We recently had the excellent opportunity to check out Already Dead’s new single “Bread and Roses.” It’s a punk version of the classic 1912 hymn and poem dedicated to the women and children striking for better working conditions in the mill manufacturing city of Lawrence, Massachusetts. In the century since, it has existed as a sign of solidarity and strength with workers worldwide.

You can listen to “Bread and Roses “ on Spotify Here and on Apple Music Here

In addition to releasing the track today, (Friday, September 1st ) Already Dead will perform the song with collaborator Felipe Collazo at Lawrence’s Bread & Roses Heritage Festival on September 4th.

Already Dead are invested in everyone’s quality of life. Last year’s debut album My Collar Is Blue offered a raised glass to the working class, so it only makes sense that the Massachusetts punk band is standing in solidarity with citizens across the country with a fiery reboot of the classic strike song “Bread and Roses.”

Dedicated to the women and children striking for better working conditions in the Massachusetts mill manufacturing city, “Bread and Roses” was first born as a poem and strike song in 1912, written by James Oppenheim with its title taken from a speech given by American women’s suffrage activist Helen Todd. It has existed as a sign of solidarity and strength for the past century, and now is rebooted with proper punk rock fury as Already Dead teams with Bread and Roses festival producer Felipe Collazo on guest vocals, with the introductory verse provided by his sister, AnnMarie Collazo, a nod to the women who have stood on the frontlines for worker rights and equality for all.

Already Dead’s Dan Cummings has held the idea of giving “Bread and Roses” the punk-rock treatment for the past few years. But as working class issues dominate this summer’s news cycle, from the SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood to UPS workers strategically positioning for better wages, the time was right to ignite Already Dead’s take on the classic.

“It aligns with what I hope Already Dead projects as an ethos,” says Cummings, himself a Boston union pipefitter alongside Already Dead bassist and Boston union ironworker Brandon Bartlett. “And that’s standing up for yourself and for your fellow people and to fight for what is fair. In my opinion, there is evidence of that in all class struggles. I picked this song in particular because I have a personal tie to it – volunteering at the festival in the past – and also after learning about its significance. It is a song/poem that was a rally cry for a strike which is considered to be a real watershed moment in the Industrial Revolution and U.S. history.”

It should be noted we have never met Dan Cummings or anyone else from Already Dead , However, we too have a strong belief in fighting for what is right and just . So we are in full support of Already Dead and believe that their version of “Bread and Roses “ is pure punk rock perfection.

On the heals of Labor Day, we should stand tall and proud and crank Already Dead’s epic version of “Bread And Roses”