The Preacher and the Slave by Joe Hill

joehill.sltrib.com


“The Preacher and the Slave”  is arguably Joe Hill’s best-known song. It parodies the popular Salvation Army hymn “In the Sweet Bye and Bye.” The song is performed by Andrew Shaw outside the historic City and County Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Hill was tried and convicted in the murder of John G. Morrison.
Lyrics:
Long-haired preachers come out every night
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right
But when asked how 'bout something to eat
They will answer with voices so sweet

You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and Pray, live on hay
You'll get pie in the sky when you die

And the starvation army they play,
And they sing and they clap and they pray
Till they get all your coin on the drum
Then they tell you when you are on the bum

You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and Pray, live on hay
You'll get pie in the sky when you die

If you fight hard for children and wife
Try to get something good in this life
You're a sinner and bad man, they tell
When you die you will sure go to hell

You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and Pray, live on hay
You'll get pie in the sky when you die

Workingmen of all countries unite
Side by side we for freedom will fight
When the world and its wealth we have gained
To the grafters we'll sing this refrain

You will eat, bye and bye
When you've learned how to cook and to fry
Chop some wood, ‘twill do you good
And you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye