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The Dust Bowl

Roll Out the Pickets - Song Lyrics

"Roll out the Pickets" was written at Arvin, California during the cotton strike of 1939. The Associated Farmers, the target of the worker's strike, was an organization of large farmers and growers. The song reflects the farm workers' struggle to unionize. What is the main message of the song? Why do you think the workers chose to carry their message in the lyrics of a song?

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ROLL OUT THE PICKETS

Roll out the pickets
We'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the pickets
Keep up the fight till we've won.
Associated Farmers
Will very soon see the light.
Come and roll out the barrel
For we're on strike tonight.

Roll out the pickets
Call all the pickers in
We're not down-hearted
'Cause we are going to win
Nothing can stop us
We won't hear of defeat.
We'll show the big growers
That we can't be beat.

Roll out the pickets
We'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the pickets
We'll have the finks on the run
Nothing can stop us
We won't hear of defeat.
We'll show the big growers
That we can't be beat.
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Last updated 09/26/2002