“On the Picket Line” Sheet Music (pdf).
“On the Picket Line” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).
Lyrics: Anonymous and IWW Lehigh Valley Branch, PA, USA.
Tune: “Polly Wolly Doodle.”
To win our strike and all our demands,
Come and picket on the picket line.
In one strong union, we’ll join our hands;
Come and picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
If you’ve never spent a night in jail,
Come and picket on the picket line.
You will be invited without fail;
Come and picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
If you don’t like scabs and thugs and stools,
Come and picket on the picket line.
For you’ll show the boss that the workers rule
When you picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
The dirty little scab, we’ll use him like a rag.
Come and picket on the picket line.
Who paid a quarter million bucks
For double-crossing spies
To crawl like rats into our homes
’Neath friendship’s fair disguise.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
The dirty little scab, we’ll use him like a rag.
Come and picket on the picket line.
The Boss brings scabs to take our pay.
Come picket on the picket line.
The scabs won’t get past us today.
Come picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
The dirty little scab, we’ll use him like a rag.
Come and picket on the picket line.
If men must lose their souls to work
In such shops, we decline;
So now, we voice our protest
In a moving picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
Our fight is not for us alone
But for working folk ev’rywhere.
The rights we ask are not unjust
But sensible and fair.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
To wear a union button now
Your duty is and mine.
We’ll win this strike when all of us
Get in that picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
We’ll sing and raise an awful din.
Come and picket on the picket line.
We’ll stay until the Boss gives in.
Come picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
For healthcare and for higher pay,
Come and picket on the picket line.
We won’t let the Boss get in our way.
Come picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
The Boss says we’re a commie mob.
Come picket on the picket line.
’Cause we want fairness on our job.
Come picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.
Now the Boss can say that he is broke.
Come picket on the picket line.
We know his story’s just a joke.
Come picket on the picket line.
On the line, on the line,
On the pick, pick, picket line,
We’ll scream and yell and fight like hell,
Come and picket on the picket line.