Скачать или смотреть Socialist Victory Choir - The Red Flag

Digitised from a 1986 cassette tape of Labour Party campaign material using a simple cassette tape player and a line in to my computer, recorded with free software. If you have any suggestions to improve the quality, feel free to make them.

I make no claim to copyright. If it is your music and you would like me to remove it, just let me know.

Lyrics

The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead,
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its every fold.

Then raise the scarlet standard high. (chorus)
Within its shade we live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Look round, the Frenchman loves its blaze,
The sturdy German chants its praise,
In Moscow's vaults its hymns were sung
Chicago swells the surging throng.

(chorus)

It waved above our infant might,
When all ahead seemed dark as night;
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We must not change its colour now.

(chorus)

It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.

(chorus)

It suits today the weak and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place
To cringe before the rich man's frown,
And haul the sacred emblem down.

(chorus)

With head uncovered swear we all
To bear it onward till we fall;
Come dungeons dark or gallows grim,
This song shall be our parting hymn.

Words by Jim Connell
Music is the tune variously known as 'Tannenbaum' (Christmas Tree) and 'Maryland'. The words were originally meant to be sung to the tune of 'The White Cockade', as per the Billy Bragg version.

The organ was played here by Betty Roe.