I. W. W. Prison Song (Ralph Chaplin)

“I. W. W. Prison Song” Sheet Music (pdf).
“I. W. W. Prison Song” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).

Lyrics: Ralph Chaplin.
Tune: “The White Cockade.”


The pale and dismal daylight falls
Through iron bars on prison walls.
In chains, we came from far and near,
And in dark cells they hold us here.

Defiant ’neath the Iron Heel,
Their walls of stone and bars of steel!
For though all hell at us is hurled,
We and our kind shall rule the world!

At us the blood-hounds are let loose,
The lynch-mobs with the knotted noose;
In legal sanctioned mask and gown,
The New Black Hundred hunt us down.

Defiant ’neath the Iron Heel,
Their walls of stone and bars of steel!
For though all hell at us is hurled,
We and our kind shall rule the world!

To all brave comrades o’er the sea,
In chains for human liberty,
And all jailed rebels everywhere,
We say: “Be bold to do and dare!”

Defiant ’neath the Iron Heel,
Their walls of stone and bars of steel!
For though all hell at us is hurled,
We and our kind shall rule the world!

By all the graves of Labor’s dead,
By Labor’s deathless flag of red,
We make a solemn vow to you:
“We’ll keep the faith; we will be true!”

Defiant ’neath the Iron Heel,
Their walls of stone and bars of steel!
For though all hell at us is hurled,
We and our kind shall rule the world!

For Freedom laughs at prison bars;
Her voice re-echoes from the stars,
Proclaiming with the tempest’s breath
A Cause beyond the reach of death!

Defiant ’neath the Iron Heel,
Their walls of stone and bars of steel!
For though all hell at us is hurled,
We and our kind shall rule the world!


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