“The Portland Revolution” Sheet Music (pdf).
“The Portland Revolution” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).
Lyrics: Dublin Dan.
Tune: “Portland County Jail.”
The Revolution started, so the Judge informed the Mayor;
Now Baker paces back and forth, and raves and pulls his hair;
“The waterfront is tied up tight!” a Portland newsboy howls;
And not a thing is moving, only Mayor Baker’s bowels.
A call went out for pickets; You should see the railroad yards
Lined up with honest workers all displaying Wobbly cards;
It made no diff’rence to those boys which industry was hit;
They all were fellow workers, and they meant to do their bit.
When they arrived in Portland, they went right to their hall
And there and then decided a meeting they would call;
The chair had been elected when a thing built like a man
Informed them they must finish up their meeting in the can.
They were ushered to the courtroom bright and early Tuesday morn;
Then slowly entered ‘Justice’, on his face a look of scorn;
Some ‘Cat’ who had the rigging suggested to his pard,
“Here’s a chance to line up ‘Baldy’.” So, they wrote him out a card.
When he spied that little ducat, his face went white with hate;
He said, “I’ll tell you once for all, this Court won’t tolerate
You Wobblies coming in here,” and he clinched his puny fists,
“’Cause Mayor Baker informs me an emergency exists.”
“Bring forth the prisoners, officer. We’ll stop this thing right here.
You state your name, from whence you came, and what you’re doing here.
You don’t belong to I.L.A. or M.T.W.
Now, what I’d like to find out is how this strike concerns you.”
The One Ten ‘Cat’ then wagged his tail and smiled up at the ‘Law’;
He said, I am a harvest hand or better known as ‘Straw’.
I’m interested in this wheat. In fact, I’m keeping tabs.
I’m here to see, twixt you and me, ’taint loaded by no scabs.”
The One Ten ‘Cats’ were jubilant; The fur flew from the ir tails;
‘His Honor’ rapped for order, and the next man called was ‘Rails’;
“I belong to old Five Twenty. I’m a switchman in the yards.
I’m here to state we’ll switch no freight ’cause we’ve all got red cards.”
“Fifty thousand working folk have answered to the call .
United, we’re unbeatable; divided, we must fall.
We’re here to win this longshore strike in spite of all your law.
That’s all I’ve got to say except we’re solid behind ‘Straw’.”
The logger then was next in line; He stood just six foot six;
“One Twenty, that’s where I belong. The Wobblies call us ‘Sticks’.
All red cards cut this lumber, also loaded it on flats.
And we won’t see it handled by a bunch of ‘Legion Rats’.”
Old ‘Baldy’ then was furious; I could see his pride was hurt
When a Three Ten ‘Cat’ informed him that his moniker was ‘Dirt’;
He said, “‘Your Honor’, listen. We have taken this here stand
Because we all are organized in One Big Union Grand.”
“An injury to one, we says an injury to all.
United, we’re unbeatable; divided, we must fall.
Your jails can’t crush our spirit. You’re already wise to that.”
Then, ‘Baldy’ rapped for order and cut off the Three Ten ‘Cat’.
He said, “Let me get straightened out. I’m in an awful mix
For ‘Shorty’ plainly says he’s ‘Dirt’ and ‘Slim’ belongs to ‘Sticks’.
Now, ‘Blackie’, he belongs to ‘Rails’ and ‘Whitey’ says he’s ‘Straw’.
And all of you sure seem to have no respect for the law.”
“Now, I can’t send you men to jail. I can’t find one excuse.
I’ll wash my hands of this damned mess and turn the whole bunch loose.”
Then ‘Dirt’ and ‘Sticks’ marched arm in arm with ‘Flirts’ and ‘Skirts’ and ‘Rails’
While One Ten ‘Cats’ brought up the rear, fur flying from their tails.