[Intro]
D A C D A
D A C D A
[verse 1]
A C D A
Come you ranks of labor, come you union core
A C D A
And see if you remember the struggles of before
F#m D E
When you were standing helpless on the outside of the door
Bm E A
And you started building links on the Chain
Bm
On the Chain,
D E A
you started building links on the Chain
[verse 2]
A C D A
When the police on the horses were waitin' on demand
A C D A
Ridin' through the strike with the pistols in their hands
F#m D E
Swingin' at the skulls of many a union man
Bm E A Bm
As you built one more link on the chain, on the chain
D E A
As you built one more link on the chain
[verse 3]
A C D A
Then the army of the fascists tried to put you on the run
A C D A
But the army of the union, they did what could be done
F#m D E
Oh, the power of the factory was greater than the gun
Bm E A Bm
As you built one more link on the chain, on the chain
D E A
As you built one more link on the chain
[verse 4]
A C D A
And then in 1954, decisions finally made
A C D A
The black man was a-risin' fast and racin' from the shade
F#m D E
And your union took no stand and your union was betrayed
Bm E A Bm
As you lost yourself a link on the chain, on the chain
D E A
As you lost yourslef a link on the chain
[verse 5]
A C D A
And then there came the boycotts and then the freedom rides
A C D A
And forgetting what you stood for, you tried to block the tide
F#m D E
Oh, the automation bosses werre laughin' on the side
Bm E A Bm
As they watched you lose your link on the chain, on the chain
D E A
As they watched you lose your link on the chain
[verse 6]
A C D A
You know when they block your trucks boys, by layin' on the road
A C D A
All that they are doin' is all that you have showed
F#m D E
That you gotta strike, you gotta fight to get what you are owed
Bm E A Bm
When you're building all your links on the chain, on the chain
D E A
When you're building all your links on the chain
[verse 7]
A C D A
Amd the man who tries to tell you that they'll take your job away
A C D A
He's the same man who was scabbin' hard just the other day
F#m D E
And your union's not a union till he's thrown out of the way
Bm E A Bm
And he's chokin' on your links of the chain, of the chain
D E A
And he's chokin' on your links of the chain
[verse 8]
A C D A
For now the times are tellin' you the times are rollin' on
A C D A
And you're fighting for the same thing, the jobs that will be gone
F#m D E
Now it's only fair to ask you boys, which side are you on?
Bm E A Bm
As you're buildin' all your links on the chain, on the chain
D E A
As you're buildin' all your links on the chain