Two Good Men
Woody Guthrie| Original | David Rovics' version as it sung on the "Pay Day At Coal Creek"... |
| TWO GOOD MEN Say, there, did you hear the news? Sacco worked at trimmin' shoes; Vanzetti was a peddlin' man, Pushed his fish cart with his hand. Two good men a long time gone, Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone* *Left me here to sing this song. Sacco's born across the sea, Somewhere over in Italy; Vanzetti born of parents fine, Drank the best Italian wine. Sacco sailed the sea one day, Landed up in the Boston Bay. Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, An' landed up in Boston, too. Sacco's wife three children had; Sacco was a family man. Vanzetti was a dreamin' man, His book was always in his hands. Sacco earned his bread and butter Bein' the factory's best shoe cutter. Vanzetti spoke both day and night, Told the workers how to fight. I'll tell you if you ask me 'Bout this payroll robbery. Two clerks was killed by the shoe fact'ry, On the streets in South Braintree. Judge Thayer told his friends around That he had cut the radicals down. "Anarchist bastard" was the name Judge Thayer called these two good men. I'll tell you the prosecutor's name, Katzman, Adams, Williams, Kane. The Judge and lawyers strutted down, They done more tricks than circus clowns. Vanzetti docked in nineteen eight; Slept along the dirty street, Told the workers "Organize," And on the 'lectric chair he dies. All you people ought to be like me, And work like Sacco and Vanzetti, And everyday find ways to fight On the union side for the workers' rights. Well, I ain't got time to tell this tale, The dicks and bulls are on my trail. But I'll remember these two good men That died to show me how to live. All you people in Suassos Lane, Sing this song and sing it plain. All you folks that's comin' along, Jump in with me and sing this song. | TWO GOOD MEN Oh say there, did you hear the news? Sacco worked at trimmin' shoes; Vanzetti was a peddlin' man, Pushed his fish cart with his hand. Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone Left me here to sing this song. Sacco's born across the sea, Somewhere over in Italy; Vanzetti born of parents fine, Drank the best Italian wine. Sacco sailed the sea one day, Landed up in the Boston Bay. Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, An' landed up in Boston, too. Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone Left me here to sing this song. Sacco was a family man: Sacco's wife three children had; Vanzetti was a dreamin' man, His book was always in his hands. Sacco earned his bread and butter Bein' the factory's best shoe cutter. Vanzetti spoke both day and night, Told the workers how to fight. Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone Left me here to sing this song. I'll tell you if you ask me 'bout this payroll robbery. Two clerks was killed by the shoe fact'ry, On the streets in South Braintree. I'll tell you the prosecutor's name, Katzman, Adams, Williams, Kane. The Judge and lawyers strutted down, They done more tricks than circus clowns. Judge Thayer told his friends around That he had cut the radicals down. "Anarchist bastard" was the name Judge Thayer called these two good men. Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone Left me here to sing this song. Vanzetti docked in nineteen eight; Slept along the dirty street, Told the people "Organize," And on the 'lectric chair he dies. All you people ought to be like me, And work like Sacco and Vanzetti, And everyday find ways to fight On the union side for the workers' rights. Well, I ain't got time to tell this tale, The dicks and bulls are on my trail. But I'll remember these two good men That died to show me how to live. Two good men a long time gone, Sacco an' Vanzetti are gone, Two good men a long time gone Left me here to sing this song. All you people in Suassos Lane, Sing this song and sing it plain. All you folks that's comin' along, Jump in with me and sing this song. |
