MikeDunnAuthor<p>Today in Labor History November 7, 1912: Ernest Riebe's "Mr. Block," IWW labor comic strip first appeared in print. Mr. Block was one of the best-loved features in the Wobbly press. Joe Hill wrote a song about "Mr. Block," who was a boss-loving, American Dream-believing, self-sabotaging knucklehead. Some call Riebe the first "underground" comic book artist. </p><p>Mr. Block (by Joe Hill)</p><p>Please give me your attention, I'll introduce to you<br /> A man who is a credit to the ["Our] old Red White and Blue["]<br /> His head is made of lumber and solid as a rock<br /> He is a common worker and his name is Mr. Block<br /> And Block [he] thinks he may be premier [President] some day</p><p>Chorus<br /> Oh Mr. Block, you were born by mistake<br /> You take the cake, you make me ache<br /> [Go] tie a rock on your block and then jump in the lake<br /> Kindly do that for Liberty's sake!</p><p>2. Yes, Mr. Block is lucky - he got a job, by gee!<br /> The shark got seven dollars for job and fare and fee<br /> They shipped him to a desert and dumped him with his truck<br /> But when he tried to find his job he sure was out of luck<br /> He shouted, "That's too raw! I'll fix them with the law!"</p><p>3. Block hiked back to the city but wasn't doing well<br /> He said "I'll join the union, the great AF of L".<br /> He got a job that morning, got fired by the night<br /> He said, "I'll see Sam Gompers and he'll fix that foreman right!"<br /> Sam Gompers said, "You see, you've got our sympathy."</p><p>4. Election day he shouted, "A Socialist for Mayor!"<br /> The comrade got elected [and] he happy was for fair<br /> But after the election he got an awful shock<br /> [When] a great big socialistic bull did rap him on the block<br /> And Comrade Block did sob, "I helped him get his job!"</p><p>5. Poor Block he died one evening, I'm very glad to state<br /> He climbed the golden ladder up to the pearly gate<br /> He said, "Oh Mister Peter, one thing I'd like to tell<br /> I'd like to meet the Astorbilts and John D Rockerfell!"<br /> Old Pete said, "Is that so? You'll meet them down below!"</p><p>Tune: It Looks to me Like a Big Time Tonight. from Al Grierson,<br />by Joe Hill, in 13th ed. of the Little Red Songbook</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/workingclass" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>workingclass</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LaborHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LaborHistory</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IWW" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>IWW</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/anarchism" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>anarchism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MrBlock" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MrBlock</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LittleRedSongbook" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LittleRedSongbook</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JoeHill" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>JoeHill</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/underground" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>underground</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/comics" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>comics</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cartoon" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>cartoon</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/satire" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>satire</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/writer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>writer</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/artist" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>artist</span></a> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/bookstadon" class="u-url mention">@<span>bookstadon</span></a></span></p>
Recent searches
No recent searches
Search options
Not available on kolektiva.social.
kolektiva.social is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
Kolektiva is an anti-colonial anarchist collective that offers federated social media to anarchist collectives and individuals in the fediverse. For the social movements and liberation!
