Put one more “S” in the U.S.A.
Langston Hughes
To make it Soviet.
One more S in the U.S.A.
Oh, we’ll live to see it yet.
When the land belongs to the farmers
And the factories to the working men–
The U.S.A. when we take control
Will be the U.S.S.A. then.
Now across the water in Russia
They have a big U.S.S.R.
The fatherland of the Soviets–
But that is mighty far
From New York, or Texas, or California, too.
So listen, fellow workers,
This is what we have to do:
Put one more S in the U.S.A. [Repeat chorus]But we can’t win just by talking
So let us take things in our hand.
Then down and way with the bosses’ sway–
Hail Communistic land.
So stand up in battle and wave our flag on high,
And shout out fellow workers
Our new slogan to the sky:
Put one more S in the U.S.A. [Repeat chorus]But we can’t join hands strong together
So long as whites are lynching black,
So black and white in one union fight
And get on the right track.
By Texas, or Georgia, or Alabama led,
Come together, fellow workers!
Black and white can all be red:
Put one more S in the U.S.A. [Repeat chorus]Oh, the bankers they are planning
For another great big war.
To make them rich from the workers’ dead,
That’s all that war is for.
So if you don’t want to see bullets holding sway
Then come on, all you workers,
And join our fight today:
Put one more S in the U.S.A.
To make it Soviet.
One more S in the U.S.A.
Oh, we’ll live to see it yet.
When the land belongs to the farmers
And the factories to the working men–
The U.S.A. when we take control
Will be the U.S.S.A. then.
Langston Hughes (1934)
