Every day we went to factories, postal buildings, bus stations, universities… There were a lot of us, thankfully, and we took shifts answering every request.
My old songs didn’t really suit the situation… It was time for me to write more combative songs!
At a suburban factory. You guys’ll fight to the end, right?!
We won’t give in! Keep fighting! Keep fighting! IT’ S ONLY JUST BEGUN! KEEP FIGHTING!
We’ll never quit!
Suddenly, a unionized worker stepped between us and the strikers.
Look here, friends. Thanks for your solidarity, but you’re not here to talk politics, you hear?
Given the freeze at the refineries, gas shortages were starting… Workers gave us some gas to get home.
And then one morning, we discovered a small insert in the newspaper, which warned the strike committees against the “crazy lefties from CRAC” who had taken over the Bobino, “the holy ground of French music,» closed to the public for over two weeks.
That’s bullshit!
The strike spread across France. “The Movement,” as we called it, consumed us completely. Back the strike until we win: that was the objective of all of us young people. That was all we thought about.
Between protests and concerts in the factories, I started to write a few songs about the strike and against the crackdown.
Damn Stalinists!On May 24, the day of De Gaulle’s speech, the CGT had called for a protest at the Bastille. The National Students’ Union of France, along with the March 22 Movement, called for one at the Lyon Station. More than 40,000 gathered there, the riot police already ready to ambush us. No more public transit, mail or gas… I hope this goddamn government goes to hell!
At 8PM, the protesters listen to De Gaulle’s speech, ears glued to the radio.
“Citizens of France, next month you will declare your decision by voting. Unless you say otherwise, it seems apparent that I will not have my position for much longer…”
Even before his speech ended, thousands of handkerchiefs came out to wave goodbye.
Farewell De Gaulle, Farewell De Gaulle, Farewell…!All of a sudden, the cops started throwing tear gas. The protest broke out into smaller groups that scattered.
Hurry up, comrades, we’ve got to retreat back to the Quarter before the cops block the bridges!
On St. Michel Boulevard, everything was getting more tense. And then…
WATCH OUT, HERE THEY COME!