You Ain’t Done Nothin’ If You Ain’t Been Called a Red – Faith Petric

We here at the Dissenting Democrat aren’t Reds but the content of our ideas don’t deter others from such name-calling. There is such a bugaboo about socialism and communism that such name-calling is usually effective in cowing any opposition to the system-as-is. We, however, welcome the catcalls as a measure of the effectiveness of our argument. We expect that the more we’re called Red or Socialist the better we’re doing. The epitome of our success would likely be the report that one or another had an accidental meeting with a lone nut then we’d know we were close to making a difference.

When I was just a little thing
     I used to love parades.
     With banners, bands, red balloons,
     and maybe lemonade.
     When I came home one May Day,
     my neighbour’s father said,
     “Them marchers is all commies.
     Tell me kid, are you a Red?”

     Well I didn’t know just what he meant-
     my hair back then was brown.
     Our house was plain red brick-
     like most others in the town.
     So I went and asked my momma
     why our neighbour called me red.
     My mummy took me on her knee
     and this is what she said,

     “Well ya ain’t done nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red.
     If you marched or agitated,
     then you’re bound to hear it said.
     So you might as well ignore it
     or love the word instead.
     Cuz ya ain’t been doing nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red.”

     When I was growing up,
     had my troubles I suppose.
     When someone took exception
     to my face or to my clothes.
     Or tried to cheat me on the job
     or hit me on the head.
     When I organized to fight back,
     why the stinkers called me Red
    
     But ya ain’t done nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red
     if you marched or agitated,
     then you’re bound to hear it said.
     So you might as well ignore it
     or love the word instead.
     Cuz ya ain’t been doing nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red.

     When I was living on my own,
     one apartment that I had.
     Had a lousy rotten landlord
     Let me tell you he was bad.
     But when he tried to throw me out,
     I rubbed my hands and said,
     “You haven’t seen a struggle
     if you haven’t fought a Red!”

     And ya ain’t done nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red.
     If you marched or agitated,
     then you’re bound to hear it said.
     So you might as well ignore it
     or love the word instead.
     Cuz ya ain’t been doing nothing
     if ya ain’t been called a Red.