“The Big Combine”

Description

Singer describes the crew of "harvest stiffs" on the big combine (harvester) in Oregon, including Oscar (Nelson), an IWW member; the horse-puncher ("the things he tells the horses...I can't tell you") and the singer himself, who is head puncher.

Notes

The Pacific Northwest was the center of the IWW (Wobbly) movement in the early 20th century; migrant farmworkers and lumberjacks were its principal supporters. - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "Casey Jones (I)" [Laws G1] (tune) and references there

Recordings

• Art Thieme, "The Big Combine" (on Thieme03)