Joe Hill Continued

(Sung to the melody of "Joe Hill" by Phil Ochs)

Joe Hill was shot by a firing squad,
seventy-three years ago this day,
amongst those soldiers that done him in,
was one that thought Joe ought to stay,
was one that thought Joe ought to stay.

he was there on duty when they cleaned him up,
rode from Utah on a train tenderly,
stood around the pyre in the Chicago fire,
burning until his ashes blew off free,
burning until his ashes blew off free.

in the dead of night in the Illinois light,
he left the barracks for the field,
and there he knelt collecting Joe Hill's dust,
600 envelopes that held it was concealed,
600 envelopes that held it was concealed.

for fifty years and two world wars,
Joe Hill was kept somewhere,
when the soldier died Joe was archived,
Joe's spirit was kept alive in there,
Joe's spirit was kept alive in there.

the bags were found without a sound, 
where the ashes of Joe were gray,
they were mailed to Industrial Workers of the World,
who put him in their dusty vaults away,
who put him in their dusty vaults away.

until one day when the critical mass,
has the power to strike back fast,
ashes of Joe will be put in each worker's fist,
and the power of the union will last,
the power of the union will last.

From "Miss Brooklyn"
Taipei, November 19, 1988
Revised 2016