Union Songs

Union Train

A Song by The Almanac Singers
© 1947 People's Songs, Inc.

What's that I see yonder coming
What's that I see yonder coming
What's that I see yonder coming
Get on board get on board

It's that union train a coming
It's that union train a coming
It's that union train a coming
Get on board get on board

It has saved many a thousand
It has saved many a thousand
It has saved many a thousand
Get on board get on board

It'll carry us to freedom
It'll carry us to freedom
It'll carry us to freedom
Get on board get on board

What's that I see yonder coming
What's that I see yonder coming
What's that I see yonder coming
Get on board get on board

Notes

The slaves in USA were experts at making hymns that sheltered an anti-slavery message in stories from the Bible, often using the stories of Jewish slaves in Ancient Egypt. When the Southern Tenant Farmers Union began organising sharecroppers and labourers in the Mississippi Delta cotton country the members would sing hymns from there childhood after the meetings. One day a woman at the back added a verse to the "Old Ship Of Zion" and latter Lee Hayes and the Almanac Singers wrote more verses to get that Union Train to roll.

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