Union Songs
songs authors articles recordings books films song links union links Struggle in the West There's a struggle going on in the West boys A battle for Freedom and Right Though Tyranny's raising his crest boys We'll conquer or die in the fight They may take from the hands that are free The ballot that backs up his claim May land us in prison but see boys They never shall win at the game Chorus There's a struggle going on in the West boys A battle for Freedom and Right Though Tyranny's raising his crest boys We'll conquer or die in the fight They have sent to the plains of the West boys The Gatling the Nordenfeldt too It seems that we must be suppressed boys Says Price "Lay them out and fire low" The soldiers and troopers are here To shoot down the men of their class Grim heroes with rifle and spear boys To charge on a weaponless mass There are woolsheds and grass in the West boys There's fences and sheep on the plain Would stranger to see us have guessed boys They've sprung from our labour and pain? Can they garrison the plains with police? Can they garrison the back tracks with their troops? Can they watch the slow growth of the fleece boys? They are mad! They are fools! They are dupes! They are sending the scabs to the West boys At the sheds they are dumping them down For the man that the squatter likes best boys Is the loafer and duffer from town Surrounded by troops and police Let them watch till the squatters go lame If they wait till we're suing for peace boys They never shall win at the game So be true to yourself in the West boys Be staunch to your mates and your class The 'Brag' of the squatters we'll test boys By the power of the Union 'Hold Fast' Let them hunt up the scum of the South Bring outcasts too wretched to name We'll give it to them straight from our mouths boys They never shall win at the game
Struggle in the West There's a struggle going on in the West boys A battle for Freedom and Right Though Tyranny's raising his crest boys We'll conquer or die in the fight They may take from the hands that are free The ballot that backs up his claim May land us in prison but see boys They never shall win at the game Chorus There's a struggle going on in the West boys A battle for Freedom and Right Though Tyranny's raising his crest boys We'll conquer or die in the fight They have sent to the plains of the West boys The Gatling the Nordenfeldt too It seems that we must be suppressed boys Says Price "Lay them out and fire low" The soldiers and troopers are here To shoot down the men of their class Grim heroes with rifle and spear boys To charge on a weaponless mass There are woolsheds and grass in the West boys There's fences and sheep on the plain Would stranger to see us have guessed boys They've sprung from our labour and pain? Can they garrison the plains with police? Can they garrison the back tracks with their troops? Can they watch the slow growth of the fleece boys? They are mad! They are fools! They are dupes! They are sending the scabs to the West boys At the sheds they are dumping them down For the man that the squatter likes best boys Is the loafer and duffer from town Surrounded by troops and police Let them watch till the squatters go lame If they wait till we're suing for peace boys They never shall win at the game So be true to yourself in the West boys Be staunch to your mates and your class The 'Brag' of the squatters we'll test boys By the power of the Union 'Hold Fast' Let them hunt up the scum of the South Bring outcasts too wretched to name We'll give it to them straight from our mouths boys They never shall win at the game
Notes This song appeared in the Brisbane Worker (editor William Lane) on 18th April 1891 at the height of the Shearers' Strike. It was brought to the attention of the Australian folk movement by Len Fox (who was then the editor of Common Cause the Miners union paper) The reference to Price in the song is Colonel Tom Price who is remembered in union history because of his order to his troops at a union demonstration in Melbourne in September 1890 "Fire low, and lay them out". Tune is 'Rosin the Bow' Return to top of page
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union songs..........a selection by mark gregory
