We Workers Have Strength (我们工人有力量), written by Ma Ke. It was written in 1947.

Edit Song Lyrics

We workers have power, hey! We workers have power!　We're busy working every day, hey! We're busy working every day, building skyscrapers, building railroads and coal mines, transforming the world!　Hey!　The machines rumble, the hammers clang!　The plows and hoes have made it possible to produce, and the guns and cannons have been sent to the front!　Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!　Our faces are glowing, our sweat is dripping!　Why? For liberation!　For liberation! For liberation!　Hey, hey, hey! HEY! HEY! Hey! Hey!　For the complete liberation of China!

Editing Background

In the early summer of 1947, the musician Marco was working in a cultural troupe in the liberated areas of the Northeast China. One day, Marco went with several members of the troupe to a large factory in the newly liberated Jiamusi to participate in the workers' holiday voluntary labor. They had been fighting in the countryside of the liberated area for a long time, and as soon as they entered the factory, they were attracted by the roaring fire and the rumbling sound of the machine, and saw a piece of red-hot steel ingot being transformed into a product in the hands of the workers, which all y moved Marco.　During the break, after the female members of the group sang "Turning Over Five Shifts" for the workers, the old workers asked, "Do you have a song for the workers to turn over? Sing one for us." "This ...... we haven't made up yet!" Marco replied with an embarrassed face.　At this time, a teacher sang the Workers' Song of the Four Seasons, which he had made up himself: "...... Autumn comes with yellow chrysanthemums, and the workers turn over their own homes. Established the workers' union, participated in the self-defense force, organized so powerful." The teacher sings in a very simple voice, his voice is still a little hoarse, but his song is very attractive, Marco listened to very moved, he was determined to make up a war song for the workers.　Back at his residence, Marco played the tune of "Workers' Songs for All Seasons" with his erhu, and the members of the troupe all gathered around and listened quietly. Marco thought: "To be a real revolutionary, I can't be a true revolutionary without learning from the workers' selfless qualities. We should make up a song in their honor, but how?" As Marco played the violin and pondered, the members of the troupe also pondered and argued: "Sing of their enthusiasm for production." "Sing of their determination, bravery, enthusiasm and optimism." "Sing the praises of their grandeur in transforming the world." "What greatness! Great ...... power!" "I think it could be called The Great Workers ...... Great Strength!" "Why don't we just call it 'Workers Have Power'!" The enthusiastic murmurings of his comrades brought Marco into contemplation, and the cheerful tune of The Worker's Song for All Seasons gradually took shape as a new and enthusiastic melody. First it was played on the erhu, then hummed in a small voice, and finally the group sang from a soft to a strong voice: "We workers have strength! Hey! We workers are powerful, busy working every day, hey! Every day we are busy working, building skyscrapers, building railroads and coal mines, transforming the world." In this way, a workers' song "We Workers Have Power" was born with the strong voice of the times.　We workers have the power" this representative of the workers' song, like wings, over the mountains and rivers, from Guanwai to Guannei, sung all over China, from 1947 until today. [1]

Edit Song Appreciation

The last phrase of the song synthesizes the labor call of the latter part and the bold tune of the former part in a strong generalization. It is the first high war cry sung by the Chinese working class as they march toward a new China.

Edit this paragraphAbout the author

Famous musician Marco Marco (1918-1976)

Born in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, to a Catholic family, he borrowed his name from the Gospel saint Marco.

Born at the age of seventeen in 1935, Marco was a student at a middle school in his hometown. Xuzhou was under the dark rule of the Kuomintang at the time, and many young people were facing uncertainty about their future and the future they would have after graduation. It was at this moment that a magnificent anti-Japanese rescue song movement arose in China, stirring the hearts of every patriot like the waves of the sea. By Tian Han lyrics, Nie Er music <<March of the Volunteer Army>> like a fire like war song from the hearts of hundreds of millions of people broke out. In this strong song, Marco's whole body boiling blood, firmly embarked on the road of revolution. At this time, he has shown interest in music and talent. 1937 after the outbreak of the war of resistance against Japan, he has participated in the Henan anti-enemy back-up Association of the third team of drama, the political department of the military commission of the national government, the tenth team of the anti-enemy drama team, responsible for the conductor of songs and music composition. During this period he composed <<Guerrilla War Song>>, <<<The Cry of Taihang Mountain>>, <<Defending Luoyang>> and <<Lvliang Mountain Chorus>> and so on more than two hundred songs, which were very influential among the masses.At the end of 1939, under the arrangement of the underground party, Mr. Ma Ke went to Yan'an. Marco went to Yan'an, which was also the holy land of revolution that he had longed for. In Yan'an, Marco entered the Luxun Academy of Literature and Art, where he received the Party's affectionate care and cultivation. 1943 Spring Festival, Yan'an's literary and art workers responded to Chairman Mao's call to launch a red-hot new rice-planting song movement, in which Marco not only wrote the scripts and compositions, but also participated in the singing and orchestra accompaniment in the LUYI rice-planting song team. In 1944, Ma Ke participated in the music composition of the opera <<White-haired Girl>> when the first performance of this opera was warmly praised by the Party Central Committee. <<White-haired Girl>>s production in the history of China's opera has an epoch-making significance, over the years has also been warmly welcomed by domestic and foreign audiences. 1945 the end of the year, Marco said goodbye to the Yan'an, along with the Lu Yi brigade came to the northeast of the newly liberated areas of work in the three-year war of liberation, the Marco's that the pen of the battle, has not ceased, during this period, he has composed < < <We are the new generation of the liberation of China's economy, and we are the first generation of the liberation of China's economy, and we are the first generation of the liberation of China. <We are democratic youth>>, <<Nanniwan>>, <<Our army is back>>, <<<Helping the army win the battle>>, <<We workers have the strength>> and other revolutionary songs, but also created << <The Desert Fire>>, <<Blood Vengeance>>, <<Husband and Wife Knowing Characters>>, <<Xiao Erhei Getting Married>> and other operas. After the founding of the country, Marco has long been responsible for music education, opera research and the development of new opera, but also wrote more than a hundred music reviews and theoretical articles. Such as <<New Opera and Old Tradition>>, <<<Opera music work from the characteristics of the art of opera>>, <<<Opera singing reform of several issues>>, <<<Is there any less music in life? >>, << Xian Xinghai is our country's outstanding socialist realism musician >> and << Chinese folk music speech >>, << era of song discussion >>, << Sin Xinghai biography >> and so on. Until he was persecuted by the Gang of Four and was bedridden, he still remembered to write new music for the people.On July 27, 1976, Marco passed away. This revolutionary musician left us. He is gone, but his songs are still circulating among the people, and the glorious journey he has traveled has remained in our memory forever.