Born Union

from Born Union by John Paul Wright

/

about

John Gage is a Louisville folk musician, activist and longtime radical sage. He was almost was a Baptist minister. (That’s a long story)… He is also my best friend from high school’s father. He married my wife and I. I went to John’s house one day and he was up in his loft studding the Bible for a wedding. He saw me walking to his house…and I saw him sitting in the window, very captive in his book, glasses on the tip of his nose. He said the second he saw me on his doorstep, a memory popped into his head. He then came down stairs to greet me, and told me a story about his Father being a carpenter and a local chairmen in his union. He told me about how his dad (who was a minister) would come home, set his tools at the door and then dinner would be served. The Prayer… that was said, is the chorus of this tune. John is good for dropping stories on folks like that. I went to work that night and wrote this tune on my train on the back of my orders. I was born union. My father is a Union IBEW electrician. My Mother was a Union Teacher and a political activist educator. My step mother is a CWA retired phone worker / Union volunteer and my Step Father was a union railroader signal maintainer… thusly…Born Union is the title track of my second CD.

lyrics

I have Been Union. For John Gage. 2010
(BORN UNION)

(Chorus)
I have been union since my beginning days.
I was born union and raised that way.
When we would sit down for supper,
My dad he would pray...
Thank God and the union for our bread and butter today.

Workers have built this country,
From California to Maine.
Politicians and their divisions,
How much longer can we take this strain?
When you look toward Washington,
You see them pointing their fingers all around.
All we seem to hear is a gigantic sucking sound.

Chorus

These Corporations are so great,
With their media campaigns.
Demonizing their workers whenever they start to complain.
Power to the people, I have heard it said.
While these CEO's and Government are sharing the same bed.

Chorus

When you turn over the tag on your clothes,
And see where they're made.
And you pop open the hood of your American car
And the parts are Mexican made.
I just wonder what they're thinking up on Capitol Hill,
While they're trying to get us hooked on blood money, oil and pills.

credits

from Born Union, released March 29, 2010

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

John Paul Wright image

John Paul Wright Louisville, Kentucky

John Paul Wright is a community organizer, union organizer / Labor Singer and Djembe player. Working Locomotive Engineer and Folk Musician.. a man of many hats..

contact / help

Contact John Paul Wright

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like John Paul Wright, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Seafood Sam joins the show to discuss his newest album, " Standing On Giant Shoulders".
listen now