1. |
The Colliery
03:05
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THE COLLIERY
The pit where I worked was built in Eighteen-Ten
And it's claimed the lives of many good men
Like rats in a hole we crawled underground
Digging for coal at the colliery
I had long shifts to put in every day
And I worked like a slave for a poor man's pay
We hated our boss because he worked us hard
For a pittance to keep our families
And the curse of God was on our lives
Though we prayed to Him for better times
We learned to cry and we learned to die
Down at the colliery
I had a wife and six bairns to feed
We paid the price of a rich man's greed
I sweated and toiled in that unholy black hell
Feeding the fires of Britain's industry
And we found no joy in our toil
As our lungs filled with dust and soot and soil
We laughed and cried we prayed and died
Down at the colliery
Both servants and masters shared the land
They abused our humanity but they used our hands
And they would steal our brains to destroy our souls
But we were put on God's earth to go below it for coal
This land was built by men of steel
But the fires are now dying in its industries
The machines have rusted and the pit stands dead
The men lie idle no more prayers are said
And the curse of God was on our lives
Though we prayed to Him for better times
We learned to cry and we learned to die
Down at the colliery
(Gary Miller)
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2. |
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KEEP YOUR FEET STILL GEORDIE HINNY
Wor Geordie and Bob Johnson
Both lay in one bed
In a little lodging house down by the shore
Before he’d been half an hour asleep
A kick from Geordie’s foot
Made him waken up to roar instead of snore
So keep your feet still Geordie Hinny
Let’s be happy through the night
For I may not be so happy through the day
So give me that bit comfort
Keep your feet still Geordie lad
And don’t drive my bonnie dreams away
I dreamt there was a dancing held
And Mary Clark was there
And I thought we tripped it lightly on the floor
And I pressed her heaving breast to mine
Whilst waltzing round the room
That’s more than I’ve dared ever do before
Do you know the lad she gans with
They call him Jimmy Green
And I thought he’d try to spoil our bit of fun
But I dreamt I nailed him heavy
And I blacked the young fool’s eyes
If I’d slept it’s hard to tell what I’d have done
I dreamt Jim Green had left the town
And left his love to me
And I thought the house was furnished with the best
And I dreamt that I’d just left the church
With Mary by my side
When your clumsy feet completely spoiled the rest
(Trad. arr. The Whisky Priests)
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3. |
The Clog Dancer
01:51
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THE CLOG DANCER
Now then marras what fettle
I hope I find you well
If you gather all around me now
My story I will tell
When I was young I used to be
A miner like yourselves
But now because my hair’s turned grey
They’ve put me on the shelf
For fifty years I’ve worked in the pit
And many’s the change I’ve seen
When I was young when a man was done
They’d set him on the screen
But now today when your hair turns grey
Like a squaddie with an old peg leg
They’ll tell you you’re no use anymore
Get out in the road and beg
My age it is just sixty-four
For work I’ve got no chance
They’ve barred me from the championships
My clogs for the belt to dance
They said that I was getting on
For work I was no use
They’ve paid me off and thrown me out
Get into the old workhouse
So listen all my young lads
Take heed of what I say
Get out of the pit if you’re young enough
To make good your own way
Because if you don’t and you stay below
You’ll wake to find one day
You’re all washed up and you get the push
Because your hair’s turned grey
(Trad. arr. The Whisky Priests)
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The Whisky Priests Durham, UK
The Whisky Priests (1985-2002) was founded by twin brothers, Gary & Glenn Miller (“the Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of Folk Music”). The band was internationally renowned for its energetic live shows, released a number of critically acclaimed albums, toured extensively and developed a worldwide cult following. The band reunited to tour in 2018 and release a 12-disc Complete Discography CD Box-set. ... more
The Whisky Priests recommends:
Reflections on War
by Gary Miller
The Whisky Priests lead singer/songwriter Gary Miller's 2010 debut solo album.
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Stand Fast, Stand Steady
by Gary Miller & Ralf Weihrauch
The Whisky Priests lead singer/songwriter Gary Miller's 2005 duo album with Ralf Weihrauch.
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Going Down With Alice
by Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Collaboration between Gary Miller and Glenn Miller of The Whisky Priests and Joseph Porter of Blyth Power.
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