Union Man

Album: Still Climbing Mountains

Union Man
(Tim Stafford/Daniel House Music, BMI)

1) A short life of trouble in a dark and dusty mine
has been my occupation, now I walk the picket line

2) I was down in bloody Harlan when they tried to organize
The miners faced starvation, you could see it in their eyes

3) The company hired some gun thugs, many miners died it's said
They'd come to kill the Union but they lost their lives instead

4) And it's which side are you on boys, which side are you on?
You're either for the rich man or the Union standing strong

5) I came to New York City in the year of '43
We were fighting Hitler's armies in the war across the sea

6) But they would not hire a miner to do a workman's job
at fifteen cents an hour, your pockets they will rob

7) I'll never trust a rich man as long as I draw breath
To keep his golden mansion he'll starve your kids to death

8) And when my life is over, don't mourn my passing long
Organize resistance and keep the Union strong

ch) Here's to every miner who dared to take a stand
who lived to feed his family and died a Union man

Album: Still Climbing Mountains

Union Man
(Tim Stafford/Daniel House Music, BMI)

1) A short life of trouble in a dark and dusty mine
has been my occupation, now I walk the picket line

2) I was down in bloody Harlan when they tried to organize
The miners faced starvation, you could see it in their eyes

3) The company hired some gun thugs, many miners died it's said
They'd come to kill the Union but they lost their lives instead

4) And it's which side are you on boys, which side are you on?
You're either for the rich man or the Union standing strong

5) I came to New York City in the year of '43
We were fighting Hitler's armies in the war across the sea

6) But they would not hire a miner to do a workman's job
at fifteen cents an hour, your pockets they will rob

7) I'll never trust a rich man as long as I draw breath
To keep his golden mansion he'll starve your kids to death

8) And when my life is over, don't mourn my passing long
Organize resistance and keep the Union strong

ch) Here's to every miner who dared to take a stand
who lived to feed his family and died a Union man