no one's gonna hold them down today
they're ready to fight for their rights on may
3rd, 1886 chicago burned with the fire
they lit the workers were on strike
cause money's tight the pigs were out and looking for a fight
they opened fire into the crowd
a worker was hit and he went down
[Chorus:]
no one's gonna hold them down
no! they're gonna burn this f*ckin' town
august spies denounced capitalism
but he urged no violence
he was addressing a crowd
of workers the pigs ordered him silenced
a bomb was thrown and the sirens wailed
a pig laid dead and they were jailed
that day the system failed
you know it never fails
[Chorus]
if you think you can crush these ideas
that are gaining ground more each day
if death is the penalty for proclaiming
truth then i'll proudly and defiantly pay
four men were sentenced to death to set an example
to all the rest who would dare
to stand up and protest
the injustices we all detest
[Chorus]