Artist & Tune
Version by John McCutcheon
Version by Sweet Honey in the Rock
Version by Pete Seeger
Version by Jackson Browne
Reference
About the Song
Waldemar Hille found the lyrics to this song (almost word for word) in the preamble to the constitution of the first mineworkers union in the US, written in 1870. He asked Pete Seeger if he knew of a good tune these words could be put to. Pete had the genius to realize that "The Praties They Grow Small", a traditional Irish song written during the Great Irish Potato Famine during the 1840's fit perfectly.
These few simple lines sum up not only what unions are all about - but what all kinds of shared struggles for social justice enccompass.