Songs of the Industrial Workers of the World (4th Australian edition)/Up From Your Knees

by Ralph Hosea Chaplin

UP FROM YOUR KNEES.
By Ralph H. Chaplin.
(Air: "Song of a Thousand Years.")

Up from your knees, ye cringing serfmen!
What have ye gained by whines and tears?
Rise! they can never break our spirits
Though they should try a thousand years.

CHORUS:

A thousand years, then speed the victory!

Nothing can stop us nor dismay.
After the winter comes the springtime;
After the darkness comes the day.

Break ye your chains: strike off your fetters;
Beat them to swords—the foe appears—
Slaves of the world, arise and crush him;
Crush him or serve a thousand years.