(2A) DO NOW Padlet: Understanding Class Consciousness in the New Verses for "Solidarity Forever" by Dario Sulzman

Newer Verses in "Solidarity Forever"

dariosulzman — 2025-01-08 13:20:21 UTC

It is we that wash the dishes, scrub the floors and chase the dirt, Feed the kids and send them off to school and then we go to work; Where we work for half wages for a boss that likes to flirt, But the union makes us strong.

5. They say our day is over and they say our time is through, They say you need no union if your collar isn’t blue; Well that is just another lie the boss is telling you, For the union makes us strong.

6. They divide us by our color, they divide us by our tongue, They divide us men and women, they divide us old and young; But they’ll tremble at our voices when they hear these verses sung, For the union makes us strong.

Zula

2025-01-08 14:55:54 UTC

I think whoever added felt as if they were needed based on what they were going through at that time period. It talks a lot about stuff that women were expected to do during that time period. For example "Wash the dishes" and "feeding/sending the kids to school" were things only women were expected of at the time. The original song was more directed towards men and "masculine" jobs because at the time women working wasn't normalized. 50 years later when the new verses were written, women working was starting to get more normalized. I really love how they worded the last paragraph though "Women and men" it basically states how a lot of the times it's on thing verses another when that shouldn't be the case at all.

Anastasia

2139586 — 2025-01-08 14:56:48 UTC

The lyrics that they added might be to make the song more relevant to specific movements / current events and to have it resonate more with a broader audience (people of color, women).

Brenda

2025-01-08 14:57:06 UTC

The difference between them is a women's job compared to a mans or the similarities to them as they also have to go through certain situations. They felt they needed to add this as it adds not only men but includes everyone who've delt with the same situation. Not only for blue-collared men but those outside of that or the same social class. They've become more collective by adding color and gender to strengthen their union.

David Rivetta

2025-01-08 14:58:06 UTC

I think these additional verses are needed because it gives a sort of closing for the statement, giving us a better view into the struggles in peoples lives but through all of it the union unites them.

One element of class consciousness that I think they added is the aspect of color in the pool of exploitation.

Lia A

2025-01-08 14:58:40 UTC

I think it was found necessary to add these verses because of what was going on during the time period (1970’s). Woman’s rights were in an uproar and the Equal Rights Ammendment had just been passed so they understandably added verse 4, which spoke on what I interpreted to be women in the workplace, “working for half wages…” “flirty boss” etc…. Verse 6 spoke on the importance of unity and acceptance (and obviously solidarity), regardless of gender, race, age, class, or anything at all. Which was also newly established.

Charly

2025-01-08 14:58:51 UTC

I think they felt the need to add new verses because times have changed, and people were becoming more aware and inclusive of who is in the union. For example, when they say, "They divide us by our color," that was not present, nor was the idea portrayed in the original version. By stating this, we can see that they are acknowledging the struggles of minorities and incorporating them into their union. To add to that point they add "We work for half wages for a boss that likes to flirt" which also acknowledges the struggles of predominantly female workers. I think they add a greater integration and understanding that the more of you that act collectively, the harder it will be for those exploiting you to target you alone.

Inigo Gonzales

2025-01-08 14:59:42 UTC

These new verses, compared with the original ones, bring up other ideas that the original didn't. Such as, being more specific on the traits of a boss. A weird, and deceptive tyrant. It also goes more into status and demographics, like "collars" and race, gender, etc., and how the workplace is divided between those things. It implies how even more comfortable jobs need to seek change, not just those being exploited through manual jobs. The original covered more on workers building up society, while this covers more on inequality. The element of class consciousness that is more emphasized in this version is the power of acting more collectively, along with sharing fundamental interests with those in the same social class.

keylly vinan

2025-01-08 14:59:44 UTC

They felt like these verses were needed due that there division between men and women and also racism causing people to be judged by their color and being treated differently . It has to due with things that were occurring around the time but things change throughout time. They wanted to show that yes people come together but there is also things that divide them. The original one is more towards men but this one is more toward women and the things that they had to go through.

Julian

2025-01-08 15:00:13 UTC

Someone thought that these verses needed to be added as people that dealt with inequality needed that equality, because of this the verses were made to include more people. An element of class consciousness that was added upon of what the original lyrics also say, is the shared fundamental interests with other individuals who are a part of the same social class.