GEORDIE BLACK

Oh my name is Geordie Black and I'm getting very old
And I've hewed tons of coal in my time
When I was a lad I could either put or hew
Out of the other ones I would always take the shine
Now I'm going down the bank and I cannot use my pick
And the master has no pity on old bones
Are you new or on the bank in amongst the bits of lads
Up upon the heath a-picking stones

Oh my name is Geordie Black in my time I've been a crack
And I've worked both the Gus and the Betty
And for coals upon the Tyne out of the others I would take the shine
And lick them all for iron down at Hawks's

Now when I was just a lad carried on my father's back
He would take me away to the pit
And getting in the cage and then going down below
Was enough to make a youngster take a fit
To sit and keep the door in the darkness and the gloom
And many a weary hour by myself
And to hear the awful shots as they rumbled around the pit
And the lumps of roondy coal come down pell mell

Oh my name is Geordie Black in my time I've been a crack
And I've worked both the Gus and the Betty
And for coals upon the Tyne out of the others I would take the shine
And lick them all for iron down at Hawks's

Now I'll bid you all goodnight for it's nearly time to lowse
And I hope I've tried to please you everyone
Mind you pray tonight and do all the things that's right
For in this world that's the way to get along
Now here's success to trade for on the Wear and Tyne
I don't like to see the faces slack
For if the pits lie idle then no wages come today
It grieves the heart of poor Geordie Black

Oh my name is Geordie Black in my time I've been a crack
And I've worked both the Gus and the Betty
And for coals upon the Tyne out of the others I would take the shine
And lick them all for iron down at Hawks's

(lyrics: Trad. arr. The Whisky Priests / music: Johnny Handle)