“Roll the Union On”

Description

"We're going to roll, we're going to roll, we're going to roll the union on." Verse: "If the (boss, scabs, etc.) get(s) in the way, we're going to roll right over him (them)...we're going to roll the union on"

Notes

John Handcox (with an X) was a sharecropper and organizer; he apparently based the song on the hymn "Roll the Chariot On" (which seems to be not the same as "We'll Roll the Old Chariot Along" as found in Sandburg; they share a verse, but not the tune or meter). I have been unable to find a copy of "Roll the Chariot On". - PJS

Recordings

  • John Handcock, "Going to Roll the Union On" (AFS 3237 A2, 1937)
  • Pete Seeger & Chorus, "Roll the Union On" (on PeteSeeger01)

References

  1. DT, ROLUNION*
  2. BI, DTroluni

About

Author: Probably John Handcock/Handcox
Earliest date: 1937 (recording, John Handcock)
Found in: US(SE)