"Two Good Arms" is by Charlie King, of CT, a singer, very good songwriter, member of the (disbanded) group Bright Morning Star, and one of the founders of the People's Music Network, (which will have it's winter gathering Jan. 28-30 in Queens, NYC). "Two Good Arms" is on his albums "Somebody's Story" (Rainbow/Snake) and "TWO GOOD ARMS Songs of the Hopes and Struggles of Working People" (on Vaguely Reminiscent sounds VRS7011). It's also on "Lifeline" by Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert, and "Freedom Peacefully" by Roy Bailey.

Charlie wrote "TWO GOOD ARMS" in 1977, for the 50th anniversary of the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. An exerpt from the song, which is on page 219 of Rise Up Singing, follows.

Who will remember the hand upon the switch, that
Took the lives of two good men in the service of the rich?
Who will remember the one who gave the nod, or the
Chaplain standing near at hand, to invoke the name of God?

CHORUS: All who know these two good arms
Know I never had to rob or kill
I can live by my own two hands, and live well
And all my life I have struggled
To rid the earth of all such crimes

We will remember this good shoemaker
We will remember this poor fish peddler
We will remember all the strong arms and hands
That never once found justice in the hands that rule this land

Last chorus:
And all who knew these two good men
Knew they never had to rob or kill
Each had lived by his own two hands, and lived well
And all their lives they had struggled
To rid the earth of all such crimes
And all our lives we must struggle
To rid the earth of all such crimes

Mary McCaffrey