no one's gonna hold them down today 
they're ready to fight for their rights on may 
3rd, 1886 chicago burned with the fire 
they lit the workers were on strike 
cause money's tight the pigs were out and looking for a fight 
they opened fire into the crowd 
a worker was hit and he went down 

no one's gonna hold them down 
no! they're gonna burn this fuckin' town 

august spies denounced capitalism 
but he urged no violence 
he was addressing a crowd 
of workers the pigs ordered him silenced 
a bomb was thrown and the sirens wailed 
a pig laid dead and they were jailed 
that day the system failed 
you know it never fails 

if you think you can crush these ideas 
that are gaining ground more each day 
if death is the penalty for proclaiming 
truth then i'll proudly and defiantly pay 
four men were sentenced to death to set an example 
to all the rest who would dare 
to stand up and protest 
the injustices we all detest

[Chorus]