Happy Labor Day

Minstrel Boy posted a song for labor day, The Work O’ the Weavers, which is an old Scottish labor song, and, as Minstrel Boy says, “predates the industrial revolution and shows a working man's awareness of his worth.” He posted it with the hope that he might prevail upon Mr. Shakes to favor us with a reading in the manner of the Scots. And when the Shakers ask, the Shakers receive…so here it is, bagpipes and all.

Happy Labor Day to everyone. (Words below.)



We're all met together here to sit and to clack
With our glasses in our hands and our work upon our back
There's nae a trade among 'em who could mend or could knack
If it wasna for the Work O' the Weavers

There's soldiers and there's sailors and there's glaziers
An a there's doctors and there's ministers
An' them as read the law
There's them as count up money but they'd do no work at all
If it wasna for the work of the weavers

If it wasna for the weavers wha' would ya do?
Ya wouldna have no cloth tha's made o' wool.
Ya wouldna have no greens, nor your greys, nor your blues
If it wasna for the work o' the weavers.

There's folks tha'ss independant of another tradesman's work
For women need nae barbers and the dykers need nae clerk
But nae o' them could walk about wi'out a coat and shirt
For tha' they must come to the weavers

The weaving is a trade which never can fail
As long as we wear clothes for ta keep a body hale
So let us all be merry an' o'er a beaker of good ale
We will drink to the health of the weavers

If it wasna for the weavers wha' would ya do?
Ya wouldna have no cloth tha's made o' wool.
Ya wouldna have no greens, nor your greys, nor your blues
If it wasna for the work o' the weavers.