"World Turned Upside Down" by Leon Rosselson.

Dick Gaughan does a great version on his Handful of Earth album. As he said: "Sometimes we (Scots and Irish) forget that the first colony of the British Empire was in fact England."


World Turned Upside Down
Leon Rosselson 1975

In sixteen forty nine, to St George's Hill
A ragged band they called The Diggers came to show the people' s will
They defied the landlords; they defied the laws
They were the dispossessed, reclaiming what was theirs

We come in peace, they said, to dig and sow
We come to work the land in common and to make the wasteland grow
This earth divided, we will make whole
So it can be a common treasury for all

The sin of property we do disdain
No one has any right to buy and sell the earth for private gain
By theft and murder, they took the land
Now everywhere the walls rise up at their command

They make the laws to chain us well
The clergy dazzle us with heaven or they damn us into hell
We will not worship the god they serve
The god of greed who feeds the rich while poor men starve

We work, we eat together, we need no swords
We will not bow to masters nor pay rent to the lords
We are free men, though we are poor
You Diggers all stand up for glory, stand up now

From the men of property, the orders came
They sent the hired men and troopers to wipe out the Diggers' claim
Tear down their cottages, destroy their corn
They were dispersed; only the vision lingers on

You poor, take courage; you rich, take care
The earth was made a common treasury for everyone to share
All things in common, all people one
We came in peace; the order came to cut them down