The song “Which Side Are You On?” became the anthem of a reborn United Mine Workers (UMWA) union in the 1930s, was written by Florence Reece who herself was the daughter of a Kentucky coal miner.

The song and its lyrics works on different levels invoking a degree of meanings. It can be seen as part of a larger musical movement centered in and around Harlan County , Kentucky in the 1930's wherein folk and country music took its initial roots.


It can also be seen as part of a dark chapter of the history of unionization and worker rights in the United States as the Harlan County war was symbolic of a series of bombings and skirmishes and strife between the authorities, headed by sheriff JH Blair, which sided with the capitalist mine owners and the labor unions striving for better working conditions in the backdrop of the turbulent New Deal years.


But most importantly this story of grassroot labour militancy is also reflective of our current state of being especially the highly polarized nature of our current political discourse. With the hardening of the stances of each political side, the neutrals seem to be disappearing in our society as well. As my favorite line from the song states,

"They say in Harlan County, there are no neutrals there
You’ll either be a union man or a thug for J.H. Blair
Which side are you on?"



https://youtu.be/5iAIM02kv0g