Digital Tradition Mirror

The Horse With a Union Label

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Horse With a Union Label
(Mike Stratton and Saul Aarons)

My daddy was a cowboy
And I follow in his footsteps
     Riding the range,
My chaps are wide, my shirt is red,
I'll wear my Stetson till I'm dead
     I keep my boots on the table.
I brand my cows and turn 'em free
But the brand ain't what it used to be
'Cause now I ride a horse with a union label.

cho: Old Paint, Old Paint
     A prouder horse there ain't
     'Cause my Old Paint
     Is a horse with a union label.

When I was a little feller
And I seen a cowboy picture,
     My daddy told me,
"A cowboy's life is migty lean
When he ain't herding cows on a movie screen
     So here's what your daddy's advising:
When you swing your lariat
You're one of the proletariat
So find yourself a horse and start
Or-ganizing."

I went down to the old corral
To pick me out a bronco
     Like my daddy told me,
I looked 'em over one by one
And there was a great big stallion
     Like you won't find in no millionaire's stable.
He was wild and proud and free
And he pawed the sky and looked at me
And blazing on his side was a
U-union label.

The foreman he was standing there
And said, By God!, he'd ride him.
     Paint, he just snickered.
'Cause the SOB was a company man
Which is why he landed on his can
     And ran home crying for mother;
But I showed Paint my union card
And he says to me," Climb right on pard-ner
I got plenty of room for a
U-union brother."

Now, some day I'll be laid to rest
But I've got a feelin'
     Paint, he'll never die.
He'll thunder on through the wild mesquite
To be on time to a union meet-ing
     Strong and fearless and able.
And working people throughout the land
Will know he's a good American
Who rides the horse with the
U-union label.

Copyright 1939, Theme Music
From The People's Song Book
LH
                                                 apr96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!