1. |
Cause For Alarm
08:35
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no one on the farm
they've all gone to town
no one in the factory
the factory's been shut down
fields will lie fallow
machines will lie broken
this land has no wealth
without the workers
this land has no wealth
toil and pray
when you have no means
when what you produce is no guarantee
when they don't pay enough to buy bread
strikes across the country
the railway runs across the country
the policeman's club is brought down
on six days of the week
the preacher's bible is seven
brought down on the meek
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2. |
Center of the Storm
01:51
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up from Waco
where we're not welcome
up from Waco to Chicago
to the center of the storm
to the center of the storm
I said I still see slaves with longer chains
they said leave town or you will hang
you can vote for bread clothes and shelter
you can vote but they won't give you these things
leaders make the laws and live real comfortable
live off you workers like foreign kings
what you produce is no guarantee
toil and pray your time is gold
your time is gold and when you have no means
that's what gets sold, that's what gets sold
I said I still see slaves with longer chains
they said leave town or you will hang
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3. |
The Strike / Haymarket
02:03
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(instrumental; written by Seyle and Pace)
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4. |
The Trial
06:37
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railroaded to the scaffold, railroaded at express speed
railroaded to the scaffold, railroaded to the scaffold
they hire only half of us to kill the other half
these robber barons of this gilded age
a railroad through Chicago and the judges are appointed
appointed by the ones who own the railway lines
now people lose faith in a system such as this
no wonder one would turn to anarchy
now there are eight men put away in this prison
put on trial for philosophy
some of us are foreigners, all of us are workers
striking for wages and the eight hour day
but some of us want more, more than a written law
some of us want freedom, nothing less than freedom
now we stand convicted, just like we predicted
we are guilty of saying what was true and clear
against that mob of rich men we committed just one sin
we are guilty of saying that their end is near
the voices they strangle will still be heard
oh death is the leveller
and after this which side will you remember?
railroaded to the scaffold, railroaded at express speed
railroaded to the scaffold, railroaded to the scaffold
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5. |
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if they didn't surpress us, we wouldn't have to speak up
if they didn't attack us, we wouldn't have to fight back
if our rights weren't violated there'd be no reason to rebel
this land is not free, only for fools
I don't recognize your law
I don't find you honorable
I despise you, hang me for it
The system is brutal and so are its thugs
they only know force, they only know violence
this land is not free, only for fools
why waste words, like carrying water to the sea
learn to use explosives
fucking set yourself free
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6. |
Death Letter
05:33
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It's Chicago's death row for me now
but they allowed this last letter
it was the hope of some justice that turned me back
i should have known better
kiss me, i don't know when or if i'll see you again
flee north to another town, let my hair grow white
take on another name and start another life
kiss me, i don't know when or if i'll see you again
this place will make you a tyrant or they'll have you a slave
i'll stand with you here in between as long as i may
Neither god nor chance can save me now
but they allowed this last letter
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7. |
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I'm going to the grave for all of my crimes
I stole some bread and this tune because I needed them
I'm going to the grave for all of my crimes
with the state the world is in you'll not be far behind
I tore down the flag in the town square
I tore that flag to pieces
tear all the flags down, put them back together
so to sew them all together, piece them back together
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8. |
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it's the widows and the orphans who will carry on
they carry on through all of this despair
with a faith as quiet as an altar in your front room
not a street corner preacher
someone so hellbent on your doom
so light a candle for each and every saint
carry on and light one for all eight
you have nothing but the dream that you hold dear
carry on and keep the red flag flying here
all you toilers take the tools
and all you workers take what you produce
you have nothing but the ideal which you hold dear
carry on and keep the red flag flying here
they want you passive
they want you disorganized
they want you in factions fearing for your lives
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The May Day Orchestra St. Louis, Missouri
The May Day Orchestra was founded in 2008 by songwriter Tim Rakel. The current line-up features drummer Mary DeLeonardis, bassist Jake DeLeonardis and guitarist Charlie Tabing. The band is currently releasing installments of their fourth album.
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