe says, "What they forgot to kill
Went on to organize (RPT)
"Joe Hill ain't dead," he says to me,
"Joe Hill ain't never died.
Where working men are out on strike
Joe Hill is at their side (RPT)
"From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
Where workers strike and organize,"
Says he, "You'll find Joe Hill," (RPT)
REPEAT VERSE 1
A pamphlet, no matter how good
Is never read more than once
But a song is learned by heart
And repeated over and over and over and over
TRUE BLUE REBEL based on words by Joe Hill
Bass: True, true, true, blue rebel
Tenor: I will die a true, blue rebel
Alto and Soprano: Don’t waste any time mourning
Mourning for me
All: Organise
Fire, go on and fire, go on and fire, fire, fire…
Voices: Joe Hill
BEING OF SOUND MIND
(Words: Joe Hill Tune: Mavis Cook)
My will is easy to decide
For there is nothing to divide
My kin don’t need to fuss and moan
Moss doesn’t grow on rolling stone.
My body, oh if I could choose,
I would to ashes it reduce
And let some merry breezes blow
My dust to where some flowers grow.
Perhaps some faded flower then
Would spring to life and bloom again,
This is my last and final will
Good luck to all of you, Joe Hill.
POWER IN A UNION Joe Hill
Would you have freedom from wage slavery
Then join in the grand Industrial band;
Would you from mis'ry and hunger be free,
Then come, do your share, take a stand.
There is pow'r, there is pow'r, working women, workingmen,
When they stand hand in hand,
That's a pow'r, that's a pow'r
That must rule in every land--
One Industrial Union Grand.
Would you have mansions of gold in the sky,
And live in a shack, way in the back?
Would you have wings up in heaven to fly,
And starve here with rags on your back?
If you've had 'nuff of the "blood of the lamb"
Then join in the grand industrial band;
If, for a change, you would have eggs and ham,
Then come, do your share, take a stand.
If you like sluggers to beat off your head,
Then don't organise, all unions despise.
If you want nothing before you are dead,
Shake hands with your boss and look wise.
Come, all ye workers, from every land,
Come, join in the grand industrial band;
Then we our share of this earth shall demand.
Come on! Do your share, take a stand.
WHAT WE WANT (1913) Joe Hill
We want all the workers in the world to organize
Into a great big union grand
And when we all united stand
The world for workers we demand
If the working class could only see and realize
What mighty power labor has
Then the exploiting master class
would soon fade away.
Come all ye toilers that work for wages,
Come from every land,
Join the fighting band,
In one union grand,
Then for the workers we’ll make upon this earth a paradise
When the slaves get wise and organize.
We want the sailor and the tailor and the lumberjacks,
And all the cooks and laundry girls,
We want the guy that dives for pearls,
The pretty maid that’s making curls,
And the baker and staker and the chimneysweep,
We want the man that’s slinging hash,
The child that works for little cash
In one union grand.
We want the tinner and the skinner and the chamber-maid,
We want the man that spikes on soles,
We want the man that’s digging holes,
We want the man that’s climbing poles,
And the trucker and the mucker and the hired man,
And all the factory girls and clerks,
Yes, we want every one that works,
In one union grand.
CALLING JOE HILL Ray Hearne
Where are the languages we spoke, sparks from the anvil,
When we were music-minded folk?
Calling Joe Hill.
Calling, calling, calling Joe Hill
Calling, calling, calling Joe Hill
Rhymes in the broken beech wood ring, tuneless and chill
Into the darkness echoing.
Calling Joe Hill.
Leaves in the wildernesses fall, fearing no ill,
Down to the deepest note of all.
Calling Joe Hill.
Through the archangel-haunted night,
Whose songs may still
Quicken the dreamer's second sight.
Calling Joe Hill.
Teller of elemental wrong, teach me the skill-
Maker to maker, tongue to tongue.
Calling Joe Hill.
Songs for the hopelessness of friends hauled through the mill.
Songs with a meaning, in the end.
Calling Joe Hill.
These are the heart's imaginings, when there's a will
Even the broken beeches sing
Calling Joe Hill.
THE BALLAD OF JOE HILL Alfred Hayes
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you or me
Says I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead,"
"I never died," says he (RPT)
"In Salt Lake, Joe," says I to him,
Him standing by my bed,
"They framed you on a murder charge,"
Says Joe, "But I ain't dead" (RPT)
"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" (RPT)
And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes
Joe says, "What they forgot to kill
Went on to organize (RPT)
"Joe Hill ain't dead," he says to me,
"Joe Hill ain't never died.
Where working men are out on strike
Joe Hill is at their side (RPT)
"From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill,
Where workers strike and organize,"
Says he, "You'll find Joe Hill," (RPT)
REPEAT VERSE 1
