Ewan MacColl - We are the engineers

Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger
We Are The Engineers
1971
AUEW1

En soutien au syndicat "Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers"

Paroles :
"Two Joined Hands" was our device when our banner first unfurled,
Hands that knew the feel of tools and helped to build a world.
Two hands became a million hands and fashioned down the years
The machines that make the world go round,
The ships and planes and the diesel trains,
The weaving frames and the building cranes,
We are the engineers!

We tamed the fire and harnessed metals, learned a thousand skills;
Our hands have made the tools men use in factories, mines and mills.
Ours the hands that throw the switch that puts the world in gear,
That make the plows that turn the soil,
The ships and planes and the diesel trains,
The weaving frames and the building cranes,
We are the engineers!

Those who came before us walked a dark and lonely road:
Hunger, hurt and poverty, they bore a heavy load.
Police and spies at every turn, a world of doubt and fear...
But they fought the cruel laws and when
The lost the rose to fight again,
For the right to work and live like men,
They were the engineers!

Tracked and hunted throught the years, these men of stalwart hand,
Starved and beaten, still they took a brave dtermined stand.
Jails and transportation hilks face union pioneers-
But they fought the cruel laws and when
The lost the rose to fight again,
For the right to work and live like men,
They were the engineers!

We've stamped our feet in the morning queues, known unemployment's toll,
Known hands go soft in idleness, the slow death on the dole.
The rusty lathe and the silent factory mark the hungry years;
And the grass growing green on the shipyard floor,
And the endless beat of marching feet
And men demanding the right to eat
And work as engineers!

Our skills were used to fight a war, September '39,
To rid the world of fascism our workers did combine.
Men and women side by side worked through the angry years,
And we built the tools of victory,
The bombs and guns and the armoured trains,
The tanks and ships and the fighting planes,
We are the engineers!

Two joined hands in unity have built this world of ours;
And they have built our union, too, a tool of workers' power:
A mighty, multipurpose tool that cuts and bores and shears;
Combining skills of those who build
The ships and planes and the diesel trains,
The weaving frames and the building cranes,
We are the engineers!

And we, the youngest engineers, we march to claim our rights;
We have learned that nothing's ever won without fight.
Every battle fought and won reveals a new frontier,
And a world to be won by those who build
The ships and planes and the diesel trains,
The weaving frames and the building cranes,
We are the engineers!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ewan MacColl
• Peggy Seeger

[knowndwarf]

The lyrics are now in the description.

[Cogniscent1]

This formed part of the soundtrack from an early 1970s Cinema Action film when engineers were leading the fight against the Industrial Relations Act and the Heath Government that had introduced it against British trade unions. There was also an old Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) documentary from about that time called 'We Are The Engineers' which was a history of the union.

[knowndwarf]

@Cogniscent1 Thank you for the details. the sleeve only indicate "from the soundtrack of the union film".

The B side is a version of the well known "I'm gonna be an engineer" by Peggy Seeger.

[ZGuy0fSci]

As an Engineer myself (21E), I fully agree. This Is GREAT!

I don't suppose you would know the Engineer Cadence, would you?

(''We are the Engineers, We can demolish 40 beers, So drink up and come along with us, 'Cause we don't give a DAMB about any old man that don't give a DAMB about US!!'') ?

Any chance you could do/find a GOOD doing of it, and add lyrics?

(I can only remember that part (;_;) )

[knowndwarf]

@ZGuy0fSci Is this song ? (mit.edu/people/mrbonk/enginee­­rs.html)

[StatenIslandFolkie]

You're a hero for posting this. It always makes my day to hear a new MacColl song.

[knowndwarf]

@StatenIslandFolkie Thank you ! I've got some rare songs or LPs that I will share. The next is "I'm champion at keeping 'em rolling" from the Stinson LP "Foupence a day".

[Foenicks]

does anyone know where i can find the lyrics of this song?

[ECSaoirse]

Awesome song! Does anyone know if a version exists with the whole lyrics listed above?

[ZGuy0fSci]

@Foenicks Glad to help ^_~

[Foenicks]

@ZGuy0fSci

thank you very very much!! i tried to figure the lyrics out by myself, but i just understood about the half of it, since i'm not a native speaker.

Again, thanks alot!

a now very happy engineer :)

[ZGuy0fSci]

@Foenicks Here-e Here-e! Lyrics For Sale! Come One, Come ALL!!

(LoLz) Yeah, got tired waiting for -you-know-who- to add 'em in, (was probably too busy anyhow), so did it myself in the Comments Section. Hope ya enjoy! >_*

[ZGuy0fSci]

@ZGuy0fSci -(next)-

and We the Youngest Engineers

Now March to Claim Our Rights...

for We have Learned that NOTHING'S Ever WON Without a Fight...!

EVERY Battle Fought and Won Revels a New Frontier!!

and a World to be Won by Those who Build:

The Ships and the Planes and the Diesel Trains,

The Weaving Frames and the Building Fra-ames...!!

WE ARE the ENGINEERS ! ! !

-{drums and end}-

[ZGuy0fSci]

@ZGuy0fSci -(next)- We spent the Heat in the Morning Pews, Known unemployment's Toll... Our Hands grow Soft in idleness, The slow death on the Cold... The Rusty Lane and the Silent Factory Marked the Hungry Years...! and the Grass growing Green on the Shipyard Floor... And the ENDLESS Beat of MARCHING Feet, Men Demanding a RIGHT to Eat, And WORK as ENGINEERS!! -(music)-

[ZGuy0fSci]

@ZGuy0fSci -(next)- Jails and Transportation halts, faced Union Pioneers... Police and Spies at every turn, A World of Doubt and Fear... Our Union Sprang from Poverty; Form Hunger, Blood, and Tears! but we fought the crueler laws, and When We Lost the Roads to Fight Again, For the RIGHT to Work and LIVE Like MEN...! WE ARE the ENGINEERS!! -(music)-

[ZGuy0fSci]

@ZGuy0fSci -(next)- We tamed the Fire then Harnessed Metals, Learned a thousand Skills... Our Hands that Made the Tools Men Use in Factories, Mines, and Wells... OURS the Hands that Throw the Switch that Pu-u-uts the World in Gear! That make the Plows that Turn the Soil... And The Ships and the Planes and the Diesel Trains, The Weaving Frames and the Building Fra-ames...! WE ARE the ENGINEERS!! -(music)-

[ZGuy0fSci]

(Lyrics)-{We Are the Engineers}

Two joined Hands for Sacrifice when our Banner first Unfurled...

Hands that Knew the Feel of Tools, and helped to build a world...

Two Hands became a Million Hands! and Fashioned down the Years...

the Machines that make the World go 'Round:

the Ships and the Planes,

The Diesel Trains,

The Weaving Frames and The Building Fra-ames...!

WE ARE the ENGINEERS!! -(music)-