John Reed was an honest man, knew right from wrong.
His heart was with the people, said, “That’s where I belong.”
He saw the homes of workingmen,
He heard their children cry,
In Patterson he saw them starve, in Ludlow saw them die.

John Reed saw trouble in the making,
John Reed saw tyranny’s face,
John Reed knew a storm was breaking
And he said to himself,
“There’s my place!”

John Reed was a writing man, wrote what he saw.
He saw a fight for freedom, just like our Freedom War.
For ten long days that shook the world
While some were writing lies,
He wrote with honest hand and heart what he saw with honest eyes.

John Reed saw freedom in the making,
John Reed saw tyranny’s face,
John Reed saw a new day breaking
And he wrote what he saw,
That was all.