Union Songs

The Fighting MUA

A song by the "Marxist Brothers" ©"Marxist Brothers" 1998
Tune: the Wild Colonial Boy

There was a foolish stevedore
And Patricks was his name
It was owned by a scab named Corrigan
To our great nation's shame
He was a liar and a cheat
A puppet some may say
But never could he bluff or beat
The fighting MUA

It was in the night that Patricks came
Like burglars at their trade
With guard dogs, scabs and Canberra spies
Coming to their aid
While Peter Reith and his little mate
Fanned the flames all day
In London, Cooktown and Dubai
They'd smash the MUA

Chorus
So come away my Comrades
On the wattle we'll have no stains
We'll scorn to live in slavery
Bound down by iron chains
We'll link our arms and stand and fight
Forever we shall try
We'll fight beside our fighting mates
The fighting MUA

The judge in England said he could not
Countenance this lot
A nasty scheme was all worked out
A filthy dirty plot
And comrades from around the world
Will now come to our aid
To fight and organise
Beside the fighting MUA.

Notes

I received this song by email with a note that it was from a "Support the Wharfies" messageboard at:

http://www.insidetheweb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb63212
Three months later, another email arrived with the following details
Dear Comrade - I can tell you that the Fighting MUA was written by a Hobart Band known as the "Marxist Brothers". It was first played at an MUA Solidarity Night at the Republic Hotel on the night that Justice North's decision was upheld by the Full Bench of the Federal Court.

Chris Kempster and Alison Jones sing the song on the MUA Centenary CD "With These Arms"

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