There Is Power In A Union by Joe Hill

joehill.sltrib.com
“There Is Power in a Union” is one of Joe Hill’s most enduring recruiting songs. After his execution, the song was sung at his funeral in Salt Lake City and again at his funeral in Chicago. The song is performed here by Folk Hogan in Salt Lake City’s Sugar House Park, near the site where Utah’s state prison once stood and where Hill was executed by a firing squad on Nov. 19, 1915.
Lyrics:
Would you have freedom from wage slavery
Then join in the grand Industrial band
Would you from mis'ry and hunger be free
Then come! Do your share, like a man
There is power, there is power
In a band of workingmen
When they stand hand in hand
That's a power, that's a power
That must rule in every land
One Industrial Union Grand
Would you have mansions of gold in the sky
And live in a shack, way in the back?
Would you have wings up in heaven to fly
And starve here with rags on your back?
If you've had enough of "the blood of the lamb,"
Then join in the grand Industrial band
If, for a change, you would have eggs and ham
Then come! Do your share, like a man
There is power, there is power
In a band of workingmen
When they stand hand in hand
That's a power, that's a power
That must rule in every land
One Industrial Union Grand
If you like sluggers to beat off your head
Then don't organize, all unions despise
If you want nothing before you are dead
Shake hands with your boss and look wise
There is power, there is power
In a band of workingmen
When they stand hand in hand
That's a power, that's a power
That must rule in every land
One Industrial Union Grand
Come, all ye workers, from every land,
Come join in the grand Industrial band
Then we our share of this earth shall demand
Come on! Do your share, like a man
There is power, there is power
In a band of workingmen
When they stand hand in hand
That's a power, that's a power
That must rule in every land
One Industrial Union Grand

[@viktorkardell9366]

Rest in Power Joe Hill! Long live the I.W.W., and forward to victory, Fellow Workers!

[@AbandonEarth911]

Solidarity comrades.

[@e.a.forrest1388]

Solidarity Viktor! Fancy seeing you here ;)

[@Aurora-oe2qp]

länge leve SAC!

[@mofowiththegun]

For the OBU! Solidarity Forever!

[@AbandonEarth911]

Abolish the slavery of the Wages System. Working Men and Women of All lands Unite.

[@patriknilsson2466]

Workers/Intellectuals UNITE! ✊

[@HeathWatts]

The power of the wealthy is as great as its every been. People are also lulled into complacency with relatively-inexpensive, serf-made tech and widgets. Things will likely have to get much worse in the West before another labor movement starts. This time, it must be worldwide, because the rich and their corporations control all of the workers on earth.

[@persallnas5408]

he never died

[@DavidLemmo]

Takes more then guns to kill a man

[@s3nsec0rruptr80]

Says he

[@comrade-princesscelestia4907]

@@DavidLemmo this reminds me of a quote from gloryhammer of all things, "A hero cannot be defeated simply by making him die". Although I dont think Comrade Hill is coming back as a hologram any time soon.

Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund, alias Joseph Hillström, born October 7, 1879 in Gävle, died November 19, 1915 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, was a Swedish-American trade union activist, poet and singer. His parents' home in old Gävle is now a museum

[@traditionalfascists3303]

What was that actually his real name? I thought it was Joseph hillstrom

@@traditionalfascists3303 Joel Emmanuel Hägglund

[@Aurora-oe2qp]

@@traditionalfascists3303 what's with your username?

[@crusader2112]

God Bless the Common Man! Solidarity Forever Comrades! ✊🏻✊✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

[@kristbane]

Seize the means of production.

[@steveroberts8719]

Joe took the lyrics from "Blood of the Lamb" rewrote the lyrics to make sense for American workers and kept the old music of the great hymn. Joe Hill was a genius and Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, John Prine, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger and Bruce Sprinsteen owe a debt to him.

[@thebagofsalt]

Don't forget Billy Bragg!

[@comrade-princesscelestia4907]

@@thebagofsalt And Joe Glazer

[@lohollywood1f428]

Utah and Duncan Phillips too!

