“Which Side Are You On?”

Last Sunday in Philipsburg, PA, the Justice Singers joined groups across Pennsylvania to bring awareness to the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest ICE detention center in the Northeastern United States.

We asked everyone on our mailing list for their input on some new lyrics to the union song “Which Side Are You On?” which was originally written in 1931 by activist Florence Reece, whose husband Sam was a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky. Pete Seeger and the Almanac Singers made the song famous with their 1941 recording.

Thanks to our friends at Indivisible, who livestreamed Sunday’s incredible event, you can enjoy our version here!

“Which Side Are You On?”
Music & lyrics by Florence Reece
Original 2025 lyrics by the Justice Singers of Centre County

Come all you good people, sad news to you I’ll tell
Of how the GEO Group has come in here to dwell

[chorus:]
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?

Corporate cops will gladly hire and add you to their roll
You’ll make a little money but you’ll sacrifice your soul
[chorus]

If you’re here in this country, due process is your right
They think if they take it away folks like us won’t stand and fight
[chorus]

Our country fought fascism back in WWII
Now it’s here in our own land and so I’m so asking you
[chorus]

They’ll lie and say it’s normal, but we believe our eyes
Our neighbors will be suffering unless we organize
[chorus]

We must stand united, ’cause we know what fascists do
Today they come for immigrants, and soon they’ll come for you
[chorus]

So go and ask the leaders of your state, county, and town:
Will you turn your back on human rights or will you shut Moshannon down?
[chorus]