Levellers Day Song Original Lyrics

Songs for Levellers Day, May 19th 2012 In our world, poisoned by exploitation, Those who have taken, now 1. Bread and Roses 6. Oh Mr Cameron with Bandierra they must give. 2. Diggers song Rossa hum And end the vanity of nations. We've but one earth on which to 3. Internationale 7. Sleep live. 4. I Paradisi and other African 8. Song for Gaza Chorus songs 9. Tom Paines bones 5. Levellers Day Song (original 10. We are all under the stars 3. And so begins the final drama, In the streets and in the fields. lyrics) 11. Which Side are You on We'll resist united 'gainst their armour. We'll defy their guns and shields. 1. Bread and Roses When we fight, provoked by their aggression, Let us be inspired by As we come marching marching in the beauty of the day life and love. A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray For, though they offer us concessions, Change will not come from Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses above. For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses. Chorus

2. As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men 4. I Paradisi United in the struggle and we stand with them agian I Paradisi, I-kha-ya la-ba-fi-le, x3 Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes Ku-la-pho so-phum-la kho-na Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses 5. Levellers Day song – original lyrics 3. As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead 1. All: We fought for world where all people could be free, We Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread fought in the Civil War Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew Tenors: To end the power of the Monarchy Yes, it is bread we fight for – but we fight for roses too! Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. All: Seeking justice for all be sure, 4. As we come marching, marching, we bring you hope at last Bass: As the war went on the rules seemed to change and the The rising of the women means the rising of the class generals words were lies, No more the drudge and idler – ten that toil where one reposes Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers But a sharing of life’s glories: Bread and roses, Bread and roses marching, ooh Sops: We gathered and grew, one thousand strong 2. Diggers Song Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight, 1. You noble Diggers all, stand up now, stand up now, All: One vote a’piece our cry, One vote a’piece our cry You noble Diggers all, stand up now! The wasteland to maintain, seeing cavaliers by name 2. All: Together we marched as strong as the sea, sea-green was Your digging do disdain, and persons all defame, the colour of our standard Stand up now, stand up now! Tenors: But we'd not take part in that Irish killing spree, Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. 2. Your houses they pull down, stand up now, stand up now, All: We strode towards Oxford. Your houses they pull down, stand up nowl Bass: We stopped for to rest, that’s where we were caught out, Your houses they pull down, to fright poor men in town, Took refuge in the church at Burford. But the gentry must come down, and the poor shall wear the Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers crown, marching, ooh Stand up now Diggers all! Sops: Three days with no hope, we carved our names Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight, 3. 'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests, stand up now, stand up now, All: Then Fairfax shot us dead, He shot three levellers dead 'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests, stand up now! For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath, 3. All: We were known as the levellers, a name for which we're To grant us they are loath, free meat and drink and cloth, proud, Our belief that we all are equal. Stand up now, stand up now! Tenors: The levellers we were then, and levellers we are now, Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. 4. With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now, stand up All: We work for the good of all. now, Bass: We speak ‘gainst injustice for for those who have no voice, With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now! we’ll stand in all situations. Your freedom to uphold, seeing cavaliers are bold Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers To kill you if they could, your rights from you to hold, marching, ooh, Stand up now, stand up now. Sops: Remembering all those who’ve died for this cause Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight, 3. Internationale - Billy Bragg version All: The struggle carries on. The levellers carry on. 1. Stand up, all victims of oppression, For the tyrants fear your might. 6. Oh Mr Cameron Don't cling so hard to your possessions, For you have nothing, if 1. Oh Mr Cameron, what can I do you have no rights. I never voted Tory but I ended up with you Let racist ignorance be ended, For respect makes the empire's fall. You and Nick together, he's eating out your hand Freedom is merely privilege extended, Unless enjoyed by one and Like a little puppy dog obeying your command all. (ch. tune) Oh Mr Cameron, you may be stinking rich That doesn't make it fair to throw our healthcare in the ditch Chorus: Pawn it all for profit and it isn't hard to guess So come brothers and sisters for the struggle carries on. We'll rot away if we can't pay: hands off our NHS! The Internationale unites the world in song. So, comrades, come rally for this is the time and place. 