Which side are you on Common people Eat the rich

Which Side Are You On?

Florence Reece (Coal Mining Women 1931)

Natalie Merchant (The House Carpenter's Daughter, 2003)

Η Florence Reece ήταν σύζυγος του Sam Reece, συνδικαλιστή της Ένωσης των Αθρακωρύχων στο Harlan County του Κεντάκι. Το 1931 οι ανθρακωρύχοι της περιοχής βρίσκονταν σε σκληρό και βίαιο αγώνα με τους ιδιοκτήτες των ορυχείων. Σε μια προσπάθεια να εκφοβίσουν την οικογένεια των Reece, μισθωμένοι εκπρόσωποι της εταιρείας μπήκαν παράνομα και έψαξαν το σπίτι των Reece. Ο Sam Reece είχε ειδοποιηθεί και διέφυγε, και έτσι ήταν η Florence και τα παιδιά που έπεσαν θύματα της τρομοκρατίας της εταιρείας. Το ίδιο βράδυ όταν οι άντρες εκείνοι έφυγαν, η Florence έγραψε τους στίχους του τραγουδιού σε ένα ημερολόγιο τοίχου στην κουζίνα της.

Come all of you good workers

Good news to you I'll tell

Of how that good old union

Has come in here to dwell

Which side are you on?

My daddy was a miner

And I'm a miner's son

And I'll stick with the union

Till every battle's won

They say in Harlan County

There are no neutrals there

You'll either be a union man

Or a thug for J.H. Blair

Oh, workers can you stand it?

Oh, tell me how you can

Will you be a lousy scab

Or will you be a man?

Don't scab for the bosses

Don't listen to their lies

Us poor folks haven't got a chance

Unless we organize

Which side are you on?

Με ποια πλευρά είστε;

Ο μπαμπάς μου ήταν ανθρακωρύχος

Κι εγώ είμαι γιος ανθρακωρύχου

Και θα παραμείνω με την ένωση

Μέχρι να κερδηθεί κάθε μάχη

Λένε πως στο Harlan County

Δεν υπάρχουν ουδέτεροι

Θα είσαι είτε συνδικαλιστής

Ή μπράβος του J.H. Blair

Ω, εργάτες μπορείτε να το αντέξετε;

Ω, πείτε μου πώς μπορείτε

Θα είστε άθλιοι απεργοσπάστες

Ή θα είστε άνθρωποι;

Μην στηρίζετε τα αφεντικά

Μην ακούτε τα ψέματά τους

Εμείς οι φτωχοί δεν έχουμε καμιά ευκαιρία

Αν δεν οργανωθούμε.

Common People

Pulp

Κάποτε μια πλούσια Ελληνίδα θέλησε να ζήσει όπως ζουν οι κοινοί άνθρωποι και πήγε στην Αγγλία...την ιστορία της τραγουδούν οι Pulp στο Different Class το 1995

She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge, She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College

That's where I caught her eye, She told me that her Dad was loaded

I said "In that case I'll have rum and coca-cola, She said "fine"

And then in 30 seconds time she said "I want to live like common people

I want to do whatever common people do, I want to sleep with common people

I want to sleep with common people like you"

Well what else could I do? I said "I'll see what I can do"

I took her to a supermarket, I don't know why

but I had to start it somewhere, so it started there

I said "pretend you've got no money", but she just laughed

and said "oh you're so funny", I said "Yeah

Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here, Are you sure

you want to live like common people

you want to see whatever common people see

you want to sleep with common people

you want to sleep with common people like me?"

But she didn't understand, she just smiled and held my hand

Rent a flat above a shop, Cut your hair and get a job

Smoke some fags and play some pool, Pretend you never went to school

But still you'll never get it right 'cos when you're laid in bed at night

watching roaches climb the wall if you called your dad he could stop it all

yeah

You'll never live like common people

You'll never do whatever common people do

You'll never fail like common people

You'll never watch your life slide out of view

and then dance and drink and screw because there's nothing else to do

Sing along with the common people, Sing along and it might just get you through

Laugh along with the common people, Laugh along although they're laughing at you

and the stupid things that you do because you think that poor is cool

Like a dog lying in a corner they will bite you and never warn you

Look out, they'll tear your insides out 'cos everybody hates a tourist

especially one who thinks it's all such a laugh

yeah and the chip stain's grease will come out in the bath

You will never understand how it feels to live your life

with no meaning or control and with nowhere left to go

You are amazed that they exist and they burn so bright

whilst you can only wonder why
Rent a flat above a shop...etc...

Και αν πεινάσετε

Eat the Rich

Motörhead (Rock 'n' Roll,1987)

They say music is the food of love,

Let's see if you are hungry enough,

Take a bite, take another, just like a good boy would,

Get a sweet thing on the side,

Home cooking, homicide,

Side order, could be your daughter,

Fingerlicking good

Come on baby, eat the rich,

Put the bite on the son of a bitch,

Don't mess around, don't give me no switch,

C'mon baby eat the rich

C'mon baby eat the rich

Sittin' here in a restaurant,

Tell the waiter just what you want

Is that the meat, you wanted to eat,

How would you ever know?

Hash browns an' bacon strips,

I love the way that you lick your lips,

No fooling, I can see you drooling,

Feel the hunger grow

Eat up, eat you, eat me,

Eat two, get one free

Shetland pony, extra pepperoni

Just pick up the phone,

Eat greek, or eat chinese,

Eat salad, or scarf up grease

You're on the shelf, maybe eat yourself,

Come on, bite my bone