Battle Hymn of the Working Class

[Martin Blank]

In Lieu of an Introduction: One thing many people here don't know about me is that I like writing songs. I actually have a bit of a collection -- some are completely original, some are re-writes of other songs (most parody, but a few are serious). I usually don't share them because the confidence I have in them is low (that is, I usually think they need a lot of polishing).

But there are moments when I get inspired, and it shows in the final product. I was reading earlier tonight a post on the New York Times' Civil War blog about the song "John Brown's Body", its origins and how it inspired other songs, such as the "Battle Hymn of the Republic". I started thinking that it would be a good idea to have a revolutionary "Battle Hymn" for workers. Sure, there's "Solidarity Forever", but that has been so expropriated by union officials and "friend of labor" capitalist politicians that it's lost any of its radical meaning.

So, I sat down at the computer and started writing the "Battle Hymn of the Working Class". Of course, it's set to the same tune that "John Brown's Body"/"Battle Hymn of the Republic"/"Solidarity Forever" is sung to, but I think you'll find the lyrics are more what we as revolutionaries would be looking for. (Total time to write: 2 hours)

Constructive comments are welcome. And, yes, if you want to use it, feel free. Just remember where it came from, OK? :)

==============================

Battle Hymn of the Working Class

My eyes have seen the coming of a free and classless world,
It comes upon the storm wind of a million flags unfurled.
It rises from the ashes wrought by history’s woe and whirl.
We will go marching on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class goes marching on!
I have seen it in the bonfires of a thousand picket lines.
In every land and every people; all the factories, shops and mines.
I have seen it in the torchlight that burns brightly in our eyes.
We will keep marching on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class keeps marching on!
I have read our future’s coming in the flash of bayonets:
“On the streets and on the barricades is where our forces met.
“You may think the battle’s over, but we haven’t started yet!
We will go fighting on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class goes fighting on!
We have sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat.
We are sorting out our forces through our victory and defeat.
Be quick to choose where you shall stand! I hear the drummer’s beat.
Together, we march on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
As one, we shall march on!
Through our struggles past and present, we extend from sea to sea,
We clasp our hands across the globe in one great unity.
As we have fought to make us human, now let us fight to make us free.
As we keep fighting on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class keeps fighting on!
The world of general freedom comes upon our mighty wave.
It brings an end to exploitation, liberation to the slave.
We are readying our tools to dig capitalism’s grave.
Forward! We shall march on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Forward, to the new dawn!

[Jimmie Higgins]

Ha, like probably a lot of people I have a knee-jerk revulsion towards these kinds of songs (the original I mean) but the concept and lyrics are very clever.

Edit: but now I have that damn cadence and melody stuck in my head! :lol:

[Il Medico]

Ha, like probably a lot of people I have a knee-jerk revulsion towards these kinds of songs (the original I mean) but the concept and lyrics are very clever.

Edit: but now I have that damn cadence and melody stuck in my head! :lol:
I've actually always liked the Battle Hymn of the Republic as a song. Its catchy.

[Il Medico]

In Lieu of an Introduction: One thing many people here don't know about me is that I like writing songs. I actually have a bit of a collection -- some are completely original, some are re-writes of other songs (most parody, but a few are serious). I usually don't share them because the confidence I have in them is low (that is, I usually think they need a lot of polishing).

But there are moments when I get inspired, and it shows in the final product. I was reading earlier tonight a post on the New York Times' Civil War blog about the song "John Brown's Body", its origins and how it inspired other songs, such as the "Battle Hymn of the Republic". I started thinking that it would be a good idea to have a revolutionary "Battle Hymn" for workers. Sure, there's "Solidarity Forever", but that has been so expropriated by union officials and "friend of labor" capitalist politicians that it's lost any of its radical meaning.

So, I sat down at the computer and started writing the "Battle Hymn of the Working Class". Of course, it's set to the same tune that "John Brown's Body"/"Battle Hymn of the Republic"/"Solidarity Forever" is sung to, but I think you'll find the lyrics are more what we as revolutionaries would be looking for. (Total time to write: 2 hours)

Constructive comments are welcome. And, yes, if you want to use it, feel free. Just remember where it came from, OK? :)

==============================

Battle Hymn of the Working Class

My eyes have seen the coming of a free and classless world,
It comes upon the storm wind of a million flags unfurled.
It rises from the ashes wrought by history’s woe and whirl.
We will go marching on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class goes marching on!
I have seen it in the bonfires of a thousand picket lines.
In every land and every people; all the factories, shops and mines.
I have seen it in the torchlight that burns brightly in our eyes.
We will keep marching on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class keeps marching on!
I have read our future’s coming in the flash of bayonets:
“On the streets and on the barricades is where our forces met.
“You may think the battle’s over, but we haven’t started yet!
We will go fighting on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class goes fighting on!
We have sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat.
We are sorting out our forces through our victory and defeat.
Be quick to choose where you shall stand! I hear the drummer’s beat.
Together, we march on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
As one, we shall march on!
Through our struggles past and present, we extend from sea to sea,
We clasp our hands across the globe in one great unity.
As we have fought to make us human, now let us fight to make us free.
As we keep fighting on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Our class keeps fighting on!
The world of general freedom comes upon our mighty wave.
It brings an end to exploitation, liberation to the slave.
We are readying our tools to dig capitalism’s grave.
Forward! We shall march on!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Workers’ unity forever!
Forward, to the new dawn!

This is actually very catchy and works well with the music (yes I took the time to sing the lyrics over an instrumental version of the battle hymn.)