Administered by:
Server stats:
3.5Kactive users
kolektiva.social: About · Profiles directory · Privacy policy
Mastodon: About · Get the app · Keyboard shortcuts · View source code · v4.3.7
#LittleRedSongbook
0 posts · 0 participants · 0 posts today
MikeDunnAuthor<p>Today in Labor History August 19, 1909: The first edition of the IWW’s The Little Red Songbook was published in Spokane, WA. The book’s subtitle is “Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent.” Between 1909 and 1995, the Wobblies printed 36 editions. The songbook always includes songs by Joe Hill, Ralph Chaplin, T-Bone Slim, and Haywire Mac. Most editions contained many of the best-known labor songs, like "The Internationale," "The Preacher and the Slave," and "Solidarity Forever." Haywire Mac, composer of the “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Hallelujah I’m a Bum,” was one of the original members of the IWW band, in Spokane, in 1907. Mac later participated in the anarchist Magonista Revolution in Baja California, helping to capture and occupy Tijuana. He eventually settled down in San Francisco, where he hosted working-class radio and television programs.</p><p>You can read my bio of Haywire Mac here: <a href="https://michaeldunnauthor.com/2021/03/16/the-haywire-mac-story/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">michaeldunnauthor.com/2021/03/</span><span class="invisible">16/the-haywire-mac-story/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/workingclass" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>workingclass</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LaborHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LaborHistory</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IWW" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>IWW</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/littleredsongbook" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>littleredsongbook</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/folkmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>folkmusic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/union" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>union</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HaywireMac" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>HaywireMac</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JoeHill" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>JoeHill</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/internationale" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>internationale</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/wobblies" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>wobblies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/solidarity" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>solidarity</span></a></p>
MikeDunnAuthor<p>Today in Labor History November 7, 1912: Ernest Riebe's "Mr. Block," IWW labor comic strip first appeared in print. Mr. Block was one of the best-loved features in the Wobbly press. Joe Hill wrote a song about "Mr. Block," who was a boss-loving, American Dream-believing, self-sabotaging knucklehead. Some call Riebe the first "underground" comic book artist. </p><p>Mr. Block (by Joe Hill)</p><p>Please give me your attention, I'll introduce to you<br /> A man who is a credit to the ["Our] old Red White and Blue["]<br /> His head is made of lumber and solid as a rock<br /> He is a common worker and his name is Mr. Block<br /> And Block [he] thinks he may be premier [President] some day</p><p>Chorus<br /> Oh Mr. Block, you were born by mistake<br /> You take the cake, you make me ache<br /> [Go] tie a rock on your block and then jump in the lake<br /> Kindly do that for Liberty's sake!</p><p>2. Yes, Mr. Block is lucky - he got a job, by gee!<br /> The shark got seven dollars for job and fare and fee<br /> They shipped him to a desert and dumped him with his truck<br /> But when he tried to find his job he sure was out of luck<br /> He shouted, "That's too raw! I'll fix them with the law!"</p><p>3. Block hiked back to the city but wasn't doing well<br /> He said "I'll join the union, the great AF of L".<br /> He got a job that morning, got fired by the night<br /> He said, "I'll see Sam Gompers and he'll fix that foreman right!"<br /> Sam Gompers said, "You see, you've got our sympathy."</p><p>4. Election day he shouted, "A Socialist for Mayor!"<br /> The comrade got elected [and] he happy was for fair<br /> But after the election he got an awful shock<br /> [When] a great big socialistic bull did rap him on the block<br /> And Comrade Block did sob, "I helped him get his job!"</p><p>5. Poor Block he died one evening, I'm very glad to state<br /> He climbed the golden ladder up to the pearly gate<br /> He said, "Oh Mister Peter, one thing I'd like to tell<br /> I'd like to meet the Astorbilts and John D Rockerfell!"<br /> Old Pete said, "Is that so? You'll meet them down below!"</p><p>Tune: It Looks to me Like a Big Time Tonight. from Al Grierson,<br />by Joe Hill, in 13th ed. of the Little Red Songbook</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WorkingClass" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>WorkingClass</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LaborHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LaborHistory</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IWW" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>IWW</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/anarchism" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>anarchism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MrBlock" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MrBlock</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LittleRedSongbook" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LittleRedSongbook</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JoeHill" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>JoeHill</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/underground" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>underground</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/comics" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>comics</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cartoon" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>cartoon</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/satire" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>satire</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/writer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>writer</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/artist" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>artist</span></a> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://a.gup.pe/u/bookstadon" class="u-url mention">@<span>bookstadon</span></a></span></p>
MikeDunnAuthor<p>Today in Labor History August 19, 1909: The first edition of the IWW’s The Little Red Songbook was published in Spokane, WA. The book’s subtitle is “Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent.” Between 1909 and 1995, the Wobblies printed 36 editions. The songbook always includes songs by Joe Hill, Ralph Chaplin, T-Bone Slim, and Haywire Mac. Most editions contained many of the best-known labor songs, like "The Internationale," "The Preacher and the Slave," and "Solidarity Forever." </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WorkingClass" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>WorkingClass</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LaborHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LaborHistory</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IWW" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>IWW</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LittleRedSongbook" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LittleRedSongbook</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FolkMusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>FolkMusic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/union" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>union</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HaywireMac" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>HaywireMac</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/JoeHill" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>JoeHill</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/internationale" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>internationale</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/wobblies" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>wobblies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/solidarity" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>solidarity</span></a></p>
ExploreLive feeds
Mastodon is the best way to keep up with what's happening.
Follow anyone across the fediverse and see it all in chronological order. No algorithms, ads, or clickbait in sight.
Create accountLoginDrag & drop to upload