Saipan - Linda Allen

From China and the Philippines

Pay me my money down

We came here with hopes and dreams

Pay me my money down

You took us to your factories, Pay me my money down

Tried to bring us to our knees, Pay me my money down CHORUS

The barracks are not fit for pigs, Pay me my money down

But you should see the boss’s digs, Pay me my money down

We miss our kids, for them we stay, Pay me my money down

We work to send home all our pay, Pay me my money down CHORUS

You work us sixteen hour days, Pay me my money down

But eight hour’s work is all you pay, Pay me my money down

The quota keeps on rising higher, Pay me my money down

We speed up, or we get fired, Pay me my money down CHORUS

The night shift’s locked behind these walls, Pay me my money down

A fire would surely kill us all, Pay me my money down

Before inspections, OSHA calls, Pay me my money down

Tells the bosses, sweep the halls, Pay me my money down CHORUS

You say you’ll move the factory, Pay me my money down

Where workers work for less than me, Pay me my money down

For three months we have cut and sewed, Pay me my money down

You must pay us what you owe, Pay me my money down CHORUS

On US land we sweat and slave, Pay me my money down

So Penneys, Gap and Sears can save, Pay me my money down

Home of the brave, Land of the Free, Pay me my money down

But not for workers such as me, Pay me my money down CHORUS

Ashes and Smoke È2001 Linda Allen and Marie Eaton

It was a clear September morning, A phone call gave the warning

There were many people dying, Some were running, some were flying

Into the arms of mystery, A sacrifice to history

We have been burned, burned by the fire

And we are ashes, ashes and smoke

But we will rise, higher and higher

On the wings of compassion, justice and hope

It was a bright October morning, the TV gave the warning

Retribution’s bombs were flying, and innocents were dying

A mistake we’ve made before, as we sacrifice to war

CHORUS

May these lives not be wasted, or the bitterness we’ve tasted

For if rage and indignation, Is the common cup of nations

Then hatred will birth violence, Until our tears transform us

CHORUS