Big Red Songbook by Green Archie; Morello Tom; Phillips Utah; Roediger David; Rosemont Franklin; Salerno Salvatore

Author:Green, Archie; Morello, Tom; Phillips, Utah; Roediger, David; Rosemont, Franklin; Salerno, Salvatore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PM Press
Published: 2016-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE MAIDS’ DEFIANCE

IWW organizer Jane Street was a leading activist in the Denver Housemaids’ Union in the 1910s. Solidarity (May 6, 1916) attributed this rousing song of feminist solidarity to “one of the maids” but it was very likely a collective effort.

We are coming all together,

we are organized to stay.

For nigh on fifty years or more

we’ve worked for little pay,

But now we’ve got our union,

we’ll do it never more.

Chorus

It’s a long day for housemaid Mary,

It’s a long day’s hard toil.

It’s a burden too hard to carry,

So our mistress’s schemes we’ll foil.

For we’re out for a shorter day this summer,

Or we’ll fix old Denver town.

We’ve answered all your doorbells,

and we’ve washed your dirty kid.

For lo these many weary years,

we’ve done as we were bid.

But we’re going to fight for freedom,

and for our rights we’ll stand.

And we’re going to stick together

in One Big Union band.

We’ve washed your dirty linen,

and we’ve cooked your daily foods;

We’ve eaten in your kitchens,

and we’ve stood your ugly moods.

But now we’ve joined the Union

and we’re organized to stay.

You’ve paid the going wages,

that’s what kept us on the run.

You say you’ve done your duty,

you cranky son-of-a-gun.

We’ve stood for all your crazy bunk,

and still you rave and shout,

and call us inefficient and a lazy gad-about.

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