Labor activist, advocate and educator Joyce Kornbluh compiled a tremendous collection of IWW documents including articles, essays, poems, graphics, photographs and songs entitled Rebel Voices: An IWW Anthology, originally published in 1964 by PM Press. One of the many gems in the compendium is the story told in this song, a 1927 article entitled “The IWW on a Full- Rigged Ship,” written by Fellow Worker Harry Clayton, who was a member of the ship’s crew. The company that owned the Star of Russia obviously wanted to maximize their profit on the sale of the ship to a French company in New Caledonia in the South Pacific, so they had workers (many of whom were undoubtedly Wobblies) load her down with lumber from the forests of Washington to be sold along the way at a port of call in Samoa. It was there that the crew, who had delivered their demands to the captain, won their strike for fair treatment and uniform scale. In all the histories of the union, despite the Wobbly reputation as the singing union, and despite the huge genre of nautical song, there are very few references to singing among Wobblies in the maritime industries. This story just called out for a song, and one utilizing the concertina.
lyrics
We’re thirty days out from the port of Tacoma For New Caledonia we’re bound
On an old hulk square-rigger, the Star of Russia But she’ll ne’er again sail Puget sound
For she’s seen her day, now they’ve sold her away Under sail it’s her last long trip
No longer at large, stripped down for a barge Tomorrow she’ll be no tall ship
Chorus:
And it’s salt cod and poor old Dobbin Who pulled that old “one-hoss shay” Horse meat so tough it chews like leather And ancient pork fat every day.
Fellow workers back home loaded her down with lumber A million board feet, we were told
Handsome profit for someone on Washington timber When it’s delivered and sold
But the dollars are few for us laboring crew
Hard life on these endless waves
Weak mind and strong back’s what they pay you for, Jack To them we are nothing but slaves
Our cook hasn’t bathed since the birth of the Savior So the galley gives off quite a stink
With the smell of the horse meat, the pig fat and fish It’ll drive a poor sailor to drink
Hard work night and day, and a pittance for pay And we’re livin’ like rats down below
So we all got wise, and we organized
Now we won’t be their slaves anymore
Chorus:
And it’s salt cod and poor old Dobbin Who pulled that old “one-hoss shay” Horse meat so tough it chews like leather And ancient pork fat every day.
We wrote our demands and took them to the skipper
Fair treatment and uniform scale
He called, “Cast off lines!” and with arms crossed we stood Sayin, “Agree, or the Russia won’t sail!”
So he had to choose, but how could we lose? What else could he do but give in?
It paid to rebel, now they treat us quite well, Each worker says, “I Will Win!”
Chorus:
No more salt cod and poor old Dobbin Who pulled that old “one-hoss shay” Horse meat so tough it chews like leather And ancient pork fat every day.
So the captain he called in the handsome young mess boy Askin’, “Are you a double-U, son?
You’d best keep clear of those double-U’s young man, They make trouble for everyone.”
But the boy raised his head, to the skipper he said, Standin’ so brave and tall,
“When all is done, an injury to one
Is an injury to us all!”
Chorus:
No more salt cod and poor old Dobbin Who pulled that old “one-hoss shay” Horse meat so tough it chews like leather And ancient pork fat every day.
credits
from When We Stand Together,
released July 23, 2022
words and music by Greg Artzner & Terry Leonino
The James Connolly Upstate NY IWW branch is a union for all workers based in NY. Musicians and other workers wishing to
organize can find us here upstatenyiww.wordpress.com/contact/
Our benefit album is out May 31st. Support our organizing workers!...more
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