Triangle Lyrics

I came here with nothing from over the sea looking for life in the land of the free

Escape from the czar and the dust and the flame that was flickering too low to see

The fire within me that never would die burning forever the sun in the sky

And the daylight my daughter could scarcely recall was like a beacon showing the way

Working as fast as I could doing the best I could do

Giving it all that I got giving it all of my heart and my soul

Off to work at the the triangle shirt factory women we stitch and we sew

No time to rest or end up on the skids as we work at machines in a row

In before sunrise and out after dark I'm not a machine I'm just one of its parts

While the foreman is pacing the needles are racing how far does this all have to go

Working as fast as I could doing the best I could do

Giving it all that I got giving it all of my heart and my soul

Machines gotta run there is money to make can't stop for a smoke no fire escape

The locks on the door told us no getting out but we were lucky to be there at all

There was Rosie Sophia Maria and me elbow to elbow in that shirt factory

We were 13, 15, 21, and 23 and the future was ours to behold

Working as fast as we could doing the best we could do

Giving it all that we got giving it all of our hearts and our souls

I know I will always remember that day

When the pain was too big with the child on the way

And I left my machine in the shop with my pay as I labored on into the night

Blessed as I was my daughter was born

But that day is a day that I always will mourn

For the others who labored consumed by the fire

As the Triangle burned to the ground

Working as fast as they could doing the best they could do

Giving it all that they got giving it all of their hearts

And their souls and their sweat and their lives

A cry went up in the city that day daughters of immigrants silently lay

But my daughter's never gonna end up that way locked in some sweatshop to die

I'll fight for the union I'll fight to be free I'll fight for my sisters my daughters and sons

And I'll cherish the life that my child gave to me and I'll work 'til the battle is won

Working as fast as I can doing the best I can do

Giving it all that I got giving it all of my heart and my soul