In light of the fact that almost every version of the battle hymn with words on youtube is sung my the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, do you reckon we could convince them to sing this version for us? :D

[ExUnoDisceOmnes]

I like it! It doesn't go overboard with the lingo and gets its message across well.

[ExUnoDisceOmnes]

I also think that the Bordigist Death Metal Band should do a cover.

[Stand Your Ground]

I like it, it's something I could imagine Action Directe doing really well.

[Jose Gracchus]

I do like it a lot. For me it ties in with a lot of what Loren Goldner and others have written about the different development of the class in the U.S.: while workers in Europe were marching under communism for the first time, American workers were focused on America's own working-class task - ending slavery. In this sense, I think it is not only clever (and I am totally on top of the remark about Solidarity Forever being long since lost to opportunists) but also very historically apropos.

'fraid I'm not the best music critic though; never could carry a tune to save my life.

[Tablo]

I enjoyed it. It fits well with the song and does a good job of getting the point across.

[HarperHater]

[/INDENT]Through our struggles past and present, we extend from sea to sea,
We clasp our hands across the globe in one great unity.
As we have fought to make us human, now let us fight to make us free.
As we keep fighting on!


I really like this verse (as I do the whole song) It rhymes well, uses great language, and calls for a great symbol of action bound with historical perspective. "as we have fought to make us human" you can really work your own ideas in that phrase alone to conduct a great deal of emotion.

A great piece, friend.

[Jose Gracchus]

I have seen it in the bonfires of a thousand picket lines.
In every land and every people; all the factories, shops and mines.
I have seen it in the torchlight that burns brightly in our eyes.
We will keep marching on!

I thought this verse was the most touching of them all. The imagery of the fires, picket lines, and factories really fleshes out a romantic but not derivative idea of the workers' movement.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

I have one critique. I'm trying to play it and sing it on my acoustic guitar and when I get to the part where in the second verse it says "factories, shops, and mines" it seems very rushed with me trying to fit it all in so I just took out the word shop. Other than that it's awesome.

[Weezer]

I read it in Utah Philips' voice. :lol: I think it would with the melody of Solidarity Forever, that's how I imagined it.

I really like this. It would sound really powerful if a protest crowd or black bloc sang this in unison. :D

[9]

meh..to be honest, I think its pretty dull and unoriginal; no offense. different strokes for different folks I guess.

[Ocean Seal]

Its really nice, now you just need to get someone who'll perform it for you.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Its really nice, now you just need to get someone who'll perform it for you.
I was actually thinking about doing this today but I can't find my fucking camera :cursing::cursing:! But you probably meant someone who actually has music credentials huh.

[Martin Blank]

I read it in Utah Philips' voice. :lol: I think it would with the melody of Solidarity Forever, that's how I imagined it.

The melody of Solidarity Forever is the same as the Battle Hymn of the Republic and John Brown's Body.


I really like this. It would sound really powerful if a protest crowd or black bloc sang this in unison. :D

I'd like to hear that.

[Martin Blank]

I have one critique. I'm trying to play it and sing it on my acoustic guitar and when I get to the part where in the second verse it says "factories, shops, and mines" it seems very rushed with me trying to fit it all in so I just took out the word shop. Other than that it's awesome.

It might help to remember that this is a marching song. It has a definite cadence to it. If you count "left, right" in your head while you're going through the lyrics, you'll see what I mean.

Also, if you pronounce "factories" as "fac'tries", it will clear up the orphan syllable you're having trouble with.

[Martin Blank]

I thought this verse was the most touching of them all. The imagery of the fires, picket lines, and factories really fleshes out a romantic but not derivative idea of the workers' movement.

This verse was one that came from my own experiences on picket lines over the years, of talking with workers during those late-night shifts on the line (I always covered midnight shifts for solidarity work). I remember at one point during the UPS strike in 1997, after we had talked a little about the situation in the labor movement and the issue of capitalist class rule, I looked up at the five strikers I was sitting with and seeing in their silent looks a determination that I had never really seen in my life. In all past experiences I had known, including in other strikes, that determination was always tempered by a self-imposed restriction on what to expect. But for that brief quiet moment, it was as if all restrictions had been removed and they, for perhaps the first time in their lives, contemplated all of the power and potential they actually have.

I've only seen that one other time, and that was during the time I was working at the railroad. During contract negotiations, I was leading the opposition among the union membership to the shit contract the management and union officials were seeking to impose. When it came time for the membership to vote on the contract, I consciously chose to not come to the meeting. I needed to know that the opposition to the contract was not an empty proposition -- that is, I needed to know that my brothers and sisters were voting according to what they believed, not what I believed. The call came about an hour after the meeting began. All but four (the two appointed union stewards and two of their relatives) voted against the contract. When we all met up the next day, I saw that look again, now in every one of my co-workers' eyes (even in the eyes of the stewards, who apparently got quite a show when they told the bosses that the answer was no). It was best summed up by the most senior of workers at the yard, who told me, "For the first time, I felt like I had power and control over my own life. I'm never letting go of that feeling." One co-worker later said to me, "You did it!" Another corrected him, saying, "No, we did it. [Miles] just showed us how."

[A Revolutionary Tool]

So if I'm ever singing this song at a picket line, protest, etc, and someone asked me who made this song I should say...

[Martin Blank]

So if I'm ever singing this song at a picket line, protest, etc, and someone asked me who made this song I should say...

I'll PM you with the answer. :ninja:

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Okay...

[Martin Blank]

Ah, fuck it. Just use Henry Miles as the name.

[Tim Finnegan]

Also, if you pronounce "factories" as "fac'tries", it will clear up the orphan syllable you're having trouble with.
There's another way to pronounce it? http://forums.civfanatics.com/images/smilies/mischief.gif