Torn Screen Door

Artist:
Seattle Labor Chorus

Description:

function openPopupWindow()
{

window.open('http://labornotes.org/files/images/Addy800.jpg' ,'myWin', 'height=528, width=800');

}

by David Francey

Photo: Eric Nelson. Click to pop up.

Late summer day and my love and I
went walkin'
Over hills and fields we walked, laughin'
and talkin'.
Came across an old farmhouse standin'
broken and bare
It used to be someone's home now
no one lives there.

There's a red barn standing held
together with nails and dust
And a tired old Massey Harris all wires and rust.
Weeds overgrown in a garden sown with care
It used to be someone's home now no one lives there.

Through the crack in the window pane
I hear the sound of the fallin' rain
Another farm bein' left run down,
Another fam'ly moved into town.

Had a life that they tried to save,
But the banks took it all away
Hung a sign on the torn screen door,
"Nobody lives here no more."

They worked their fingers to the bone,
Nothin' left they can call their own
Packed it in under leaden skies
With just the wheat wavin' them goodbye.

Had a life that they tried to save
But the banks took it all away
Hung a sign on the torn screen door,
"Nobody lives here no more."

Seattle Labor Chorus

Purchase the Songs of Working People CD.

Chorus personnel: Anita Austin, Beth Brunton, Nancy Eichner, Alison Eisinger, Alice Friedman, Kelly Garland, Sue Gibbs, JoAnn Keenan, Jean Lepley, Sue Moser, Linda Novenski, Vrlina Nozlic, Hannah Ruggiero, Kate Speltz, sopranos; Johanna Berking, Zoë Bermat, Sandra Coffman, Laura Elia, Susan Gordon, Sheri Hinshaw, Patty Lyman, Celia Matson, Zoë Myers, Danushka Northcross, Edna Oberman, Karen Stuhldreher, altos; Martha Cohen, Jim Douglas, Jackie Dupras, Sasha Harmon, Judy Moise, Brooke Richardson, Aspen Swartz, Lauren Tozzi, Karen Weisser, tenors; Bob Barnes, John Hushagen, Charles Imhoff, David Moise, Eric Nelson, Dan Roberts, Jim Roe, Bill Rose, Gary Smith, Andy Thomas, Jim True, Lou Truskoff, David Westphal, basses; Eric Nelson, barn photo; Terry Gray, engineer; additional sound, Robbie Cribbs; Janet Stecher, director, producer.

Music Archives

June 2007
Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello

And Now What?

Zack de la Rocha
Poster: Ahmed Resistol

May 2007
Coco Brown

I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night

Alfred Hayes, Earl Robinson
Oil: M. Baer

April 2007
Ry Cooder

Strike!

Traditional, new verses by Ry Cooder
Drawing: Vincent Valdez

March 2007
Teresa Healy, Tom Juravich

Bread and Roses

by James Oppenheim, Tom Juravich
Painting: Ralph Fasanella

February 2007
Detroit Cultural Workers and Artists Caucus

Walking 500 Days

by Bob Vasseur
Photos: Pat Beck, Daymon Hartley

January 2007
New York City Labor Chorus

Ode To Workers

by Friedrich Schiller, L. V. Beethoven, Jeff Vogel
Photo: unknown

December 2006
Charlie Bernhardt

Children Of Abraham

by John McCutcheon
Photo: Jerry Anderson

November 2006
Ted Warmbrand

Who's The Criminal

by Ted Warmbrand
Photo: Mizue Aiseki

October 2006
Woody Guthrie

Buffalo Skinners

by Woody Guthrie
Painting: Neil Waldman.

September 2006
Freedom Song Network

Rockin' Solidarity

by Ralph Chaplin, David Welsh
Painting: Irving Fromer.

Sign Up