2. with Bandierra Rossa Tune Hum: Oh Mr Cameron I’ve often The international ideal unites the human race. heard you say We're all in this together, we'll all suffer the same way. 2. Let no-one build walls to divide us, Walls of hatred nor walls of Your cuts are for the poor, tax breaks for millionaires stone. Your words dont seem to match your deeds, We all know its not Oh, greet the dawn and come and join us. We'll live together or fair we'll die alone. (ch. tune) Oh Mr Cameron I know what I'll do We'll have a revolution and we will get rid of you E: Melody alone You and all your cronies banished from the land We will not go down in the night without a fight We'll have the workers run the show, now wouldn't that be grand F: Melody, Alto, Tenor merging into You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools Bandierra Rossa but our spirit will never die 1. Avanti popolo, a la rescossa, Bandiera rossa, bandiera rossa G; all parts in harmony Avanti popolo, a la rescossa, Bandiera rossa trionfera. We will not go down in the night without a fight Chorus: Bandiera rossa la trionfera, bandiera rossa la trionfera, You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools bandiera rossa la trionfera, E viv' il socialismo e la liberta. but our spirit will never die 2. Non piu nemici, non piu frontere, Son i confini rossa bandiere, We will not go down in Gaza tonight. O proletari alla rescossa, Bandiera rossa trionfera 9. Tom Paines Bones 7. Sleep 1. basses tune: As I went out one evening 1. You took my brothers, You stole my sons. By a river of discontent Took our peace and gave us only war. I bumped straight into old Tom Paine You took my words, and gave me prayers. As running down the road he went But I'm not crying anymore. He said, "I can't stop right now, my son King George is after me 2. You took away my precious time He'll have a rope around my throat For your battlefield and factory floor And hang me on the Liberty Tree" These stolen hours they waste away but I'm not counting anymore Chorus All Harmony: But I will dance to Tom Paine's bones Dance to Tom Paine's bones Chorus: So close your eyes, and slip to darkeness deep Dance in the oldest boots I own while we sing, sing you to sleep. To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones Close you eyes, your darkest deeds to keep I will dance to Tom Paine's bones While we sing, sing you to sleep, while we sing, sing you to sleep Dance to Tom Paine's bones Dance in the oldest boots I own 3. You took my voice, you took my choice To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones He who writes the scriptures writes the law You gave me hate and called it love 2. sops tune: "I only talked about freedom but I'm not listening anymore And justice for everyone But since the very first word I spoke 4. You took my hope for a brighter world I've been looking down the barrel of a gun I took the hand of friendship on the shore They say I preached revolution This home, these dreams, you fenced them in, Let me say in my defence but I'm not taking anymore That all I did wherever I went Was to talk a lot of common sense" 8. Song for Gaza A: First 16 bars - all parts 3. bass tune: Old Tom Paine he ran so fast Ooh x4 (4 bars each ooh) He left me standing still B: Melody while other parts sing ‘ooh’ And there I was, a piece of paper in my hand A blinding flash of white light lit up the sky over Gaza tonight Standing at the top of the hill People running for cover not knowing whether they’re dead or All unison: It said, "This is the Age Of Reason alive. These are The Rights Of Man They came with their tanks and their planes, Kick off religion and monarchy" with ravaging fiery flames and nothing remains, It was written there in Tom Paine's plan Just a voice rising up through the smoky haze 4. bass slow: Old Tom Paine, there he lies C: Chorus: all parts in harmony Nobody laughs and nobody cries We will not go down in the night without a fight Where he's gone or how he fares You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools Nobody knows and nobody cares but our spirit will never die Chorus: We will not go down in Gaza tonight. 10. We Are All Under The Stars D: Melody while other parts sing ‘ooh’ Chorus: We are all under the stars and no matter how far we are Women and children alike murdered and massacred night after apart we are all under the stars night While the so called leaders of countries afar 11. Which side are you on [all parts joining in one by one for Debated on who’s wrong or right intro] But their powerless words were in vain and the bombs fell down 1. Which side are you, Which side are you like acid rain Come all of you good people, You women and you men But through the tears and the blood and the pain Once more our backs are to the wall, we're being attacked again You can still hear that voice through the smoky haze: 2. Which side are you, Which side are you C: Chorus: all parts in harmony Don't scab for the bosses, Don't listen to their lies, 3. Friends coming over the waves Us workers haven't got a chance, Unless we organise Shot at and murdered in cold light of day They think they can kill and tell lies to the world 3. Which side are you, Which side are you And keep Gaza hidden away We fought a million battles, To defend our hard won rights But the struggle will always renew We're going to have to fight again, And I ask you here [tonight] There'll be more standing up for the truth And when they get through 4. Which side are you, Which side are you They'll be singing out loud through the smoky haze It's time for a decision, And you really have to choose Defend the workers' struggle, Or the next in line is you