I wrote this song for the 99th Memorial of the Triangle Fire. Originally I sang it to the tune of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" Then as I sang it, it found its own blues rhythm. Girls, Girls, Where Did You Work Last Night? Girls! Girls! Teenage immigrants, Tell me, where did you work last night? Somebody tell me. C’mon Rose, Sarah, Daisy. Washington and Greene, in the factory, where the door kept locked, by greed. O Girls! Girls! Teenage immigrants, tell me where did you go in the fire? Tessie, Caterina, Antonietta, somebody tell me. I jumped to the street where my bones and concrete meet, the sewer, my blood runs through. Girls O Girls! Teenage immigrants, tell me of your New York dreams. Rosaria, Celia, Annie, somebody tell me. Well I ran from poverty, persecution, misery. We were starving, needed a buck, I got on the boat to try my luck. Made it 'cross the sea to the wave of Liberty. Worked the Triangle Factory, in the New York Garment Industry, Where amber waves of flame caught me. So I dove for the sky, broken window, promises Spring air. I prayed, New York City, catch me! We were body makers, sleeve makers, sleeve setters, collar makers, cuff setters, yoke setters, buttonhole makers, tuckers, closers, hemmers, joiners, finishers, pressers, button sewers, lace runners, embroidery trimmers, thread trimmers, sample makers. Makers. Joiners. Finishers. Makers. Joiners. Finishers. O Girls! Girls! Teenage immigrants, Tell me, how burning hot is greed? C’mon tell me, Sadie, Lina, Josie, Margaret. Well, our breath caught the fire, hair and lace, the flames, and cinders became our names.
