PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

The Redskins - Music for class struggle
by redskin Monday, Mar. 03, 2008 at 2:02 AM

The Redskins was an old band from Britain, that made music for working class, for class struggle

The Redskins were a British band of the 1980s, that made music for class struggle. They had a very original musicality, and combined influences from soul music, rockabilly, pop music and punk rock.

Their lyrics were very good, and talk about working class struggle. The band has supported the UK miners' strike of 1984–1985.

Songs like "Unionize", "Keep On Keeping On", "Go get organized" are working class anthems.

More information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Redskins

For downloading some of their songs, go to: http://redskins.4shared.com/ (Mp3)

Some lyrics at: http://www.geocities.com/neither_washington_nor_moscow/lyrics.html


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UNIONIZE

The first thing that needs to be said
Is hatred's all very well
But hatred must be organised
If dreams are to be realised
And anger is no substitute
For diciplined rebellion
To unionize is to organise

Unionize!
Fight back!
Unionize!
Stop! Strike!
Unionize!

Well all this talk of fighting back
Is talk to be ignored
If we don't know where our power lies
And utilize the tools we've got
The bosses have the money
And the workers have no rights
But our muscle is our labour
And we flex it when we go on strike

Unionize!
Fight back!
Unionize!
Stop! Strike!
Unionize!

We can talk of riots and petrol bombs
And revolutions all day long
But if we fail to organise
We'll waste our lives on protest songs
A life worth living is waiting to be won, sure
The day the bosses fall
The day the dream has come
But stop romanticising
Hollow talk is just a curse
The revolution won't appear
We all have to build for it first

Unionize!
Fight back!
Unionize!
Stop! Strike!
Unionize!

--------------------------------------------------------

GO GET ORGANIZED!

I got a job just shifting beer
Straight out of school, straight into here
I got a job pays none too well
But every Friday I can tell them go to hell

This place is noisy and full of dust & shit
This jobs dead lousy but I can't get out of it
Come every Friday I see an old man
Sat back from the bar in the smoke room
He's been through battles
He's seen some hard ones
I fought and lost he said
But let me tell you this son

Your only weapon
Is those you work with
Your strength is their strength
Can't beat the rank and file

Go get organized!

I joined the union & started signing up
I found a man ten years a member
And all this time he's been holin' up, hiding quiet
We pressed the govnor for improved conditions
And found ourselves on strike for union recognition

I seen the old man in the smoke room
He's been through battles
He's seen some hard ones
I fought and lost he said
But let me tell you this son

Your only weapon
Is those you work with
Your strength is their strength
Can't beat the rank and file

Go get organized!

Come every Friday I see an old man
Sat back from the bar in the smoke room
He's been through battles
He's seen some hard ones
I fought and lost he said
But let me tell you this son

Your only weapon
Is those you work with
Your strength is their strength
Can't beat the rank and file

Go get organized!