Absolutely — I’d trim it down to a 3-minute Americana folk song, with a strong chorus, a few key historical moments, and a gritty working-class feel. ### “Roll On, ILWU” Americana / folk · Acoustic guitar, harmonica, steady train-beat rhythm \[Verse 1\] Down on the docks in ’34, the workers took a stand, From Frisco up to Seattle, they joined their hands. Against the bosses and the hiring hall, through hunger, blood, and rain, They fought for dignity and justice on the waterfront again. \[Chorus\] Roll on, roll on, you ships upon the sea, The hands that move the world deserve to live in dignity. From the harbor to the warehouse, let the working people stand, You can move the world's cargo, but you can't break the working hand. \[Verse 2\] Harry Bridges led the struggle, and the union found its way, In ’37 the I.L.W.U rose to face another day. From the docks to the islands., through the hard times and the fight, They stood for better wages and the right to share the light. \[Chorus\] Roll on, roll on, you ships upon the sea, The hands that move the world deserve to live in dignity. From the harbor to the warehouse, let the working people stand, You can move the world's cargo, but you can't break the working hand. \[Verse 3\] Then the steel-box ships came rolling, changed the waterfront's old ways, But the struggle for a fair deal carried on through changing days. Through the strikes and negotiations, through the fog and driving rain, The spirit of the longshoremen kept rising up again. \[Final Chorus\] Roll on, roll on, let the whole wide world understand, There's a history of courage in the longshore working hand. From the old docks to tomorrow, let their voices ring again, The union keeps on marching like a freight train through the rain. \[Outro — softly, with harmonica\] The tide rolls in, the tide rolls out, But one thing still remains: The strength of working people Will echo through the cranes.
