Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
There is power in a factory, power in the land
Power in the hand of the worker
But it all amounts to nothing
If together we don't stand
There is power in a Union
Now the lessons of the past
Were all learned with workers' blood
The mistakes of the bosses we must pay for
From the cities and the farmlands
To trenches full of mud
War's always been the bosses' way, sir
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
From many far off lands
There is power in a Union
Now I long for the morning that they realize
Brutality and unjust laws cannot defeat us
But who'll defend the workers who cannot organise
When the bosses send their lackeys out to cheat us?
Money speaks for money
The Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone?
What a comfort to the widow
A light to the child
There is power in a Union
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
Together we will stand
There is power in a Union
Power in the hand of the worker
But it all amounts to nothing
If together we don't stand
There is power in a Union
Now the lessons of the past
Were all learned with workers' blood
The mistakes of the bosses we must pay for
From the cities and the farmlands
To trenches full of mud
War's always been the bosses' way, sir
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
From many far off lands
There is power in a Union
Now I long for the morning that they realize
Brutality and unjust laws cannot defeat us
But who'll defend the workers who cannot organise
When the bosses send their lackeys out to cheat us?
Money speaks for money
The Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone?
What a comfort to the widow
A light to the child
There is power in a Union
The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters
Together we will stand
There is power in a Union
Lyrics submitted by b-pot, edited by HatfulOfNathan
There Is Power In A Union Lyrics as written by Stephen William Bragg
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
this is a fucking great song! i can recall many a piss up ive been to where all the left wing comrades banded together wen we put on this song and chanted. geez... its a great way to piss rich kids off!
the meaning is pretty blunt.
Willia05, Its only through industrial action and negotiations undertaken through trade unions that workers have been able to gain improvements in their conditions and ensure legislation that ensures basic rights in the workplace - although, based on your comments, you are probably unable to appreciate the problems workers face in the absence of unions and representation. This song lets the importance of Solidarity be known - There is power in a Union!
the tune for this was lifted from the american civil war song 'battle cry of freedom'
Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom; We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. CHORUS: The Union forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the traitor and up with the star; While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom; And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom; And altho' they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom.
So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom; And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom.
Great song! Not exactly subtle either.
willia05, where you come from is rather obviously not what the song is about
Yeah, but willia05 is wrong also, because it comes from Australia. The union movement in this country is what made it so strong and they are even more important now with all of the IR changes that are happening here.
I worked plenty hard in my job, was one of the hardest workers, but I was fired because I wouldn't sign their new contracts, which took away my sunday and public holiday pay. Probably hired some poor 16 year old in my place, and are in the process of rooting him. I'm not much older, but I know when i'm being taken advantage of.
sorry, I didn't mean to get too political. Let's keep it about the music!
LOL! Being political IS about Billy Bragg music.
willia05, sounds like you have no clue, mate.
This is a great song. Good to see that berk willia05 has been shown to be firmly out of touch with what the majority of Australia believes, seeing as its almost a year since John Howard and the Liberal Party got their asses firmly kicked out of government.