I come from East Virginia Where I was born In an old back shed My father moved us To new Orleans Where he was forced To use his hands Then late one night They took him away from us Because he learned To use his head My mother cried When the judge said "life" The union Was his only crime I'm still told to leave it All behind I spent my whole life on A picket line Screaming Workers unite Don't give up the fight Workers of the world unite Unite! At my old age I'm still working as a slave The bosses work you To your grave They claim to be Like common folk They packed their bags When the levees broke For five long days I watched the waters rise I was forgotten And left to die I've got no country I've got no home Or no one To call my own I'm driftin' back To East Virginia I'm going back to that ol' Dark shed I remember What my father said When he was waiting On line for bread Screaming Workers unite Don't give up the fight Workers of the world Unite! unite! Workers unite Don't give up the fight Workers of the world Unite! unite