[@whatabouttheearth]

Yeah, the Salvation Army used to come with their band and play instrumental Christian songs to drown out the wobblies on the "soapbox" agitating so the Joe Hill just made their own lyrics to the songs and it increased their effectiveness so much the salvation army stopped coming around, 😂 pretty clever

[@rebeccadolashewich7094]

#UNION✨🦅🗽🇺🇸✨ “Don’t waste any time mourning. Organize.” - Joe Hill

[@persallnas5408]

joe hil aint dead

[@Namlessnomad]

Saw him big as life, smilin' with his eyes just last night.

[@herpderp728]

Rest In Power, Joe Hill. A martyr for the working man everywhere.

[@pyrpoi]

The captions “ there is power in abandoned working men”. Too real KZbin auto captions. Too real. Don’t grieve. Organize!!

[@andreasniklasson4037]

Länge leve Joel Hillström, för evigt saknad aldrig bortglömd

[@Dawe360]

Det finns kraft i vårat förbund

[@spamquisition4046]

April 1st 2022, The workers of JFK8 just made history. The first labor union at Amazon in the history of the United States. The first completely independent worker-led union of this size in decades, if not centuries. - From the Amazon Labor Union website. A new age is truly dawning in the history of Unions.

[@GIITW.5OKC]

Lived here in Utah my entire life, had no idea about this part of the history.. Unions Unite! First heard about this from Tom Morello.

[@frankyoung7497]

Joe Hill was hero of the American proletariat. We shall prevail comrades, greetings from Scotland

[@jeffwalker7185]

Also a hero of the world proletariat! A true internationalist to the last, his ashes were sent across the world to be scattered. Greetings from England comrade.

[@pellepopcorn6129]

Utterly beautifully performed. Indeed, there’s a power

[@matt143450]

We stood up, 31,000 in new England.

[@bschaller9777]

Love from Tennessee ! Keep on fighting . Also love the accordion

[@juju1435]

Join IWW and organize with your fellow workers !

[@maryellen0415]

Here's some Utah history that is completely new to me and very cool. Go Rebel Girls, all over, but especially here in Utah!

[@juju1435]

Well done. Solidarity from Montreal.

[@piergiorgiopapetti6613]

Hello from Italy !

[@phildoyle8263]

Proud Transport Workers Union member in Australia! The workers, United, will never be defeated

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

At 70 it’s likely I’ll soon be among those doing the haunting, lol!

[@MoranSE]

Amazing! Thank you folks!!!

[@frederik7338]

Great rendition of a great song :D

[@SergeantLuke]

Happy birthday, Joe, born October 7 1879!

[@user-pj9wp5ft3u]

Если бы Джо Хилла не убили капиталисты - он ещё столько смог бы сделать! Талант - самородок, наверняка стал бы в конце концов Коммунистом, как и многие из ИРМ, включая Элизабет Флинн, которой он посвятил свою "Девушку-бунтарку"

[@jj80251]

We will never forget.

[@marko_g_korenski]

Great job! 🤩👏👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿

[@golgroda]

Beat song by Joe I ever heard.

[@hubertblastinoff9001]

Humans owe it to their fellow humans to treat them with dignity. Who else will do it if not we? Slugs?

[@ChristopherAnthonyLeibow]

Awesome! Proud of you son.

[@ResilientWon]

Love this band.

[@PeveValson]

who are they ?!

[@kevinkevin4985]

Way to go Missouri on this date. Joe Hill lives. kk was here.

[@p.a.andrews7772]

You guys are excellent thank you! :-)

[@HecticHoboBand]

Great job dudes!

[@grassic]

Superb

[@ultrahevybeat]

salt lake city has always been on my bucket list. as a swede, is it worth going there to see the sights on an america tour?

[@loganbyrd2024]

Yes, it is. It's not my #1 city though. Its more like my #10.

[@lohollywood1f428]

If you're a skier, it'd be great, or if you like morman theology, it'd be a good choice. Not much else after that, but I have lived here all my life so I can be overlooking some stuff but it's a pretty okay city.

