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SeaGreen Singers
(Oxford)
Songbook for Levellers Day -
May 20th2017
28/01/2019 08:39:33
Lyrics & Song sheets
For scores in musical notation and mp3 sound files of the choral parts for these songs look at the SeaGreen Singers website:
The Seagreen Singers are a group based in Oxford singing songs to change the world about peace, protest, environment, feminism.The SeaGreen Singers is named after the colour of the ribbons worn by the Levellers, a radical movement in Cromwell's Model Army. The Levellers believed in equality for all, justice, and human rights.
All are welcome to join, you don’t need singing experience, and you don’t need to read music. We meet at St.Columba's Church Hall, Alfred Street (just off the High Street, Carfax end) Oxford, on Mondays at 8pm.
For more information ring 07815 914776, or email or look at the website
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Singing For Our Lives (We are the Oxford SeaGreen Singers)
Bread and Roses
Chartist Anthem
The Diggers Song - Gerrard Winstanley
Jute Mill Song
The Union - La Lega
Let us in
Never Turning Back
Peterloo
Rolling Home
Siya Hamba
The Levellers Day Song
Tom Paines Bones
Which side are you on
Internationale
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28/01/2019,10:03 PM1
SeaGreen Singers (Oxford) NHS Songs
Singing For Our Lives (We are the Oxford SeaGreen Singers)
Holly Near, arr: Ian Stirling
We are the Oxford SeaGreen Singers
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are the Oxford SeaGreen Singers,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a gentle angry people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a gentle angry people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a justice seeking people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a justice seeking people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a land of many colours,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are a land of many colours,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are gay and straight together,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are gay and straight together,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are anti-nuclear people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
We are anti-nuclear people,
and we are singing, singing for our lives
Bread and Roses
Words by James Oppenheim
1. all: As we come marching marching in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses.
2. sops + altos: As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men
United in the struggle and we stand with them agian
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses
3. quietly men humming: As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew
Yes, it is bread we fight for – but we fight for roses too!
4. all: As we come marching, marching, we bring you hope at last
The rising of the women means the rising of the class
No more the drudge and idler – ten that toil where one reposes
But a sharing of life’s glories: Bread and roses, Bread and roses
Additional verse written by Bridget Walker for Reclaim the Night Rally, Oxford (2014)
5.As we go marching marching in the fading of the light
we do not fear the darkness we shall reclaim the night
say no to rape and violence and when the pub door closes
we'll fill the street with singing bread and roses, bread and roses.
Chartist Anthem
by Ben Boucher©1847
A hundred years, a thousand years,
We're marching on the road
The going isn't easy
Yet we've got a heavy load,
We've got a heavy load
The way is blind with blood and sweat,
And death sings in our ears
But time is marching on our side,
We will defeat the years,
We will defeat the years
Speak with one voice, we march we rest,
And march again upon the years
Sons of our sons are listening,
To hear the Chartist cheers
Oh, to hear the Chartists cheers
The Diggers SongGerrard Winstanley
Bass and Alto sing tune
1. (Unison) You noble Diggers all, stand up now, stand up now,
You noble Diggers all, stand up now!
The wasteland to maintain, seeing cavaliers by name
Your digging do disdain, and persons all defame,
Stand up now, stand up now!
2. (Harmony) Your houses they pull down, stand up now, stand up now,
Your houses they pull down, stand up nowl
Your houses they pull down, to fright poor men in town,
But the gentry must come down, and the poor shall wear the crown, Stand up now Diggers all!
3. (Unison) 'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests, stand up now, stand up now,
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst priests, stand up now!
For tyrants they are both, even flat against their oath,
To grant us they are loath, free meat and drink and cloth, Stand up now, stand up now!
4. (Harmony) With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now, stand up now,
With spades and hoes and ploughs, stand up now!
Your freedom to uphold, seeing cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could, your rights from you to hold,
Stand up now, stand up now.
Jute Mill Song
Rebecca Grossman
Oh dear me, the mill's runnin' fast,
the poor, wee shifters canna get no rest.
shifting bobbins, coarse and fine,
they fairly make you work for your ten and nine.
Oh dear me, I wish this day was done.
Running up and down, the pass is no fun.
shifting, piecing, spinning, warp, weft and twine.
To feed and clothe my bairnies off a ten and nine
Oh dear me, the world is ill divided.
Them that works the hardest are the least provided.
