Popular name of "Union Label," a
1975 song by Paula Green (
lyrics) and Malcolm Dodds (
music) written for the
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, who used it in an
American television commercial promoting
union made
clothing.
Look for the union label
when you are buying that coat, dress or blouse.
Remember somewhere our union's sewing,
our wages going to feed the kids, and run the house.
We work hard, but who's complaining?
Thanks to the I.L.G. we're paying our way!
So always look for the union label,
it says we're able to make it in the U.S.A.!
Note the similarity to
Jerome Kern's
1944 song, "
Look for the Silver Lining."
In the 2000 U.S. Presidential race, Democratic candidate Al Gore got into trouble for saying that he grew up hearing union lullabies, and he started in on this song. (He would have been 27 at the time it was written). He may have been joking around with his audience (the Teamsters), but with his delivery, the press wasn't sure, and Republicans accused him of making up stories to win votes.