Transcript: "Bread and Roses" by the Radcliffe Pitches Video

The Radcliffe Pitches of Harvard University sang a rendition of "Bread and Roses" for a 2015 performance. This video is featured in the exhibit "From Roses to Raises," section: "The Lawrence Bread and Roses Strike (1912)"

[Video Description: Begins with a black screen that reads “Bread and Roses” followed by “The Radcliffe Pitches March 28, 2015 | Sanders Theatre.” Black screen fades to a stage with women standing in black sleeveless dresses, which are knee-high long, and black tights. 10 women stand in a semi circle on the stage, facing the audience. Three microphones are set up side by side at the front of the stage. A woman stands behind each microphone.]

[Singer 1, left microphone] What the woman who labors wants is the right to live, not simply exist — the right to life as the rich woman has the right to life, and to the sun and music and art. 

[Speaker 2, right microphone] You have nothing that the humblest worker has not a right to have also. The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too. ​​Rose Schneiderman, 1912

[Women at the right and left microphones return to their places in the semi-circle. A singer remains at the center microphone.]

[Singing] As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing, “Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.”

As we go marching, marching, we battle, too, for men—
For they are women's children, and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes—

[A second singer walks up to left microphone]

Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses.

As we go marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for Bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew—
Yes, it is Bread we fight for—but we fight for Roses, too.

[Another singer joins the other two. She stands at the right microphone.]

As we go marching, marching, we bring the Greater Days—
The rising of the women means the rising of the race—
No more the drudge and idler—ten that toil where one reposes—
But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.

Oh, Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.
We’ll march and not be sweated from birth until life closes—
Hearts starve as well as bodies: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.