“John Golden and the Lawrence Strike” Sheet Music (pdf).
“John Golden and the Lawrence Strike” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).
Lyrics: Joe Hill.
Tune: “A Little Talk with Jesus.”
In Lawrence, when the starving masses struck for more to eat,
And wooden-headed Wood tried the strikers to defeat,
To Sammy Gompers wrote and asked him what he thought.
And this is just the answer that the mailman brought:
A little talk with Golden
Makes it all right, all right;
He’ll settle any strike
If there’s coin enough in sight;
Just take him out to dine,
And everything is fine.
A little talk with Golden
Makes it right, all right.
The preachers, cops, and money-kings were working hand in hand.
The boys in blue with stars and stripes were sent by Uncle Sam.
Still, things were looking blue ‘cause every striker knew
That weaving cloth with bayonets is hard to do.
A little talk with Golden
Makes it all right, all right;
He’ll settle any strike
If there’s coin enough in sight;
Just take him out to dine,
And everything is fine.
A little talk with Golden
Makes it right, all right.
John Golden had with Mister Wood a private interview;
He told him how to bust up the I. double Double-U.
He came out in a while and wore that Golden smile.
He said, “I’ve got all labor leaders skinned a mile.”
A little talk with Golden
Makes it all right, all right;
He’ll settle any strike
If there’s coin enough in sight;
Just take him out to dine,
And everything is fine.
A little talk with Golden
Makes it right, all right.
John Golden pulled a bogus strike with all his “pinks” and “stools.”
He thought the rest would follow like a bunch of crazy fools.
But to his great surprise, the “foreigners” were wise:
In one big solid union, they were organized.
That’s one time Golden did not
Make it all right, all right;
In spite of all his schemes,
The strikers won the fight.
When all the workers stand
United hand in hand,
The world with all its wealth
Shall be at their command.