[@donaldtrumppaidtroll9114]

Solidarity!

[@patriknilsson2466]

✊

[@elonmust7470]

Can't wait to wipe you folks.

[@GabrielleJRosen]

Thank you. Happy Labor Day! 💪

[@lukelee7967]

That guy with dreads is the most punk rock guy ever

[@miraernotaese780]

Solidarity for All Grettings from Tenerife Canary Islands - spain

[@big_guy_of_leiden5688]

Alabama Amazon workers you know what to do UNIONIZE

[@RedRobin13]

God love you, brothers and sisters.

[@lacyhawkins3920]

I would buy an album by this group. Who are they?

[@NiceDecnals]

Folk Hogan!

[@SummerSideTea]

Really catchy

[@zpridgen75]

Cheers from the Orlando Ironworkers of Local 808.

[@mattklein5498]

solidarity Forever-Matt Klein BAC local 3 Northern Ca

[@eegmac2267]

Great rendition! Y'all better all be Wobblies. Help the work along!

[@doomguy7507]

Guy in dreads has a lovely voice as well

[@musicalmoses]

Doom Guy hey! That’s me! Thanks!

[@doomguy7507]

@@musicalmoses no problem, man!

[@pfroberts100]

One big union

[@matt143450]

Ufcw 371 checking in.

[@seanhartnett79]

UFCW local 324, checking in.

[@4sythdude549]

Sacramento IWW checking in Solidarity Forever

[@truettneathery4358]

Where is Joe Hill buried ??

[@comradewildcat1770]

He is buried all over the land.

[@robertcowde520]

Working class power oi

[@robertcowde520]

Working class power oi oi

[@lukedoesbutter]

You have power! make the owners cower!

[@elisebryant6595]

How do reach out to these brothers?!! I would love to invite them to come to the 2023 Great Labor Arts Exchange!

[@TomiXman]

What's the name of the band?

[@DevilishDropout]

TomiXman folk hogan

[@ChanceSherwood]

anywhere but utah

[@synchro4309]

Would you take contently what was put in your hand Lest then you burn with one leg to stand Would you believe what they tell you to be Oh brothers go out to see

[@grassic]

Banjo player's hot

[@NiceDecnals]

Thanks 😘😘

[@grassic]

@@NiceDecnals You're very welcome, lol

[@pfroberts100]

Don't mourn...organise

[@stevec1770]

Such an insult that Trump's ads are playing before this clip. But a reminder of the evils of capitalism... paying for an ad to make fun of Joe Hill.

[@hongwendeng9364]

There is a comrade from China！

[@redblack8745]

Look at those grinch fingers XD

[@arianrhodhyde7482]

lovely song, but is that a white guy with dreadlocks?

[@frankm.2850]

That's an issue why?

[@nunyabisness7055]

Dreadlocks were used by several cultures, several of them from Europe (Gauls, Germans). Remember, Race is a Richman's Tool to separate the workers, and a Social Construct that we must oppose.

[@rolandsieker2286]

OK, but why the old, gendered version? Nowadays its "Come, do your share *lend a hand*" and "There is pow'r in a band of work *folk*".

[@IIVVBlues]

The problem is that all power corrupts. Corruption killed the unions, not the bosses. The unions serve the unions not the membership. They ceased being laborers and "organizing" and growing became their principle activity. They became money making machines. There is dignity in all work, but the union bosses no longer work and are no different than the corporate bosses in that they have become parasites on the workers. "You will eat, bye and bye When you’ve learned how to cook and to fry Chop some wood, twill do you good And you’ll eat in the sweet bye and bye (that’s no lie)." Joe Hill There is a kernel of truth to his lyric, but at the time of his death, Joe Hill was making a living off the fledgling labor movement. As a symbol, he has been more useful than he ever was when alive.

[@Kapoosh000]

"All power corrupts" is literally the point of socialisms and anarchism in general. I'd recommend reading "Are We Good Enough?" By Piotr Kropotkin, it is very eye opening.

