On the 4th of October 1936,
We were dockers and teachers,
and those with no jobs to do.
We were wo men and children,
Atheists, Christians and Jews,
and we had so much to lose.
For with Hitler in Germany,
We knew what fascism meant
So when Morsley came trouncing,
To the east end of London we went
Germans, Italians and Jews
for what they'd seen there
And I couldn't let them be abused
Now three thousand fascists,
Black had set out to march on that day,
An d six thousand policemen
our nerves they were steady,
One hundred thousand in mass,
And we sang, they shall not pass
We sang, they shall not pass
we were sent to the side streets
To stop the police breaking through
we made strong bar ricades
out of anything we could use
And they came to charge us,
but they couldn't barge us
with fists, batons and hooves
for we would not be moved,
And yes, there was violence
and yes, there was blood,
and I saw things a lad shouldn't see.
But I'll not regret the day I stood
And when the news spread,
and Morsley was limping away
and I hear them all to this day.
for as long as our legs could,
and that when we were gone
would stand where we stood.
Was the first time I'd heard
said by every woman and man.
4.7
