Lyr Req: song for bridges and others

Subject: Lyr Add: SONG FOR BRIDGES (Almanac Singers)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Mar 02 - 11:00 PM

Copied from http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/3448/bridges.html

SONG FOR BRIDGES
(Millard Lampell/Lee Hays/Pete Seeger, 1941)

Let me tell you of a sailor, Harry Bridges is his name,
An honest union leader who the bosses tried to frame.
He left home in Australia to sail the seas around,
He sailed across the ocean to land in 'Frisco town.

There was only a company union; the bosses had their way.
A worker had to stand in line for a lousy dollar a day.
When up spoke Harry Bridges, "Us workers got to get wise,
Our wives and kids will starve to death if we don't get organized."

Oh, the FBI is worried, the bosses they are scared,
They can't deport six million men, they know.
And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea,
We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C. I. O.

They built a big bonfire by the Matson lines that night,
They threw their fink books in it and they said, "We're gonna fight!
You've got to pay a livin' wage or we're gonna take a walk."
They told it to the bosses, but the bosses wouldn't talk.

They said, "There's only one way left to get that contract signed!"
And all around the waterfront they threw their picket line.
They called it Bloody Thursday, the fifth day of July,
For a hundred men were wounded and two were left to die!

Oh, the FBI is worried, the bosses they are scared,
They can't deport six million men, they know.
And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea,
We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C. I. O.

Now that was seven years ago, and in the time since then
Harry's organized thousands more and made them union men.
"We must try to bribe him," the shipping bosses said.
And if he won't accept a bribe, we'll say that he's a red!"

The bosses brought a trial to deport him over the sea,
But the judge said, "He's an honest man, I got to set him free."
Then they brought another trial to frame him if they can,
But right by Harry Bridges stands every working man!

Oh, the FBI is worried, the bosses they are scared,
They can't deport six million men, they know.
And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea,
We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C. I. O.

[Recorded by the Almanac Singers (Woody Guthrie, Lee Hays, Millard Lampell, Pete Seeger), 1941. Harry Bridges, leader of the San Francisco based International Longshoreman's and Warehousemen's Union and regional director of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (C. I. O.). Bridges spent nearly twenty years fighting the government's attempts to deport him to his native Australia.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: song for bridges and others
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 01 - 03:44 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: song for bridges and others
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Jul 01 - 08:38 PM

jlp, have you tried the Dead People Server ? I only goes back a few years, though. You might try a google search - there are several sites on Woody Guthrie, and I'm sure on Paul Robeson as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: song for bridges and others
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Jul 01 - 10:30 AM

refresh

Subject: song for bridges and dates of birth of ...
From: jlp
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 02:32 PM

I am doing a radio program in The Netherlands about music of music of social engagement of the 30's to the 60's. I have found some old 78 records put out in 1940. Three songs on it are: Union Train, Song for Bridges, Talking Union. On the label is says Almanac Singers. And no composer. I found a coupld of composers on the lyrics search. Nothing for "song for bridges".

My questions: 1) Well I can hear the lyrics clearly, but I was interested when and by whom they were composed. I only can find the "copyright People's Music 1947" info which is on the lyrics sight.

2) who can give me a site where I can easily find the birth (and if so death) dates of singers like Woodie Guthrie, Paul robeson, etcetera?

Thanks