I must bide contented, dark days of fine,
there's not much pleasure livin' off a ten and nine.
The Union - La Lega
song of women rice planters from the Po valley associated with unions from the end of the 19th century
1. You say we’re only women, But we are not afraid,
For the loveof our children, For the love of our children
You say we’re only women, But we are not afraid,
For the love of our children, Our union will be made Hey!
(Refrain) English refrain at end
Oh lio lio la, e la lega la crescera
E noi altri socialisti, E noi altri socialisti
Oh lio lio la, e la lega la crescera
E noi altri socialisti, Vogliamo la libertà
2. But liberty will not come, Because we’re not united
The blacklegs with the bosses, The blacklegs with the bosses,
But liberty will not come, Because we’re not united
The blacklegs with the bosses, They must be defeated.
3. You say we’re only women, But we are not afraid
We have our defences. We have our defences.
You say we’re only women, But we are not afraid
We have our defences. Our tongues are sharp as blades, Hey
4. You men rich and boastful, The pride of all the nation,
Forget your self-importance, forget your self-importance
You men rich and boastful, The pride of all the nation,
Forget your self-importance, And make a big donation
Let us in
Calais refugee song
1. When I open my eyes
I see a barbed wire fence,
and a hungry face and a broken tent,
when I close my eyes I see a man with a gun,
going round and round
and round and round in my head.
Chorus
Please give us a place at your table,
let us in, let us in.
Can you share of your salmon and honey
Our pain is your pain too
2. And the soles of my feet
are rubbed red and raw
from a burning treck over Syrian sands
where my daughter was taken
right out of my hands
going round and round
and round and round in my head.
Chorus
3. And the bombs you sold
are the bombs we heard
crashing into dust with a blinding light.
And my mother and father both died that night
going round and round
and round and round in my head.
Last chorus
Please give us a place
at your table,
let us in, let us in.
Can you share of
your salmon and honey
Our pain is your pain too
Our hope is your hope too
Our life is your life too
Never Turning Back
1. We're gonna keep on walking forward (x3)
Never Turning Back
2. We're gonna keep on singing loudly (x3)
Never Turning Back 3. We're gonna keep on singing loudly (x3)
Never Turning Back
4. We're gonna keep on loving boldly (x3)
Never Turning Back
5. We're gonna work for change together (x3)
Never Turning Back
Peterloo
by Oldham Tinkers
1. On Peter's Fields in Manchester in t' year one eight one nine
When t' cotton folk of Lancashire in protest did combine
Corn laws had browt the crippling tax
And the price of food near broke folks' backs
And set aleet to t' smouldering flax
And it bristled mony a spine
Chorus
Salute once more these men of yore
Who were to conscience true
And gave their blood for t' common good
On t' fields of Peterloo
2. Sixteenth day of August browt the sound of marching feet
When workers fifty thousand strong on Peter's Fields did meet
From Mount Street in an upstairs room
The Magistrates looked down with gloom
And scoffed this rabble of the loom
Vengeance they thowt is sweet
Chorus
3. Then t' riot act were gabbled out
at Parson Hay's command
For this here Rochdale Vicar made wi' t' richest living in t' land
But t' folk at t' meeting never knew
O' t' riot act till t' bugles blew
And mounted redcoats come in view
With sabres in their hands
Chorus
4. These soldiers mowed folk down like flies
Their sabres dripped wi' blood
They gormed no mon
nor woman's cries
But pierced 'em wheer they stood
Mony deed that day were named
And hundreds more
were hurt and lamed
While t' Tyrants watching unashamed
Said it'd do 'em good!
Chorus
5. For mony a year folk struggled on
till 1832Reform Act come,
Corn Laws were done
And food were chepper too
John Bright and Cobden
paved the way
And now where Peter's Fields once lay
The Free Trade Hall
it stands today
On t' fields of Peterloo
Chorus
Rolling Home
by John Tams
Round goes the wheel of fortune. Don't be afraid to ride.
There's a land of milk and honey waits on the other side.
There'll be peace and there'll be plenty. You'll never need to roam.
When we go rolling home, when we go rolling home.
Chorus:
Rolling home, when we go, Rolling home when we go
Rolling, roiling, When we go roiling home.
And the gentry in their fine array do prosper night and morn
While we into the fields must go to plough and sow the corn.
The rich may steal the power, but the glory's ours alone.
When we go rolling home, when we go rolling home.
