Let me tell you of a sailor Harry Bridges is his name

An honest union leader who the bosses tried to frame

He left home in Australia to sail the seas around

He sailed across the ocean to land in 'Frisco town

There was only a company union the bosses had their way

A worker had to stand in line for a lousy dollar a day

When up spoke Harry Bridges "Us workers got to get wise

Our wives and kids will starve to death if we don't get organized "

Oh the FBI is worried the bosses they are scared

They can't deport six million men they know

And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea

We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C I O

They built a big bonfire by the Matson lines that night

They threw their fink books in it and they said "We're gonna fight

You've got to pay a livin' wage or we're gonna take a walk "

They told it to the bosses but the bosses wouldn't talk

They said "There's only one way left to get that contract signed "

And all around the waterfront they threw their picket line

They called it Bloody Thursday the fifth day of July

For a hundred men were wounded and two were left to die

Oh the FBI is worried the bosses they are scared

They can't deport six million men they know

And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea

We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C I O

Now that was seven years ago and in the time since then

Harry's organized thousands more and made them union men

"We must try to bribe him" the shipping bosses said

And if he won't accept a bribe we'll say that he's a red "

The bosses brought a trial to deport him over the sea

But the judge said "He's an honest man I got to set him free "

Then they brought another trial to frame him if they can

But right by Harry Bridges stands every working man

Oh the FBI is worried the bosses they are scared

They can't deport six million men they know

And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea

We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C I O