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Know When To Move Lyrics by John McCutcheon

What It’s Like

0

I remember when I was a little kid meeting Daddy 'neath the 3-M lights
And I'd ride home on his shoulders through those hot New Jersey nights
And he always told when I got old that I would work there too
Now twenty years on the line and in two weeks time they're telling me I am through
Now, you don't have to tell me that times are bad and there's trouble all around
And I'm glad my Daddy never lived to see what's happening to this town
But I turned on the news just this morning and it gave me chills to see
Some 3-M workers in South Africa walking off their jobs for me
You go to know when to move
You go to know when to stand
You got to know when to follow
When to take command
Well, you gotta know how to recognize
Your story when you hear it
From just the other side of the railroad tracks
Or an ocean away from here
Now, I've never been much for politics and I've kept my nose real clean
But, you know, that just this morning I've been changed by what I've seen
'Cause the people in the next town over don't seem to give a damn
While some folks living off in slavery risk their lives to take my stand
You go to know when to move
You go to know when to stand
You got to know when to follow
When to take command
Well, you gotta know how to recognize
Your story when you hear it
From just the other side of the railroad tracks
Or an ocean away from here
From the graveyards in Soweto to the Freehold chimney stacks
There's chains upon the factory gates and there's chains upon the backs
And ain't it strange how people change when they find they're not alone
It'll make you strong just to hear your song ten thousand miles from home
You go to know when to move
You go to know when to stand
You got to know when to follow
When to take command
Well, you gotta know how to recognize
Your story when you hear it
From just the other side of the railroad tracks
Or an ocean away from here
Credits
John McCutcheon

John McCutcheon

About “Know When To Move” by John McCutcheon

Read the complete lyrics to "Know When To Move" by John McCutcheon from the album "What It’s Like". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country, Folk.

"Know When To Move" is performed by John McCutcheon. from the album "What It’s Like" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Know When To Move", explore more songs by John McCutcheon using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Know When To Move" is credited to John McCutcheon. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Know When To Move" appears on "What It’s Like".

Visit the John McCutcheon artist page at /artist/john-mccutcheon for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.