Billy Bragg The World Turned Upside Down

In 1649
To St. George's Hill,
A ragged band they called the Diggers
Came to show the people's will
They defied the landlords
They defied the laws
They were the dispossessed reclaiming what was theirs

We come in peace they said
To dig and sow
We come to work the lands in common
And to make the waste ground grow
This earth divided
We will make whole
So it will be
A common treasury for all

The sin of property
We do disdain
No man has any right to buy and sell
The earth for private gain
By theft and murder
They took the land
Mow everywhere the walls
Spring up at their command

They make the laws
To chain us well
The clergy dazzle us with heaven
Or they damn us into hell
We will not worship
The God they serve
The God of greed who feed the rich
While poor folk starve

We work we eat together
We need no swords
We will not bow to the masters
Or pay rent to the lords
Still we are free
Though we are poor
You Diggers all stand up for glory
Stand up now

From the men of property
The orders came
They sent the hired men and troopers
To wipe out the Diggers' claim
Tear down their cottages
Destroy their corn
They were dispersed
But still the vision lingers on

You poor take courage
You rich take care
This earth was made a common treasury
For everyone to share
All things in common
All people one
We come in peace
The orders came to cut them down

• Category

  Music

[thistorontoguy]

If this isn't the theme song of the "Occupy" Movement, then I don't know what is...

[AJBiskit]

Be it 1649 or 2012, nothing ever changes. The message of the Diggers is as relevant today as it was then.

[FwaterO]

I'm about to teach a lesson on the Diggers and their connection to the Occupy Movement so it's pretty funny to see this comment

[WillCanb]

Ironic that watching this in Australia ==> advertising about joining the army

[MarchToFreedom]

So what if he lives in a mansion? There's nothing against owning material goods in Socialism, only against using privately owned means of production to exploit the labour of others for private profit.

By the way, I live in Devon. The silly idea that everyone here is white or even that race is a big deal for people here is wrong. We're all colours and we mostly get on fine, apart from the few ignorant BNP/EDL supporters.

[tickleperson2]

it's a reasonable and not neccessarily right wing point to make.

or are you one of those unreconstructed stalinist folk?

not everyone who says they are socialist are socialist.

i'm sure tony blair sang the red flag at conferences even if he was just mouthing the lyrics.

[tickleperson2]

when did i say or imply that being a leftist is a bad thing?

the term champagne socialist doesn't imply that socialism is bad just the hypocrisy.

being a leftist who espouses democratic socialism in his music but then keeps the masses of cash he's earned is fucking weak.

i'm not right wing i wasn't having a go at the left i was having a go at billy bragg.

obviously i wish i had just said champagne socialist for clarity.

[tickleperson2]

i wasn't using leftist pejoratively.

i said he's a leftist luvvie like he's a champagne socialist.

a person can believe in socialism but be unimpressed by singers who've made a fortune singing about being socialist.

[Imam Al Mehdi]

Lol, you are an obvious a troll. "But now he's a leftist.' Lol.

[Imam Al Mehdi]

How about we make everyone across the entire planet middle class? Including the super wealthy who are super wealthy only because other people are super poor. Would that be fair? Or is it moral for just a few people to be super wealthy and the rest being poor? Because that is where we are headed where you are either super wealthy or poor and there is no middle class. I wonder what Christ's opinion on the matter would be, don't you? Or do you consider him a "socialist elite"?

[Ashleigh Farina]

thats communism not socialism