Bread and Roses
Channel: bus_2040
Date: 2020-06-05

Bread and Roses

Rose Schneiderman and James Oppenheim (text, 1911-12)
Mimi Fariña (melody, 1974)

This is the melody part. I tried a quick tempo for a "marching" feel but you might sing Bread and Roses at a different pace. There are some different versions of the lyrics out there too.

This melody by Mimi Fariña is well known, but hard to find printed in sheet music!

The song's origins are related to the Lawrence strike:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912_Lawrence_textile_strike

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As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses.

As we come marching, marching, we battle too, for men,
For they are in the struggle and together we shall win.
Our days shall not be sweated from birth until life closes,
Hearts starve as well as bodies, give us bread, but give us roses.

As we come marching, marching, un-numbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their trudging spirits knew -
Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for roses, too.

As we go marching, marching, we're standing proud and tall.
The rising of the women means the rising of us all.
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life's glories, bread and roses, bread and roses