In ’68 in Memphis town,

The garbage workers were held down.

Bad conditions, lousy pay,

Injuries every day.

Said T.O Jones to the men.

“This situation has got to end.

We got no rights.  We got no say.

We simply can’t go on this way.”

Then came the day—an accident.

A trash compactor killed two men.

The door closed on them and they were crushed.

That’s when we said, “We’ve had enough.”

We left our jobs and hit the streets.

We voted with our weary feet.

We had no money.  We had no plan,

But it was time we took a stand.

CHORUS:      I am a man, I am a man,

           And here inMemphis, I'll take a stand

           Simple justice we demand

.                      I am a man, I am a man, I am a man.

Now Mr. Loeb, the city’s mayor,

Was not about to treat us fair.

“Your strike’s illegal.”  That’s what he said.

“Before I budge, I’ll see you dead.”

The union came and joined the fight.

We told the Council to do what’s right.

We thought we’d gotten a deal worked out,

But the press complained, and they backed out.

At City Hall, we sat down,

And then we marched through the heart of town

And on the placards in our hands,

Were these four words:   “I am a man.” 

CHORUS

The strike had torn the town apart.

The blacks were with us.  The whites were not.

Racial tensions were inflamed.

And then one day, good news came.

Yes, Dr. King was on his way

To help the strikers and join the fray.

Our spirits lifted at the news.

With King on our side, how could we lose?

We marched again, and things got rough,

Then later on, King spoke to us.

The crowd was anxious but filled with hope.

I still recall the words he spoke.

He said injustice was bound to fail,

And so the strikers would prevail,

And as a people, in the end,

We'd make it to the Promised Land. 

CHORUS

Now after all was said and done,

The city caved.  The workers won.

But all the nation paid a price

For Dr. King had lost his life.

Still all the tears and tragedy,

Could not negate their victory.

They won respect and dignity,

And earned a place in history

Their legacy is living yet,

And every worker owes a debt

To these brave men who took a stand,

And told the world, “I am a man.” 

CHORUS (x2)

Copyright by Paul McKenna 2015