Roll on

We'll roll on with our heads held high
Our conscience in the gutter
Our dreams up in the sky

The ship yards are deserted on the docks on Melbourne town
The wharfies standing strong
They gathered round to see what the union had to say
There's too much work and not enough pay
Say!

[Chorus]

We'll protest in peace keep the whole thing quiet
The last thing needed is a wage-fuelled riot
'Cos they don't really care
They're always standing there
Running from the outside
From the outside
Running from the outside world

Do you really care?
Why are you standing there?
Filming for the outside world
Do you really care?
Why are you standing there?
Filming for the outside world

Five weeks had passed when the union made it clear
Spirits slowly faded and the end was getting near
You see you're all expendable
And when all is said and done
You'll go back to work tomorrow
Or meet your new replacement son
Roll on

[Chorus]


Lyrics submitted by WrathofCarnage

Roll On Lyrics as written by Chris Cheney

Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group

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Roll On song meanings
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20 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    Excellent driving tune. Here in Toronto, there is city workers on strike and I am sick of hearing about it....so I called the radio station EDGE 102.1 fm...and dedicated this song to all the strikers. WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOO I can tell you, they had a lot of angry callers after that.
    Drink_and_Fighton July 11, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    i think the band put it best when they said "a stomping song for the underdog".if anyone's really overly interested, go to the MUA(maritime workers union, i think)site to read up on all the late 90's wharfie strikes that this was written about....v.cool ps.drunken pirate?lol
    squeeon September 06, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    squee is probably right. I was just learning about a mining strike that was organized by this dude in the 1900's that got all the immigrants and everyone (the union) to strike, and they got 90% of the mines closed. They wouldnt go back to work unless they get better pay. This song rox.
    foreignmanon September 24, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    this song is about dock workers in melbourne australia going on strike. the song's got such a fucking catch beat
    epp88on June 22, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This is most certainly about the 1988 stevedore strikes. In order to try and compromise pay and conditions the biggest port company in Australia (and I believe the world too) tried to renegotiate contracts. When it failed and Union workers picketed the docks they imported non-union Labor and eventually tried to pay ex soldiers and mercenaries to do the job instead. It all ended when the Unions pretty much won out but in the long term a lot changed at a much slower pace. In the lyrics it is pretty clear. "Too much work and not enough pay", because the employers were asking for longer hours and less breaks for the same pay (and quite dangerous high skill work too). "We'll protest in peace", pickets have a history of violence but it would have turned public opinion against the unions (the government were very anti-union). The last bit is about how they might win or lose but things were going to change anyway (which they have). It doesn't end on a downer though, the idea is that individually it can be futile but together everyone can keep the dream alive. The Living end are also Melbourne boys and Melbourne has always had a Union background. It is actually the place where the 888 movement started (8 hours work, 8 hours rest and 8 hours for family) and eventually set the world standard for a working day.
    Elmarkon June 16, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    The Living End are definitely pro-union, they dedicated this song to striking electricians when they played in DC 4 years ago. The end of the song is about how the company will treat you if the union looses. the last verse is the company saying that they will fire the workers because they are expendable and replacable, just like cogs in a machine, if they dont go back to work and then the chorus is the union rebutting, saying "we'll roll on with our heads held high"-in other words, the struggle will continue.
    libertarianlefton October 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I LOVE THIS SONG! reminds me of being a drunken pirate
    Werdon May 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    :):):) mad song :):):)
    skatoonist_sazzyon July 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    lmao, thats frigin hilarious Werd, not what i expected to see, hahahaha. this song is about a strike. simple. done.
    justanotherkyddon July 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    lol thats funny. yeah, this song roxz0rz.
    marc-on September 01, 2002   Link

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