Eric VonSchmidt/Tom Rush

Cane standing in the fields getting old and red
Lot of misery in Georgetown, three men lying dead

And Joshua, head of the government, he say strike for better pay
Cane cutters are striking, Joshua gone away.

Joshua gone Barbados, staying in a big hotel
People on St. Vincent they got many sad tales to tell.

Sugar mill owner told the strikers, I don't need you to cut my cane
Bring in another bunch of fellows, strike be all in vain.

Get a bunch of tough fellows, bring 'em from Zion Hill
Bring 'em in a bus to Georgetown, know somebody get killed.

And Sonny Child the overseer, I swear he's an ignorant man
Walking through the canefield, pistol in his hand.

But Joshua gone Barbados, just like he don't know
People on the Island, they got no place to go.

Police giving protection, new fellows cutting the cane
Strikers can't do nothing, strike be all in vain.

And Sonny Child he curse the striking, wave his pistol 'round
They're beating Sonny with a cutlass, beat him to the ground.

There's a lot of misery in Georgetown, you can hear the women bawl
Joshua gone Barbados, he don't care at all.

Cane standing in the fields getting old and red
Sonny Child in the hospital, pistol on his bed.

I wish I could go to England, Trinidad or Curacao
People on the Island they got no place to go.