KEEP THAT OIL A-ROLLIN' (WOODY GUTHRIE/BALDWIN HAWES)

THE ALMANAC SINGERS, 1942: BESS HAWES, PETE SEEGER, MILLARD LAMPELL, WOODY GUTHRIE, ARTHUR STERN, SIS CUNNINGHAM (left to right)

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Lyrics as recorded by THE ALMANAC SINGERS, New York, NY, Jun 1942, and reprinted in Ronald D. Cohen & Dave Samuelson, liner notes for "Songs for Political Action," Bear Family Records BCD 15720 JL, 1996, p. 105
(Minor corrections by Manfred Helfert).

ORIGINAL ISSUE: Keynote K-5000-B, 1942.
[WOODY GUTHRIE, lead vocal]

You oil field workers, come and listen to me
I'm goin' to tell you a story about old John D.
That company union made a fool out of me.
That company union don't charge no dues
It leaves you a-singing them Rockefeller blues.
That company union made a fool out of me.

Takes that good ole C.I.O., boys
To keep that oil a-rollin', rollin' over the sea.
Takes that good ole C.I.O., boys
To keep that oil a-rollin' over the sea.

Drilling oil to beat Japan
But the company union don't give a damn.
That company union made a fool out of me.
The oil field workers and the NMU
Going to beat Hitler, and damn quick, too.
That company union made a fool out of me.

Old Berlin to Tokyo
Tanks can't roll if the oil don't flow.
That company union made a fool out of me.
Canada to Mexico
They're joining up with the C.I.O.
That company union made a fool out of me.

C.I.O. is the place for me
When this war is over, I want to be free
That company union made a fool out of me.
I'm a union man in a union war
It's a union land I'm a-fightin' for.
That company union made a fool out of me.

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