Published 1911 Composer(s) Joseph P. Webster Language English | Writer(s) Joe Hill Lyricist(s) Joe Hill | |
"The Preacher and the Slave" is a song written by Joe Hill in 1911. It was written as a parody of the hymn "In the Sweet By-and-By". The Industrial Workers of the World (commonly known as the Wobblies) concentrated much of its labor trying to organize migrant workers in lumber and construction camps. When the workers returned to the cities, the Wobblies faced the Salvation Army (which they satirized as the "Starvation Army"). Hill had first encountered the Salvation Army in Sweden when he was a child.
Several songs were written parodying the Salvation Army's hymns, "The Preacher and the Slave" being the most successful. In this song, Joe Hill coined the phrase "pie in the sky." The song is often referred to as "Pie in the Sky", or as "Long Haired Preachers" (which was its original title). It was first published in the 4th edition of the Little Red Songbook in 1911.
Lyrics and chords
Verse #1: G C G Long-haired preachers come out every night G D Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right G C G But when asked how 'bout something to eat G D G They will answer in voices so sweet Chorus Type #1: G D You will eat, bye and bye D7 G In that glorious land above the sky G C Work and pray, live on hay G D G You'll get pie in the sky when you die Verse #2: G C G And the Starvation Army, they play G D And they sing and they clap and they pray G C G Till they get all your coin on the drum G D G Then they tell you when you're on the bum Chorus Type #1 Verse #3: G C G Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out G D And they holler, they jump and they shout G C G Give your money to Jesus, they say G D G He will cure all diseases today Chorus Type #1 Verse #4: G C G If you fight hard for children and wife G D Try to get something good in this life G C G You're a sinner and bad man, they tell G D G When you die you will sure go to hell. Chorus Type #1 Verse #5: G C G Workingmen of all countries, unite G D Side by side we for freedom will fight G C G When the world and its wealth we have gained G D G To the grafters we'll sing this refrain Chorus Type #2: G D You will eat, bye and bye D7 G When you've learned how to cook and how to fry G C Chop some wood, 'twill do you good G D G Then you'll eat in the sweet bye and byeThe chorus is sung in a call and response pattern.
You will eat [You will eat] bye and bye [bye and bye]In that glorious land above the sky [Way up high]Work and pray [Work and pray] live on hay [live on hay]You'll get pie in the sky when you die [That's a lie!]Thus the final verse becomes
You will eat [You will eat] bye and bye [bye and bye]When you've learned how to cook and how to fry [How to fry]Chop some wood [Chop some wood], 'twill do you good [do you good]Then you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye [That's no lie]The above lyrics are from the 19th edition of the Little Red Songbook.