RAGING GRANNIES WITHOUT BORDERS

"Solidarity Songs with Striking Workers at Borders Store #1--Ann Arbor"
November 15, 2003

DOO DAH (Unions)
(Tune: Camptown Races)

Raging Grannies sing our song,
Doo dah, doo dah,
Sing to keep the unions strong
All the doo dah day!

Gonna rage and roar
Gonna sing out loud!
Raging Grannies sing our song
Sing it strong and proud.

Borders' policies are wrong;
They're doo doo, doo doo!
They don't pay a living wage
And workers have no say!

We're here to take a stand
We're here to have our say
Striking workers won't back down
That's the Union way.

by Granny Vicki Lewin Ryder
Rochester, NY Raging Grannies

SAINTS (Labor)
(tune: When the Saints Come Marching In)

When workers rise and organize
When workers rise and organize,
How I want to be in the number,
When workers rise and organize.

Variations:
When Borders' union voice is heard
When we can live on what we make
When we receive full benefits

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

We shall not, we shall not be moved!
We shall not, we shall not be moved!
Just like a tree that's planted by the water,
We shall not be moved.

We're picketing for justice
We shall not be moved!
We're picketing for justice
We shall not be moved!
Just like a tree that's planted by the water,
We shall not be moved.

We fighting for fair wages...
We're here to support unions...
We're people with one vo-ice...

LISTEN YOU WORKERS
(tune: We Gather Together)

Listen you workers
We'll tell you the story
About how your union
Decided to strike

They wouldn't sell short
Just to ma-ke Borders happy
No, they held firm and said
What you offer ain't right!

So here we are picketing
Borders Ann Arbor
We know it will cost us
To keep up the fight

But with the support of
our neighbors and our colleagues
We'll see what benefits come
When workers unite!

by Granny Patricia Lay-Dorsey
Raging Grannies Without Borders

UNIONS ARE OUR RIGHT
(Tune: I've Been working On the Railroad)

I've been working for low wages far too many years.
Making less than other workers who serve burgers and beer.
I'm a bookseller at Borders, doin' work I like
If they'd treat us with respect we wouldn't have to strike!

Chorus:
Unions are our right
Shouldn't have to fight
Workers show their strength
When they unite!

Unions are our right
Shouldn't have to fight
Soli-dar-ity, UNITE!

Borders' management has busted unions nationwide.
Treated organizers dirty with threats, abuse and lies.
Now they want us to believe they've acted in good faith.
But our union reps say Borders is trying to save face.

Chorus

We'll stay out here with our pickets 'long as we must
Till we see a darn good reason to give Borders our trust.
So we ask our faithful readers find another store
Please don't cross our line of pickets until they give us more.

Chorus

By Granny Patricia Lay-Dorsey
Raging Grannies Without Borders

SOLIDARITY FOREVER
(tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic)

When the union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run,
There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun,
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one?
But the union makes us strong!

Chorus:
Solidarity forever,
Solidarity forever,
Solidarity forever,
For the union makes us strong.

They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn,
But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn.
We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn
That the union makes us strong!

Chorus

In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold;
Greater than the might of armies magnified a thousand-fold.
We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old,
For the union makes us strong!

Chorus

Words by Ralph Chaplin
From The People's Songbook