Ain't Done Nothing If You Ain't Been Called A Red

Faith Petric and Mark Ross. From Rebel Voices: Songs of the Industrial Workers of the World.

when I was just a little thing I used to love parades
with banners, bands and red balloons and maybe lemonade
when I came home one mayday my neighbours father said
them marchers is all commies tell me kid are you a red?
well, I didnt know just what he meant my hair back then was brown
our house was plain red brick like most others in the town
so I went and asked my mamma why our neighbour called me red
my mummy took me on her knee and this is what she said

CHORUS:
well you aint done nothin if you aint been called a red
if youve marched or agitated, youre bound to hear it said
so you might as well ignore it, or love the word instead
cause you aint been doin nothin if you aint been called a red

when I was growin up, had my troubles I suppose
when someone took exception to my face or to my clothes
or tried to cheat me on a job or hit me on the head
when I organised to fight back why the stinkers called me red

but you aint done nothin if you aint been called a red
if youve marched or agitated, youre bound to hear it said
so you might as well ignore it, or love the word instead
cause you aint been doin nothin if you aint been called a red

when I was livin on my own one apartment that I had
had a lousy rotten landlord let me tell ya he was bad
but when he tried to throw me out I rubbed my hands and said
you havent seen a struggle if you havent fought a red!

and you aint done nothin if you aint been called a red
if youve marched or agitated, then youre bound to hear it said
so you might as well ignore it, or love the word instead
cause you aint been doin nothin if you aint been called a red

well I kept on agitatin, cause what else can you do?
youre gonna let the sons of bitches walk all over you
my friends said youll get fired, hanging with that commie mob
I should be so lucky buddy, I aint got a job

and you aint done nothin if you aint been called a red
if youve marched or agitated, then youre bound to hear it said
so you might as well ignore it, or love the word instead
cause you aint been doin nothin if you aint been called a red

well Ive been agitatin now for fifty years or more
for jobs or for equality and always against war
Ill keep on agitatin as far as I can see
and if thats what being red is then Its good enough for me

cause you aint done nothin if you aint been called a red
if youve marched or agitated, then youre bound to hear it said
so you might as well ignore it, or love the word instead
cause you aint been doin nothin if you aint been called a red

Category:

Music

Tags:

• labour
• IWW
• socialist
• communist
• anarchist
• folk
• working
• class

[CrawdaddyJoe]

Hey, what are the chords for that? I'm a Wob heading to Madison this weekend and I don't have money for a book.

[goblinpug]

@CrawdaddyJoe This isn't in the Little Red Songbook, which doesn't have music anyway, just lyrics.

[Larkin1907]

Join the IWW! Capitalism is the disease, Industrial Unionism is the cure!

[SqueezyMcFeelpants]

What an awesome song!

[destinationuknown85]

Been called a red, but actually didn't do anything but speak my mind

[flippypimpstein]

I used to sing this song to my kids when they were still in diapers!

[fotiurocks]

Been called a red. 

[Dlanorepmart]

A wonderful (to me anyway) song!! Thanks.

[death9719]

you won't hear it any more

[Tasbo1982]

@CrawdaddyJoe Second. I'd love the chords please. Anyone?

[SaMaolin]

LOL, funny song, and Proud to be Red.

[AnotherWob]

@CrawdaddyJoe - Thanks for bein' in Madison, FW! Chords - well, you could do it in C/F/G, or maybe G/C/D ... but really, just sing it as loud as you can! SOLIDARITY! (and stay warm)

[libeqsol]

@CrawdaddyJoe Sorry I can't help you, but best of luck friend! Keep an eye out for Mr. Hill, I'm sure his face is in the crowd there somewhere.