We're brave and gallant miner boys
Who work in underground
For courage and good nature
No finer can be found
We work both late and early
And get but little pay
To support our wives and children
In free Americay
If Satan took the blacklegs
I'm sure t'would bid no sin
What peace and happiness t'would be
For us poor workin' men
Eight hours we'd have for workin'
Eight hours we'd have for play
Eight hours we'd have for sleeping
in free Americay
Who work in underground
For courage and good nature
No finer can be found
We work both late and early
And get but little pay
To support our wives and children
In free Americay
If Satan took the blacklegs
I'm sure t'would bid no sin
What peace and happiness t'would be
For us poor workin' men
Eight hours we'd have for workin'
Eight hours we'd have for play
Eight hours we'd have for sleeping
in free Americay
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/3/10 - 10:58
Due strofe aggiuntive da una versione trovata su “The Encylopedia Of Strikes In American History”, a cura di Aaron Brenner, Benjamin Day ed Immanuel Ness, USA 2009
“The Knights Of Labor” è stata la più importante organizzazione sindacale nell’ultimo ventennio dell’800.
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
[…]
Here’s to the Knights of Labor,
That brave and gallant band,
That Corbon and old Swigard
Is trying to disband.
But stick and hang brave union men,
We’ll make them rue the day
They thought to break the K. of L.
In free Americ-a.
[…]
“The Knights Of Labor” è stata la più importante organizzazione sindacale nell’ultimo ventennio dell’800.
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
[…]
Here’s to the Knights of Labor,
That brave and gallant band,
That Corbon and old Swigard
Is trying to disband.
But stick and hang brave union men,
We’ll make them rue the day
They thought to break the K. of L.
In free Americ-a.
[…]
Bernart Bartleby - 2015/4/23 - 11:00
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Parole di anonimo
Sulla melodia de "The British Grenadiers” (fine del 600)
Nel disco di Pete Seeger intitolato “American Industrial Ballads” pubblicato dalla Folkways Records nel 1956 e riedito nel 1992.
Con Eight Hours, un’altra canzone di fine 800 – questa nata tra i minatori – di rivendicazione delle "Eight-hour day with no cut in pay”.
L’incertezza sulla datazione è dovuta al fatto che la lotta per le otto ore si radicalizzò a partire dal 1880, raggiunse il suo apice con i fatti di Haymarket Square (Chicago, maggio 1886) ma non si spense nemmeno dopo. Questa potrebbe risalire in particolare al grande sciopero dei minatori avvenuto a Leadville, Colorado, tra il 1896 ed il 1897. Anche in quell’occasione, crumiri, provocatori, poliziotti e vigilantes attaccarono con ferocia il lavoratori in sciopero, uccidendone almeno quattro…