Chorus
The summer of resentment. The winter of 'despair.
The journey to contentment is set with trap and snare.
Stand true and stand together. Your labour is your own.
When we go rolling home, when we go rolling home.
Chorus
The frost lies on the hedgerows and the icy winds do blow
While we poor weary labourers strive through the driving snow.
Our dreams fly up to glory - up where larks have flown.
When we go rolling home, when we go roiling home.
Chorus
So pass the bottle round and let the toast go free.
Here's a health to every labourer wherever they may be.
Fair wages now and ever. Lets reap what we have sown.
When we go rolling home, when we go roiling home.
Chorus
Siya Hamba
We are Singing for a better world
Siya hamba me ni loko lo,
Siya hamba me ni loko lo (x2)
Siya hamba hamba, siya hamba, hamba
Siya hamba me ni loko lo (x2)
We are marching in the name of peace
We are marching in the name of peace(x2)
We are marching, marching, we are .marching, marching
we are marching in the name of peace(x2)
We are singing for a better world
We are singing for a better world (x2)
We are singing, singing, we are singing, singing
we are singing for a better world (x2)
We are dancing in the name of peace etc.
The Levellers Day Song
1. All: They fought for world where all people could be free,
They fought in the Civil War
Tenors: To end the power of the Monarchy
Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
All: Seeking justice for all be sure,
Bass: As the war went on the rules seemed to change and the generals words were lies,
Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers marching, ooh
Sops: We gathered and grew, one thousand strong
Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight,
All: One vote a’piece our cry, One vote a’piece our cry
2. All: Together we marched as strong as the sea, sea-green was the colour of our standard
Tenors: But we'd not take part in that Irish killing spree,
Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
All: We strode towards Oxford.
Bass: We stopped for to rest, that’s where we were caught out, Took refuge in the church at Burford.
Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers marching, ooh
Sops: Three days with no hope, we carved our names
Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight,
All: Then Fairfax shot us dead, He shot three levellers dead
3. All: We were known as the levellers, a name for which we're proud, Our belief that we all are equal.
Tenors: The levellers we were then, and levellers we are now,
Others: ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
All: We work for the good of all.
Bass: We speak ‘gainst injustice for for those who have no voice, we’ll stand in all situations.
Others: Levellers marching, levellers marching, levellers marching, ooh,
Sops: Remembering all those who’ve died for this cause
Others: We shall not give up the fight, we shall not give the fight,
All: The struggle carries on. The levellers carry on.
Tom Paines Bones
by Graham Moore
1. (Bass) As I dreamed out one evening,
By a river of discontent,
I bumped straight into old Tom Paine,
As a-running down the road he went,
He said, "I can't stop right now, my son, King George is after me,
He'll have a rope around my throat
And hang me on the Liberty Tree"
Chorus
And I will dance to Tom Paine's bones,
Dance to Tom Paine's bones,
Dance in the oldest boots I own
To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones.
2. (Sops) He said "I just spoke about freedom,
And justice for everyone,
Ever since the very first word I spoke
I've been looking down the barrel of a gun,
Well they say I preached revolution,
Let me say in my defence
That all I did wherever I went
Was to talk a lot of common sense."
Chorus
3. (Bass) Well, old Tom Paine he ran so fast,
He left me standing still,
And there I was, a piece of paper in my hand,
And standing at the top of the hill.
(Unison)
It said, "This is the Age Of Reason,
And these are The Rights Of Man,
Kick off religion and monarchy"
It was written there in Tom Paine's plan.
Chorus
4. (Bass) Old Tom Paine, there he lies,
Nobody laughs and nobody cries.
Where he's gone or how he fares,
Nobody knows and nobody cares.
Chorus: But I will dance to Tom Paine's bones
Dance to Tom Paine's bones
Dance in the oldest boots I own
To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones
I will dance to Tom Paine's bones
Dance to Tom Paine's bones
Dance in the oldest boots I own
To the rhythm of Tom Paine's bones
Which side are you on
[all parts joining in one by one for intro]
1. Which side are you, Which side are you
Come all of you good people, You women and you men
Once more our backs are to the wall, we're being attacked again
2. Which side are you, Which side are you
Don't scab for the bosses, Don't listen to their lies,
Us workers haven't got a chance, Unless we organise
3. Which side are you, Which side are you
We fought a million battles, To defend our hard won rights
We're going to have to fight again, And I ask you here [tonight]