NO, JOHN, NO

(To the tune of "No, John, No) (Author unknown)

Collected by Bill Friedland from a 78 rpm record
bought at the UAW-CIO Bookstore, Detroit, Michigan,
about 1942-'43.

Lyrics and info kindly provided by Bill Friedland.

Any copyrighted material on these pages is used in "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s).

Now John worked in an open shop,
With a fink and stooge and labor spy.
When a pay raise he requested,
He would get the stock reply,
"Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!"

Now John worked hard from morn till sunset,
Toiled and toiled till very late.
He asked the boss to cut his hours
And let him work the usual eight.
"Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!

Well, John just scratched his head and wondered
Why the boss did treat him so.
"Can it be he doesn't love me,
Or perhaps I've got B. O.¹",
Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!

"Now, shall I get Carnegie's book on
'How to Win the Bosses Love',
Or do you suppose that profit's
What the boss is thinking of."
(Sarcastically) Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!

Well, John arrived at work one morning:
Pickets marching to and fro.
Should he cross the picket line
And scab against the C.I.O.?
Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!

Well, John just grabbed a picket sign
And joined the union there and then.
Is there anything can keep him
From his fellow working men.
Oh, no John, no John, no John, no!

Well, John got his two weeks vacation,
Cut his hours and raised his pay
Could he ever get these things
The cringing, crawling, pleading way?
Hell, no John, no John, no John, NO!

¹"B.O." is "body odor," an invention of the makers of
Lifebuoy soap in the 1930s.

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