joseph brown lived in pittsburgh town
his whole life, in pittsburgh town
joseph brown worked the old steel mill
skimmin' slag, rollin' slabs
in that old steel mill

ain't had one penny to his name
then henry frick, he did proclaim
"i'm raising your hours, i'm lowering your pay
man you've got no rights today"

in the year of 1892
brown joined the worker union crew
three thousand strong they organized
for a living wage they all did rise

scabs were hired, the mills refilled
guards marched through, ten men were killed
eight-thousand troops were soon sent in
the man who owned the town did win

with wages cut and hours raised
joseph brown worked until his dying days
no justice earned, no morals learned
the most common fate you've ever heard

when suits and states are on each others side
the poor are pushed and are forced to hide
that's the way it's been and still remains
and we'll fight it off until our dyin' days
yes, let's fight it off until our dyin' days