BROADCASTS.com

Published: March 26, 2023, 1:19 a.m.

b'

I wrote this\\nsong for the 99th Memorial of the Triangle Fire.

\\n

Originally I\\nsang it to the tune of Leadbelly\'s

\\n

"Where\\nDid You Sleep Last Night"

\\n

Then as I\\nsang it, it found its own blues rhythm.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

\\n

\\n

Girls,\\nGirls, Where Did You Work Last Night?

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

Girls!\\xa0 Girls!\\xa0\\nTeenage immigrants,

\\n

Tell\\nme, where did you work last night?

\\n

Somebody\\ntell me.\\xa0 C\\u2019mon Rose, Sarah, Daisy.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

Washington\\nand Greene, in the factory,

\\n

where\\nthe door kept locked, by greed.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

O\\nGirls! Girls!\\xa0 Teenage immigrants,

\\n

tell\\nme where did you go in the fire?

\\n

Tessie,\\nCaterina, Antonietta, somebody tell me.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

I\\njumped to the street where my bones and concrete meet,

\\n

the\\nsewer, my blood runs through.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

Girls\\nO Girls!\\xa0 Teenage immigrants,

\\n

tell\\nme of your New York dreams.

\\n

Rosaria,\\nCelia, Annie, somebody tell me.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

Well\\nI ran from poverty, persecution, misery.

\\n

We\\nwere starving, needed a buck,

\\n

I\\ngot on the boat to try my luck.

\\n

Made\\nit \'cross the sea to the wave of Liberty.

\\n

Worked\\nthe Triangle Factory, in the New York Garment Industry,

\\n

Where\\namber waves of flame caught me.

\\n

So\\nI dove for the sky, broken window, promises

\\n

Spring\\nair.\\xa0 I prayed, New York City, catch me!

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

We\\nwere body makers,

\\n

sleeve\\nmakers, sleeve setters,

\\n

collar\\nmakers, cuff setters,

\\n

yoke\\nsetters,

\\n

buttonhole\\nmakers,

\\n

tuckers,\\nclosers, hemmers, joiners,

\\n

finishers,\\npressers,

\\n

button\\nsewers, lace runners,

\\n

embroidery\\ntrimmers, thread trimmers, sample makers.

\\n

Makers.\\xa0 Joiners.\\xa0\\nFinishers.\\xa0

\\n

Makers.\\xa0 Joiners.\\xa0\\nFinishers.\\xa0

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

O Girls! Girls!\\xa0\\nTeenage immigrants,

\\n

Tell me, how burning hot is greed?

\\n

C\\u2019mon\\ntell me, Sadie, Lina, Josie, Margaret.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

Well,\\nour breath caught the fire, hair and lace, the flames, and cinders

\\n

became\\nour names.

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

\\xa0

\\n

\\n\\n--- \\n\\nSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/annie-lanzillotto/support'