[@Infantry9]

Does that mean grocery clerks will get to finally say "the customer is not always right" and clerks will get to evict and (depending on case-by-case circumstances) rough up any self-entitled customers who make unmerited or false allegations or threaten to do so? I ask because of my experience in retail and if the answer is "no," then I am not interested except in craft unions/guilds. Oh and unions regardless of anyone's opinion need better leadership and need to let more people join instead of taking dues from those who do not even qualify to join.

[@57too]

Power against cultural Marxism!!!!! Power against woke-ism!!!!!

[@adampottmeyer452]

Truth in the song. However, none of those puppies look like they could frame, lay forms, wire a circuit, replace a fuel pump, cut a fire break... or do anything other than pulling a shot at Starbucks.

[@musicalmoses]

NibiruLives no surprise to see that comment from someone whose handle is Nibirulives. Don’t you know that there ain’t no Planet X coming cause ain’t no space case ain’t Not globe earth?!

[@musicalmoses]

Several of the band members are tradesmen.

[@adampottmeyer452]

@@musicalmoses just rewatched it, other than the drummer, whose hands I can't see, they all have soft hands

[@musicalmoses]

@@adampottmeyer452 I'm the mandolin player. I'm a luthier. I grew up underneath hot rods in the driveway. The accordion player and I grew up in the same rural town and worked manual labor together for years. I haven't seen your hands either, so I will just assume they spend all day talking tough on the internet.

[@lemoncoolassociate8786]

@@musicalmoses I like the F-hole tattoos on the accordionists neck.

[@AndeeSunderland]

Using the original lyrics is weak. The majority of the global proletariat is women, and propaganda that explicitly excludes that majority makes class politics look like an outdated, irrelevant concept, which it is not.

[@grassic]

In most contexts I would agree with you but here the song is a commemoration on the place Joe Hill was shot using the song as sung by his mourners, in this context I think it is appropriate to use the original lyrics. like it or not those are the words they used, to sing it in another context, say a Union meeting it would be more appropriate to use modern lyrics.

[@conahanbarbarian9719]

I certainly understand you view and such a situation is clearly a relevant concern, but to call the song completely outdated or even flat out discriminatory is a bit of a stretch. The term 'men' being used does not exclude women and the IWW as I understand has never outright excluded women just like it has never excluded people of various races. I am a vegetarian and I am not outraged at the use of egg and ham to entice workers to organize as those words contribute little to the meaning. The context of where the song is being sung, the man its being sung for, and the Union it represents are why we can still sing it.

[@conahanbarbarian9719]

also, consider Joe Hills song Rebel Girl. Heres a line from it: We've had girls before, but we need some more In the Industrial Workers of the World Chill comrade. There is a place for us all in the One Big Union.

[@AbandonEarth911]

Sunderland . Once a mighty shipbuilding town.

[@DissentingDogLevi]

Good point

[@mungojelly]

please this is a good song but if you're going to sing it these days you have to change it to anti-sexist lyrics, "be a man" has to be "lend a hand" etc., please

[@grassic]

In most contexts I would agree with you but here the song is a commemoration on the place Joe Hill was shot using the song as sung by his mourners, in this context I think it is appropriate to use the original lyrics. like it or not those are the words they used, to sing it in another context, say a Union meeting it would be more appropriate to use modern lyrics.

[@mungojelly]

Brendan Connelly that explanation will not magically pop into the head of everyone who hears this song, if it's not sung in a modern way it will perpetuate sexist aesthetics and ideology, you have to make constant efforts to overcome the sexist (racist homophobic transphobic etc) baseline of our society or it wins by default, yes that's not fair or nice and it's a constant struggle but that's anti-oppression work for you, no i'm not ruining leftism by politely asking if we could try to counter patriarchy

[@gillesbourgeois5348]

i agree. Hill would agree too.

[@ResilientWon]

Man is fine. They shouldn't change the lyrics of a song they are covering. Coming in a little hot, PC PolicePERSON.

[@SnowTheGeneric]

Fuckin' Liberal.

[@IsisMusic]

Joel Häggström från Gävle